The mystery of Gua Yunus (the cave of Yunus)

Greeting all! The last time I made a posting in this blogspot, I did mention it was made because the date then 13 November 2007 seemed auspicious (to me that is)... It is equivalent to 13/11/2007 and 131 is a number very dear to me for certain reasons.

Today might be the 23rd of November but in the Islamic calender, it is equivalent to 13 Zulkaedah 1428 Hijriah. Zulkaedah is the 11th month in the Islamic lunar calendar so you could also write it as 13/11/1428... Another 131 and thus the reason I feel like breaking the silence of the last 10 days with this new posting. Enjoy it!

On one side of Pulau Besar in Melaka right on the slopes of the beachside hill seen in the picture lies a certain unique place of much importance to the many visitors to the island who believe in many things magical and mystical...

But before that, one must pass through this stretch of beach which is my favourite place for swimming whenever in the island.

After the beach one must make a climb and trek across the slopes...

At the highest point along the trekking route to the unique place in question, one can climb on top a huge boulder and look down upon another huge boulder. Thus the view above...

Notice the bunch of bananas and what's one it? it seems there's some people who has done some prayers there albeit in an unIslamic way. Normally this sort of prayer where one use incense is done to invoke the spirits or some mystical force, the kind that might be able to assist you in some matters but could turn out to be evil and malicious in nature!

This is my friend Zaidi posing on the big boulder which lies at the highest point along this trek. Across the sea (actually the straits of Melaka) seen here lies the island of Sumatera in Indonesia. I believe this picture was taken facing the north-most tip of Sumatera which is in the province of Aceh, the land of my forefathers of yore...

This is the same view without Zaidi in it. I decided to included the picture with him in this posting because it happens to be 131th picture taken on the trip to and in Melaka made 3-4 November 2007... Remember, I have a "fetish" for the number 131?

Then we have to go down the boulder and down the slopes too...

And so we arrived at the this other big boulder... Notice the rope? It is the same boulder seen from on top the other boulder shown in a previous picture...

And next to the boulder lies this cave... A cave formed by some giant boulders heaped one upon another at certain angles.

Notice the green cloth in the picture with flower petals peppered on it? This signify that the spot is of high mystical signicance... The green denotes the connection with an older religious figure of saintly status...

So what's the story behind it? The locals call this place Gua (cave of) Yunus. They said, it is named after a great saintly person by the name of Yunus who used to medidate here, they just don't know when but it was a long long time ago.

So who is this Yunus? Whisper... Whisper... Let me tell you something which could be shocking.

In the holy Islamic book, the Al-Quran, there is mentioned the story of the Prophet Yunus who left his people after he got tired of their refusal to listen to him and follow his teachings. He decided to leave the country and hopped out on a boat. Ah... The story can be rather long so let me cut it short.

There was a big storm and he had to jump off ship. That's when he was swallowed by a big fish (some said it is a whale, in the Quran it is called the nun) and had to spent some time inside its belly before he was spitted out.

Do you recognise the story? Oh... In the bible, Yunus is known as Jonah. So is this the same Yunus who then arrived at Pulau Besar? Well, whisper... whisper... Some believe it is so. Gua Yunus was the place he meditated at after being spitted out by the big fish, before he returned to his country to continue preaching the right ways of God.

This is the view down from Gua Yunus. Perhaps the prophet Yunus or Jonah as he is popularly known in the Western world was indeed spitted out off the coast... And then he climbed up to rest and meditate at the cave...

This is a seaward view from inside the cave. Whoever this Yunus is, one thing's for sure. He enjoyed a superb view of the sea and the surroundings. This is already enough reason to consider this place as magical and mystical. Enough said!