-----------------------

This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007


It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.


While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".


My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.


My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".


-----------------------


The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.


Friday, September 12, 2008

Exploring the happenings around the 1874 Pangkor Treaty in Perak...Foraying into Beruas

Greetings! Continuing the story-telling from the article Exploring the happenings around the 1874 Pangkor Treaty in Perak...Pasir Salak historical complex . After we're done at Pasir Salak, it's time to head for Taiping, a place with history integral to the happenings around the Pangkor Treaty. In fact after J.W.W. Birch was killed in 1875, the Malay warriors and patriots were put to trial and sentenced to exile and death by the British at the fort of Ngah Ibrahim just outside Taiping!

To get to Taiping, there is a route through the sleepy town of Beruas. The small town might not have anything to do with the happenings around the treaty but Beruas has it's own history which is integral in the history of Perak. So might as well pay a visit. Here is the story...



First, we stopped at the museum of Beruas...


Here are displayed some items related to history of the old Islamic kingdom of Beruas said to have existed since some 700 years ago... And before that there was a much older kingdom having existed within the same grounds. This is the kingdom of Gangganegara said to be a Hindu and Indianised, established sometime in the 2th Century AD!

For some elaboration, do have a look at the article The origin of the name Beruas. posted here half a year ago... Look also at the articles A short stop in Beruas. And a talk on Beruas' very own mysterious "Batu bersurat" or inscribed stone... and The ancient kingdom of Beruas and its ties with the more ancient kingdom of Gangganegara! which were posted slightly earlier.


Time to go inside...


We spent sometime looking at the artifacts on display...


Oh, by the way the museum is located next to the police station. In the background is the the Bubu mountain looming at around 5,500-feet high...


Then it's time to visit the real item, the tombs of the kings of Beruas in Kampung Kota, some 4km south of Beruas town... There's two main clusters of ancient tombs here...


In the first cluster, inside one walled area, the tombstones are missing. What's left is the stub of one tombstone...


Luckily the tombstones inside the other walled area are still intact. For the record, this type of tombstones is called Aceh tombstones.

Next, we visited the second cluster...


More Aceh-type tombstones here...


Somehow, I always admire its intricate design made for people of much importance especially royalty and important religious and spiritual leaders of old...


Once done at the tombs, we stopped at the Kampung Kota mosque to rest a bit, refresh and did our obligatory prayers...


Overlooking the mosque is the hill of Shamsul Bahrin which has its own history. A series of related video clips will be posted in the blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU shortly. Cheers!


Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)