SHAH'S PHOTOGRAPHY

…… AN ALBUM OF IMAGES

The Perdana Botanical Gardens, The Green Lung of Kuala Lumpur

The Perdana Botanical Gardens is a green lung situated in Kuala Lumpur. It is the first large-scale recreational park in Kuala Lumpur and is 91.6 hectares in size.

The Perdana Botanical Gardens began life as the Public Gardens and later became more popularly known as The Lake Gardens. In 1975, the then Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak, renamed it Taman Tasik Perdana or the Perdana Lake Gardens.

It assumed its current name, the Perdana Botanical Gardens in 2011 as part of the process to turn the park into a botanical garden.

Its location is strategic whereby it is within easy reach of notable places of interest namely Parliament House, The National Mosque, the National Museum, the Royal Malaysian Police headquarters ie Bukit Aman, and is also across the road from Taman Tugu Negara (where the National Monument is located) and Taman ASEAN.

 

(photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
(photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
The Amphitheatre (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
(photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
(photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
(photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
(photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
(photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)

 

Within the park, there are additional tourist attractions eg The Aviary or Bird Park, The Hibiscus Park, The Orchid Gardens, The Butterfly Park, as well as a Deer Park.

These are all in addition to the natural attractions of the Gardens eg the lake Tasik Perdana itself as well as jogging routes for keep-fit enthusiasts.

 

 

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The ‘Orang Asli’ Museum

There is a museum in Kuala Lumpur dedicated to the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia. The Orang Asli were amongst the first dwellers of the land and is made up of three main groups – the Melayu Proto, the Negrito, and the Senoi, with each group comprising of six (6) different sub groups each.

The museum is called the Muzium Orang Asli and is located adjacent to the national museum, Muzium Negara.

 

Exhibits of the traditional wood carvings of the Orang Asli. Most of these wood carvings depict spirits of the Orang Asli world. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
Further exhibits of wood carvings representing spirits of the Orang Asli world. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
Masks of the Orang Asli. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
A wood carving of the spirit “Harimau Berantai’, which is loosely translated as the spirit of the Chained Tiger. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
The spirit of ‘Harimau Berantai’ manifested by the wood carving. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
Ceremonial dress of the Orang Asli, used during certain occasions. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
Exhibits of The Orang Asli Museum. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)

 

 

 

ITW (42) : The Beduk

 

IMG_20171028_150553 (1)

The ‘Beduk’ is a drum that is beaten before the ‘Azan’ or call to prayers. It is also used to announce the breaking of fast in the holy month of Ramadhan. It has a thick leather cow hide wound tightly over a hollow wooden shell. The ‘Beduk’ can be found in most mosques in Malaysia especially in the sub urban and rural areas. The exhibits above can be viewed at the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum in Pekan, Pahang and brings together different types of the ‘Beduk’ that was used in the state of Pahang. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)

 

The ‘Beduk’, Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, Pekan | Pahang, Malaysia | October 2017

 

 

Traditional Weapons of the Nusantara

The Nusantara is a region in South East Asia comprising of Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Southern Thailand, and the Philippines.

The different peoples shared many common traits eg the spoken language ie Malay (despite the different dialects), religious (Islam being the main faith followed in the region as well as Roman Catholicism, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism) , the art of self-defense (silat), range and types of weaponry (multi function, naturally) are some of them.

Amongst all the weaponry, the Keris or Kris, is the most notable. Besides defending oneself, it has ceremonial functions attached, and is most often used when it is to take up and honour a responsibility of utmost importance.

For example, His Majesty The King of Malaysia, upon his appointment would kiss the State Ceremonial Keris, as a symbol of solemn acceptance of his appointment, post and responsibility, as do His Majesties, The Malay Sultans.

 

An exhibit of different types of weapons – Exhibit from The Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, Pekan, Pahang. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
An array of different types of the Keris – Exhibit from The Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, Pekan, Pahang. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
The Sumatran Keris – Exhibit from The Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam, Selangor. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
Exhibit from The Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam, Selangor : (Top L-R) Parang Lading, Parang, Pedang Alamang, Kelewang, Tekpi (2) ; (Bottom) Lading Terus . (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
An array of the Lembing / Tombak – Exhibit from The Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, Pekan, Pahang. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
Exhibits from The Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, Pekan, Pahang. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
The Balinese Keris – exhibit from The Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam, Selangor. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
The Javanese Keris – Exhibit from The Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam, Selangor. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
An array of the many types of Keris – Exhibit from The Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, Pekan, Pahang. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
Exhibit from The Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, Pekan, Pahang. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
The Keris Semenanjung – Exhibit from The Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam, Selangor. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
The Keris – Exhibit from The Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam, Selangor. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
The Keris – the long and the short of i -. Exhibit from The Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, Pekan, Pahang. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)
Adat and Warisan – Exhibit from The Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam, Selangor. (photo credit : Shah Said ; @ all rights reserved)

 

The Keris, like the Japanese Samurai swords, also has the long Keris and the short Keris and like the Japanese swords of the Samurai, the short one is tucked in at the waistband whilst the long Keris is always carried in the hand.

Peoples of the Nusantara – so different, yet so many similarities.

 

 

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