Halal Travel Guide: Kelantan, Malaysia - Malay Culture, Part 1
Reposted from the web
Summary: Kelantan sits on the Thailand-Malaysia border and is known as one of the strongest centers of Malay culture. This long travel account covers Kota Bharu royal palaces, museums, court traditions, shadow puppetry, handicrafts, and Muhammadi Mosque.
Kelantan sits on the border of Thailand and Malaysia, facing the South China Sea. It is known as the cradle of Malay culture and remains the region where this culture is strongest.
Kelantan is still ruled by a Sultan today. The Sultan of Kelantan, Hajji Mahmud Jiddah Riayah Saadatussalam, was originally a Buddhist king (raja) named Raja Bharubhasa. It is said he converted to the faith in 1345 and officially took the title of Sultan. As an important trading port along the South China Sea, Kelantan has long had close ties with China, Thailand, and Indonesia. Zheng He visited here during his fourth voyage in 1413.
In 1844, Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan moved the capital to Kota Bharu (meaning new city) at the mouth of the Kelantan River. That same year, he built the Grand Palace (Balai Besar). Five generations of Sultans lived in the palace between 1844 and 1920. Later, it became a place for investitures, state banquets, and various royal ceremonies. The current Sultan, Muhammad V, held his coronation ceremony here in 2010.
The Grand Palace (Balai Besar) was built by a craftsman from Terengganu named Muhamad Salleh. He used the traditional style of the east coast of the Malay Peninsula and was the best woodcarver in the region at the time. Although the front hall was expanded in the early 20th century, the palace kept its traditional architectural style. It is the most classic existing Malay royal palace.
Next to the Grand Palace (Balai Besar) in Kelantan stands the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar), built in 1887. It is currently open to the public as the Royal Museum of Traditional Customs. The Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) was originally built by Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan for his grandson, Long Kundur, so it was called the Palace of the Second King. After the second king ascended the throne as Sultan Muhammad III in 1889, this place officially became part of the Kelantan Sultan's palace complex. In 1911, Sultan Muhammad IV ordered the palace to be renovated and gave it to his son, Ismail. Ismail became the new Sultan in 1920, and the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) continued to be used as a royal palace. The Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) officially became a museum in 1981.
Like the Grand Palace (Balai Besar), the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) was originally a traditional single-story Malay wooden house. It was later rebuilt into a two-story brick structure, blending European architecture with traditional Kelantan styles, reflecting the Western influence on the Kelantan royal family. While the roof, facade, and other decorative elements show typical traditional Malay features, the iron spiral staircase, iron railings, and octagonal porch inside are clearly influenced by European styles.
The Royal Museum of Traditional Customs at the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) displays and introduces various traditional ceremonies of the Kelantan royal court.
The traditional Malay wood carvings collected by the Royal Museum of Traditional Customs at the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) were mostly used for decorating traditional buildings like mosques and houses.
The platform in the courtyard of the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar), called Panca Persada, is where princes would bathe before their wedding and circumcision ceremonies.
The Royal Museum of Traditional Customs at the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) houses divine bird boats, a unique cultural tradition of the Sultanates of Kelantan and Pattani. The first boat, Petala Indera Seri Kekayangan, was a gift from King Rama V of Thailand to Sultan Muhammad IV during his visit to Kelantan in 1905. The second, Burung Petalawati, was used for the circumcision ceremony of Tengku Zainal Abidin in 1933.
The origin of this divine bird can be traced back to ancient Malay legends and Indian culture. It was likely influenced by the giant bird in the Malay epic Isma Dewa and the mythical bird Garuda from Indian mythology. After 1933, the divine bird procession in the Kelantan region stopped because it was considered to deviate from the faith. It is now only preserved in the Malay community in the Pattani region of southern Thailand, though on a much smaller scale.
Batu Palace (Istana Batu) was a wedding gift from Sultan Muhammad XV of Kelantan to his nephew, Sultan Yahya Petra, and his wife, Tengku Zainab II, in 1939. It served as the palace for the third-ranking prince for many years. In 1960, Yahya Petra became the Sultan of Kelantan and moved to the Great Palace (Istana Balai Besar). The building was renovated in 1966 to become the home of Princess Tengku Salwani. From 1969 to 1972, it was the residence of Crown Prince Ismail Petra, and later it was used as a royal guesthouse. Since 1991, it has officially been the Kelantan Royal Museum, where you can see scenes of 20th-century life in the Kelantan Sultanate court.
The Blue Room was originally Sultan Yahya Petra's bedroom. It became Princess Tengku Salwani's bridal chamber in 1966. When Crown Prince Ismail Petra lived there in 1969, it was painted blue and furnished with solid wood pieces crafted by a famous Kelantan master carpenter. The room later hosted many royal family members. When Ismail Petra was crowned Sultan in 1980, the Sultanah of Johor, Tengku Nora, stayed here.
