ALOR Star has been awashed with yellow banners over the past few weeks and the people are noticeably excited. In fact, Kedahans, from all walks of life, can barely contain their enthusiasm while counting down to the day when their new ruler will be installed as the 29th Sultan of Kedah at Istana Anak Bukit tomorrow.
Like many Kedahans, I’ve been following news of the impending installation closely, eager to learn more about this important royal tradition. This heightened level of excitement among the people is more than justified. After all, it has been nearly 60 years since the state witnessed the installation ceremony of its former monarch, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah on Feb 20, 1959.
ROYAL CEREMONIES
The state-wide excitement started building up soon after the Istiadat Letak Kerja ceremony took place at the Balai Besar on Sept 19, 2018. This important function, steeped with tradition and custom of the Kedah Malaya Sultanate, was held to initiate the launch of a series of royal ceremonies leading up to the installation of Sultan Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah.
The ceremony, involving a procession of spring water from all the 12 districts, Zam Zam water from the Holy Land, nine types of flowers and three trays of sintok bark, lime and incense, ended with the playing of the nobat and firing of a nine-gun salute by the Royal Malay Regiment.
In accordance to tradition, Sultan Sallehuddin and his consort, Sultanah Maliha Almarhum Tengku Ariff visited the Langgar Royal Mausoleum on Oct 5, 2018. During the course of the Istiadat Ziarah Makam, Sultan Sallehuddin sprinkled scented water and flower petals on the graves of 10 former Kedah rulers as well as on the resting place of his mother, Tunku Ampuan Asma Almarhum Sultan Suleiman.
The third royal ceremony, the Istiadat Siram Tabal, was held at Istana Anak Bukit's Dataran Kepala Tanjung on Oct 14, 2018. The spring water and Zam Zam water from the Istiadat Letak Kerja procession were poured into three earthen pots and named Air Siram Taubat, Air Siram Selamat and Air Siram Syukur.
The Royal Pawai or Guards, Datin Paduka Datuk Tunku Kamaliah Almarhum Sultan Badlishah and Datin Paduka Tunku Nafisah Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, poured water from the pots on Sultan Sallehuddin and Sultanah Maliha while Kedah Mufti Datuk Syeikh Fadzil Awang conducted the final pour together with a prayer recital.
QUEST TO LEARN MORE
While anxiously awaiting for Sultan Sallehuddin's installation due to take place in the very near future, I decide to head over to the Kedah State Museum Library to refresh my memory on the previous ceremony that took place back in 1959.
Lady luck is on my side as I manage to get my hands on the original copy commemorating the installation of Sultan Abdul Halim. Hardly able to contain my exhilaration, I quickly head towards a quiet corner to carefully peruse the contents.
Turning the pages of the booklet, filled with historical facts and interesting myths, is like taking a walk back in time. Its contents give me a clear understanding of the Kedah Sultanate which has the oldest unbroken royal lineage in the world.
The first article mentions the State Regalia which prominently features the State Keris, said to have belonged to Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin, the 22nd Sultan of Kedah who ruled from 1803 to 1821 and 1842 to 1845. The 21-year interval occurred when Kedah was invaded by Siamese forces and Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin was forced to flee to Penang.
My heart skips a beat when the text further down the page mentions that the tengkolok, which is also part of the State Regalia, was the one made in 1904 for Tunku Ibrahim, the eldest son of Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah.
FIVE WEDDINGS
If my memory serves me right, this means that Tunku Ibrahim must have worn this same headdress when he and his four siblings, Tunku Zainal Rashid, Tunku Jam Jam, Tunku Rokiah and Tunku Jora, celebrated simultaneous nuptials with their respective spouses at the Balai Besar. Although it happened more than a century ago, that event remains, until today, the grandest royal wedding Kedah has ever seen.
The booklet's next few pages provide a brief historical narration about the Kedah Royal Family written by Tunku Nong Tunku Muhammad Jiwa. According to Tunku Nong, the first known settlement in Kedah was at the mouth of the Merbok River and it was there that a large galleon belonging to a Persian prince came to anchor.
The prince and his retinue were the only survivors of a large flotilla heading for China. The rest of the ships were lost in a terrible storm. The prince, who claimed direct descent from Alexander the Great, was so well liked by the local population that they accepted him as their leader. Then, nearly 800 years later, a Kedah ruler by the name of Seri Paduka Maharaja Durba Raja embraced the Islamic faith and took on the title Sultan Muzaffar Shah.
While admitting the existence of Merong Mahawangsa and Raja Bersiong through hearsay evidence and place names said to be associated with their reigns, Tunku Nong dispels them as mere legends with no proper historical proof. Instead, he mentions wise rule and the profound loyalty of the people as the two main attributes that have contributed to the preservation the Kedah Sultanate through the ages.
WISE MONARCHS
The importance of wisdom in a ruler is highlighted by an incident that took place during the reign of Sultan Suleiman Shah (1373–1423). The monarch had received news of an impending invasion led by an Achenese prince. Instead of meeting force with force, Sultan Suleiman wisely ordered all state dignitaries to join him in welcoming the aggressors. That act of extending the olive branch helped avert bloodshed and turned potential enemies into the best of friends.
