KELANTAN
Located in the east coast of the peninsular,the magic of
Kelantan is in quaint fishing villages, idyllic sandy beaches lines with
captivating swaying palms and picturesque panorama of verdant tropical forests.
Still, the true charm of the land is in the vitality of its colourful culture.
Kelantan state, which is also the “Cradle of Malay Culture”, is home to vibrant
cottage industries involved in the making of traditional handicrafts such as
songket, batik, brassware and basket weaving. In its capital, Kota Bahru,
traditional pastimes such as kite flying and top spinning are still very much
alive today.
THE LEGENDS OF PRINCESS SA’ADONG
Puteri or Princess Sa’adong is famed for her unrivalled
beauty due to her magical origin. She was found by Kelantan’s legendary warrior
Queen. Che’SIti Wan Kembang at the edge of a pond, wrapped in pure white
bubbles. Childless, the Queen adopted the bady and before long, was teaching
her the virtues of a respectable warrior and a beloved ruler.
When she came of age, she was betrothed to her cousin, Raja
Abdullaj and once married, they ruled over the Kota Jelasin( Fort Jelasin)
region. But peace was soon shattered as the Siamese King waged war against the
region for rejecting his marriage proposal to Princess Sa’adong. Dreadfully
defeated by the compelling force of Siamese troops and refusing to expose her
subjects to further atrocities, Princess Sa’adong surrendered. Before making
the crossing to Siam, she assured her husband and her subjects that she will
return unharmed.
After months of arduous journey, the princess finally
arrived at the Siamese King’s Palace and he was overjoyed. Unfortunately, when
he touched her, he was instantly inflicted with a terrible skin disease.
Many
local shamans tried to cure the disease but failed. One night, the King dreamt
only Princess Sa’adong had the power to cure him. The Princess agreed to cure
the King if he allowed her to return to Kelantan. He consented and using the
juice from a betel nut that she chewed, the Princess healed the King.
As promised, Princess Sa’adong returned to her husband only
to find him married to another. Hurt by his betrayal she fled to Bukit Marak (
Marak Hill) and sought refuge in a cave at the mount. Nevertheless, she never
abandoned her subjects. Frequently they came to seek her advice and assistance
.She was so kind that her subjects constantly took advantage of her.
Many people came to borrow her crockery for various feasts
yet failed to return them. Disappointed with dishonesty in the world she
withdrew, according to local legend, into the mystical world. When she
departed, all her belongings like her crockery and ship mysteriously turned
into stones. Realizing their mistake, the villagers returned her transformed
belongings to the only place they knew, at the cave in Bukit Marak. Today,
locals claim remnants of Puteri Sa’adong possessions can still be found in the
cave.
Visitors to Kelantan can visit several sites that are
related to Puteri Sa’adong’s legend. The tomb of her husband,Raja Abdullah, is
located at Kampung Padang Halban, 20km south of Kota Bahru. He died in 1671,
some believed killed during a fight with Princess Sa’adong. She stabbed him
with her golden hairpin.
Located 20 kilometres east of Kota Bahru, the cave at Bukit
Marak is accessible only to expert cavers and hardcore explorers. It contains
remnants of her belongings, chambers deemed to be her bedrooms and even her
footsteps. To experience the grandeur of past Kelantanese royalty, pay a visit
to Istana Jahar ( Jahar Palace) also known as the Museum of Royal Traditions
and Customs. Open Saturday through Thursday from 8.30 am to 4,45pm
Istana Balai Besar, located at the heart of Kota BAhru ,
stands proudly surrounded by a fort , made form beautifully crafted local
timber, within an area that covers over 1627 sq meters.
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