The Yellow Room was originally the bedroom for Sultan Yahya Petra's children. After 1960, it was used as a royal guest room. The current furniture was specially designed by Sultanah Tengku Zainab II for her daughter Tengku Salwani's wedding in 1966. Before 1991, this room was used as a bridal chamber for the Kelantan Sultanate court.
The Pink Room was originally Princess Tengku Salwani's bedroom, and it was later used by her son. The furniture in this room was ordered from Singapore.
Among the royal photos in the Kelantan Royal Museum, the first black-and-white one is of Sultan Ismail (1920-1944).
Parked outside is the Rolls-Royce used by Sultan Ismail Petra after 1980.
The Kelantan Islamic Museum (Muzium Islam Kelantan) was built in 1901. It was originally the official residence of the Kelantan Chief Minister, Hassan Muhammad Salleh, and is a two-story Malay wooden house in the Kelantan architectural style. Between 1917 and 1990, it served as the office for the Kelantan Islamic Council and the Customs Department. It opened as the Islamic Museum in 1991, but unfortunately, the museum is now closed.
The Kelantan State Museum was built in 1930. It was originally the Kota Bharu Land Office and was converted into a museum after 1990.
The Kelantan State Museum does not have many exhibits, but you can see precious Kelantan shadow puppetry (Wayang Kulit). Kelantan shadow puppetry has a very long history. It was once widespread in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia, especially in the Pattani region of southern Thailand and in Kelantan. There are many theories about the origin of Kelantan shadow puppetry. One theory suggests that 19th-century Kelantanese learned it from shadow puppetry masters on the island of Java. However, today's Kelantan shadow puppetry is significantly different from Javanese shadow puppetry. For example, Kelantan shadow puppetry is performed in the Kelantan Malay dialect, and the costumes of the puppet characters have a typical southern Thai style.
The stories in Kelantan shadow puppetry mainly come from the Indian epic Ramayana. Besides the main plot, there are many smaller stories not found in the book. some stories are taken from ancient Malay legends and Arabic legends, which is a major feature of Kelantan shadow puppetry.
The Kelantan State Museum houses costumes from the Kelantan court dance-drama, Mak Yong. Mak Yong originated in the Pattani region of southern Thailand around the 13th century and became a court dance-drama for the Kelantan Sultanate after the 18th century. Before the end of the 19th century, Mak Yong theater was performed exclusively for the Sultan's court, and it only began to be performed in public spaces after the 20th century.
The content of Mak Yong theater can be traced back to ancient Malay legends, many of which come from animism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, including Buddhist Jataka tales that have already been lost in India.
A very unique point of Mak Yong theater is that all the main roles are played by women. The lead actress, Mak Yong, is responsible for solo singing and leading the performance, while the palace maids around her provide backing vocals and dance. Men can only play the role of the clown for comic relief.
After the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) came to power in 1991, public performances of Mak Yong theater were banned. Although some veteran artists have stuck to their art despite the ban, they find it very difficult to get opportunities to perform.
The Kelantan-style Malay kite is called Wau Bulan. Bulan means moon in Malay, because this kite looks like a rising crescent moon when it flies. You can see workshops that make these kites in the village of Kampung Laut in Kelantan.
Congkak is a strategy board game popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. It originated in Egypt during the ancient Roman era and later spread to Southeast Asia through Arabia and India. It was once a court game of the Malacca Sultanate. The Congkak boards in the Kelantan region are beautifully decorated, and some are carved with bird patterns.
The Pitis Bank at the entrance of the Kelantan Sultan's palace is the oldest brick building in Kelantan, and its main gate is made of very sturdy chengal wood. The bank was built in 1889 by Sultan Muhammad III to store the tin currency called Pitis that was issued by the Sultan at the time. After the British Straits Settlements began issuing currency in 1909, Pitis gradually faded from history.
The Kota Bharu Handicraft Village is right next to the Sultan's palace. It was built in 1991 in the style of a traditional Kelantan Malay wooden house and is used specifically to display traditional Kelantan handicrafts.
The Kota Bharu Handicraft Village displays traditional Kelantan Malay batik fabric.
The Kota Bharu Handicraft Village displays traditional Kelantan wood carvings, including coconut graters and traditional Malay Congkak boards.
The Muhammadi Mosque (Masjid Jamek Muhammadi) is the congregational mosque of Kelantan state. It was built in 1867 by Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan and was changed from a wooden structure to a concrete one in 1922, featuring a neoclassical revival style. In 1931, Sultan Ismail presided over the opening ceremony and officially named it the Muhammadi Mosque.
From the late 19th century to the 20th century, this place was an important center for Islamic studies in Malaysia, and many great scholars taught here. Because many students would go to Mecca for further studies after graduating, this place is also known as the 'Gateway to Mecca'.