The next exemplary monarch was Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Mu'adzam Shah (1473–1506). He was pious and, before his installation, chose to live in exile to learn administrative skills as well as imbibe the laws and teachings of Islam. Upon his return, Sultan Muhammad Jiwa forbade his ministers from conducting private businesses and, instead, ordered them to constantly safeguard the welfare of his people.
The royal decree marked the gradual end of feudalism and paved the way for a more democratic government in Kedah. The people were empowered to determine their own destiny and the economy flourished with gold and silver currencies coming into use for the very first time.
SIAMESE OCCUPATION
Unfortunately, prosperity doesn’t last forever. What followed soon after was a long era in Kedah history when it became a vassal state under Siam (today Thailand). While the people still continued to cherish their rulers, important matters of state like the question of succession had to be sanctioned by the King of Siam.
During those uncertain times, life in Kedah began to change with the steady inflow of peasants and missionaries from the north. To make things worse, the Siamese overlords introduced a new system of revenue collection that eventually tore apart Kedah's traditional forced labour or kerah system.
While lauding successive Kedah rulers for their tolerance and adaptability to protect and love the people, Tunku Nong singles out both Sultan Sallehuddin and Sultan Abdul Halim's father, Sultan Badlishah ibni alMarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah as an outstanding example of a ruler who always put the state first before everything else and showed that his subjects were always close to his heart.
LEGEND OF THE WAILING BABY
The following section in the booklet, also written by Tunku Nong, delves in detail about the mystery shrouding the large drum or Nahara in the nine-piece royal musical ensemble. Legend has it that the abdominal lining of a pregnant woman who was slain for the purpose was once used to line the side of the drum instead of the current deer hide. Back then, people even claimed to hear the wail of a baby whenever the nobat was played.
As a result of the unsubstantiated legend, the people began to consider the nobat as sacred. In the early days, many young mothers used to make a beeline for the Nobat Tower, located near the Balai Besar in the middle of town, and pledged offerings for the recovery of their ailing children.
While there have been many tunes played by the royal orchestra in the past, by the 1950s, the royal musicians were only required to specialise in nine tunes. The most famous melody of all is the War Siren, Lagu Genderang Perang, which is played each time the monarch leaves the palace or returns to it after a journey.
1959 FLASHBACK
Finally, I reach the much anticipated part that details the events that unfolded during Sultan Abdul Halim's installation in 1959. The ceremony began at 8.30am with the arrival of invited guests and dignitaries. Half an hour later, the Sultan and Sultanah of Kedah were greeted upon arrival by the Guard of Honour mounted by the Royal Malay Regiment.
Once all the guests had taken their respective places, their Highnesses made their entrance at the Balai Penghadapan, preceded by the Kedah Mentri Besar, Raja Muda and installation regalia bearers accompanied by the Lagu Raja Berangkat nobat notes.
After that, the Mentri Besar was invited by the Ketua Istiadat to read the installation proclamation before handing the State Keris to the Sultan. Then, everyone present at the Balai Besar echoed the Ketua Istiadat when he acclaimed in a loud and clear voice 'Daulat Tuanku' thrice.
The nobat began playing once everyone returned to their seats. As the Lagu Raja Tabal and Lagu Genderang Perang were played in succession, the Royal Malay Regiment began firing a 21-gun royal salute at the padang nearby. The installation ceremony ended with a prayer recital by the State Mufti, Sheikh-ul Islam.
A series of sporting events and festivals were held over a three day period following Sultan Abdul Halim's installation. Among them were the Water Festival at Tanjong Charlie, Parade and March Past at Padang Court and Physical Culture Display at Sultan Abdul Hamid College.
ROYAL VISITS
The festivities came to an end once their Highnesses completed their tour of all the 12 districts in the state. Among the towns visited between the periods of Feb 24 to March 8, 1959 were Sungai Petani, Baling, Kulim, Bandar Bahru, Jitra, Yen, Pendang, Padang Terap, Sik and Langkawi. Each of their Highnesses' arrival was welcomed by crowds of people eager to see their newly-installed ruler.
Flipping the pages back to the front cover before returning the booklet back to its rightful place, I suddenly notice an appendix that had been overlooked earlier. It tells of a single 10-cent stamp issue to commemorate the 1959 installation. This text immediately reminds me of the recent stamp and medallion collection launched by Sultan Sallehuddin to celebrate his coming installation.
The three different stamp designs, each with a 60-sen denomination, feature Sultan Sallehuddin in ceremonial, military and national attire, set against a background of Istana Anak Bukit. These stamps, together with a First Day Cover, a miniature sheet, and a brochure on Sultan Sallehuddin will be put on sale at all Pos Malaysia branches tomorrow.
Sultan Sallehuddin's installation will surely be the grandest of its kind ever seen in the history of Kedah. Together with the rest of my fellow Kedahans, I take this opportunity to wish his Majesty a long and prosperous reign. Daulat Tuanku!