Summary: Kelantan sits on the Thailand-Malaysia border and is known as one of the strongest centers of Malay culture. This long travel account covers Kota Bharu royal palaces, museums, court traditions, shadow puppetry, handicrafts, and Muhammadi Mosque.
Kelantan sits on the border of Thailand and Malaysia, facing the South China Sea. It is known as the cradle of Malay culture and remains the region where this culture is strongest.
Kelantan is still ruled by a Sultan today. The Sultan of Kelantan, Hajji Mahmud Jiddah Riayah Saadatussalam, was originally a Buddhist king (raja) named Raja Bharubhasa. It is said he converted to the faith in 1345 and officially took the title of Sultan. As an important trading port along the South China Sea, Kelantan has long had close ties with China, Thailand, and Indonesia. Zheng He visited here during his fourth voyage in 1413.
In 1844, Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan moved the capital to Kota Bharu (meaning new city) at the mouth of the Kelantan River. That same year, he built the Grand Palace (Balai Besar). Five generations of Sultans lived in the palace between 1844 and 1920. Later, it became a place for investitures, state banquets, and various royal ceremonies. The current Sultan, Muhammad V, held his coronation ceremony here in 2010.
The Grand Palace (Balai Besar) was built by a craftsman from Terengganu named Muhamad Salleh. He used the traditional style of the east coast of the Malay Peninsula and was the best woodcarver in the region at the time. Although the front hall was expanded in the early 20th century, the palace kept its traditional architectural style. It is the most classic existing Malay royal palace.
Next to the Grand Palace (Balai Besar) in Kelantan stands the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar), built in 1887. It is currently open to the public as the Royal Museum of Traditional Customs. The Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) was originally built by Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan for his grandson, Long Kundur, so it was called the Palace of the Second King. After the second king ascended the throne as Sultan Muhammad III in 1889, this place officially became part of the Kelantan Sultan's palace complex. In 1911, Sultan Muhammad IV ordered the palace to be renovated and gave it to his son, Ismail. Ismail became the new Sultan in 1920, and the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) continued to be used as a royal palace. The Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) officially became a museum in 1981.
Like the Grand Palace (Balai Besar), the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) was originally a traditional single-story Malay wooden house. It was later rebuilt into a two-story brick structure, blending European architecture with traditional Kelantan styles, reflecting the Western influence on the Kelantan royal family. While the roof, facade, and other decorative elements show typical traditional Malay features, the iron spiral staircase, iron railings, and octagonal porch inside are clearly influenced by European styles.
The Royal Museum of Traditional Customs at the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) displays and introduces various traditional ceremonies of the Kelantan royal court.
The traditional Malay wood carvings collected by the Royal Museum of Traditional Customs at the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) were mostly used for decorating traditional buildings like mosques and houses.
The platform in the courtyard of the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar), called Panca Persada, is where princes would bathe before their wedding and circumcision ceremonies.
The Royal Museum of Traditional Customs at the Jahar Palace (Istana Jahar) houses divine bird boats, a unique cultural tradition of the Sultanates of Kelantan and Pattani. The first boat, Petala Indera Seri Kekayangan, was a gift from King Rama V of Thailand to Sultan Muhammad IV during his visit to Kelantan in 1905. The second, Burung Petalawati, was used for the circumcision ceremony of Tengku Zainal Abidin in 1933.
The origin of this divine bird can be traced back to ancient Malay legends and Indian culture. It was likely influenced by the giant bird in the Malay epic Isma Dewa and the mythical bird Garuda from Indian mythology. After 1933, the divine bird procession in the Kelantan region stopped because it was considered to deviate from the faith. It is now only preserved in the Malay community in the Pattani region of southern Thailand, though on a much smaller scale.
Batu Palace (Istana Batu) was a wedding gift from Sultan Muhammad XV of Kelantan to his nephew, Sultan Yahya Petra, and his wife, Tengku Zainab II, in 1939. It served as the palace for the third-ranking prince for many years. In 1960, Yahya Petra became the Sultan of Kelantan and moved to the Great Palace (Istana Balai Besar). The building was renovated in 1966 to become the home of Princess Tengku Salwani. From 1969 to 1972, it was the residence of Crown Prince Ismail Petra, and later it was used as a royal guesthouse. Since 1991, it has officially been the Kelantan Royal Museum, where you can see scenes of 20th-century life in the Kelantan Sultanate court.
The Blue Room was originally Sultan Yahya Petra's bedroom. It became Princess Tengku Salwani's bridal chamber in 1966. When Crown Prince Ismail Petra lived there in 1969, it was painted blue and furnished with solid wood pieces crafted by a famous Kelantan master carpenter. The room later hosted many royal family members. When Ismail Petra was crowned Sultan in 1980, the Sultanah of Johor, Tengku Nora, stayed here.
The Yellow Room was originally the bedroom for Sultan Yahya Petra's children. After 1960, it was used as a royal guest room. The current furniture was specially designed by Sultanah Tengku Zainab II for her daughter Tengku Salwani's wedding in 1966. Before 1991, this room was used as a bridal chamber for the Kelantan Sultanate court.
The Pink Room was originally Princess Tengku Salwani's bedroom, and it was later used by her son. The furniture in this room was ordered from Singapore.
Among the royal photos in the Kelantan Royal Museum, the first black-and-white one is of Sultan Ismail (1920-1944).
Parked outside is the Rolls-Royce used by Sultan Ismail Petra after 1980.
The Kelantan Islamic Museum (Muzium Islam Kelantan) was built in 1901. It was originally the official residence of the Kelantan Chief Minister, Hassan Muhammad Salleh, and is a two-story Malay wooden house in the Kelantan architectural style. Between 1917 and 1990, it served as the office for the Kelantan Islamic Council and the Customs Department. It opened as the Islamic Museum in 1991, but unfortunately, the museum is now closed.
The Kelantan State Museum was built in 1930. It was originally the Kota Bharu Land Office and was converted into a museum after 1990.
The Kelantan State Museum does not have many exhibits, but you can see precious Kelantan shadow puppetry (Wayang Kulit). Kelantan shadow puppetry has a very long history. It was once widespread in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia, especially in the Pattani region of southern Thailand and in Kelantan. There are many theories about the origin of Kelantan shadow puppetry. One theory suggests that 19th-century Kelantanese learned it from shadow puppetry masters on the island of Java. However, today's Kelantan shadow puppetry is significantly different from Javanese shadow puppetry. For example, Kelantan shadow puppetry is performed in the Kelantan Malay dialect, and the costumes of the puppet characters have a typical southern Thai style.
The stories in Kelantan shadow puppetry mainly come from the Indian epic Ramayana. Besides the main plot, there are many smaller stories not found in the book. some stories are taken from ancient Malay legends and Arabic legends, which is a major feature of Kelantan shadow puppetry.
The Kelantan State Museum houses costumes from the Kelantan court dance-drama, Mak Yong. Mak Yong originated in the Pattani region of southern Thailand around the 13th century and became a court dance-drama for the Kelantan Sultanate after the 18th century. Before the end of the 19th century, Mak Yong theater was performed exclusively for the Sultan's court, and it only began to be performed in public spaces after the 20th century.
The content of Mak Yong theater can be traced back to ancient Malay legends, many of which come from animism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, including Buddhist Jataka tales that have already been lost in India.
A very unique point of Mak Yong theater is that all the main roles are played by women. The lead actress, Mak Yong, is responsible for solo singing and leading the performance, while the palace maids around her provide backing vocals and dance. Men can only play the role of the clown for comic relief.
After the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) came to power in 1991, public performances of Mak Yong theater were banned. Although some veteran artists have stuck to their art despite the ban, they find it very difficult to get opportunities to perform.
The Kelantan-style Malay kite is called Wau Bulan. Bulan means moon in Malay, because this kite looks like a rising crescent moon when it flies. You can see workshops that make these kites in the village of Kampung Laut in Kelantan.
Congkak is a strategy board game popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. It originated in Egypt during the ancient Roman era and later spread to Southeast Asia through Arabia and India. It was once a court game of the Malacca Sultanate. The Congkak boards in the Kelantan region are beautifully decorated, and some are carved with bird patterns.
The Pitis Bank at the entrance of the Kelantan Sultan's palace is the oldest brick building in Kelantan, and its main gate is made of very sturdy chengal wood. The bank was built in 1889 by Sultan Muhammad III to store the tin currency called Pitis that was issued by the Sultan at the time. After the British Straits Settlements began issuing currency in 1909, Pitis gradually faded from history.
The Kota Bharu Handicraft Village is right next to the Sultan's palace. It was built in 1991 in the style of a traditional Kelantan Malay wooden house and is used specifically to display traditional Kelantan handicrafts.
The Kota Bharu Handicraft Village displays traditional Kelantan Malay batik fabric.
The Kota Bharu Handicraft Village displays traditional Kelantan wood carvings, including coconut graters and traditional Malay Congkak boards.
The Muhammadi Mosque (Masjid Jamek Muhammadi) is the congregational mosque of Kelantan state. It was built in 1867 by Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan and was changed from a wooden structure to a concrete one in 1922, featuring a neoclassical revival style. In 1931, Sultan Ismail presided over the opening ceremony and officially named it the Muhammadi Mosque.
From the late 19th century to the 20th century, this place was an important center for Islamic studies in Malaysia, and many great scholars taught here. Because many students would go to Mecca for further studies after graduating, this place is also known as the 'Gateway to Mecca'.
