A 9-day trip to Malaysia


Malaysia had long been on my travel list, but I didn’t get to plan it even though I had visited neighboring countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia.

April 9 was a holiday on account of the Indo-Aryan New Year (Ugadi) and so was April 11, on account of Eid Ul Fitr. That meant if I took 3 days vacation during that week, I could get April 5th evening to April 14th night, well over nine days to travel to Malaysia.



The reason I really wanted to visit Malaysia was to get a closer look at an important trading post city on the trade route from China to India and Europe, and how that had influenced human civilization.

The entire country has a population of about 28 million people, comparable to Mumbai metro (26 million). Demographically, Malaysia has 68% Bumiputeras/Malays, about 27% Chinese, and 7% Indians.


The KLIA Express from the Airport to the city travels at 125 kmph, and reaches the city in an hour. An awesome way to get to Kuala Lumpur City!

To the left and right are lifts that take us to the 12th floor where our service apartments were located.

A stream of statues seemed to be getting out of the walls of marble and going back in. I loved it!


A statue of Hanuman outside Ramayana Cave


Scenes from the Ramayana (embellishments?)

Swayamvara of Sita.

Scene from Ramayana - Hanuman confronting Ravana, before burning down Sri Lanka.

Inside the Ramayana Cave

Inside the Ramayana Cave

Every stalactite becomes a Shiva Linga. I guess it takes a massive Shiva Linga to create the world.

The Ramayana cave is up for Rent for CSR and Corporate Programs, Wedding photo shoots, and you can even rent the Kailash cave. The true nature and purpose of religion is revealed in this poster! And you can get Yoga classes at Ringgits 120 (about Rs.2000) per month.

Indians will be Indians, even in Malaysia. In this dark cave, hidden from all human sight, someone still loves Sona.

The blazingly garish temple will surely scare away all divinity?

They must have destroyed stalactites that took a million years at least to form on the floor to make way for this temple.

Ants and termites can break down soft stone and wood. True destruction of the grandeur of nature needs Homo Sapiens.



At Batu Caves. I love taking the pics of people taking pics!


Petronas Towers, at one point of time, among the tallest buildings in the world.

Public Bank Berhad.

Petronas Towers.

Nasi Kandar Pelita Restaurant.
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Nasi Kandar Pelita Restaurant.

Nasi Kandar Pelita Restaurant.
This modernist sculpture was in the lobby of Summer Suites, the service apartments where we stayed. The mobile phone makes it an ultra modern sculpture!

Most of the Indians are Tamils who migrated during British rule in Malaysia in early 19th Century CE. Adyar Ananda Bhavan makes it feel like I am in Tamil Nadu, and it was situated opposite Malabar Jewelry.

A contingent of shy Malay policemen!

Pangung Bandaraya - City Theater, Kuala lumpur


Kumbhakarna - the sleeping brother of Ravana in Ramayana.

Malaysia has a very ancient connection with India. During the 3nd Century BCE, following nomadic interference in Siberia, India diverted its attention to the Malay peninsula for its gold bullion. Buddhist and Hindu influences were strong in the Bujang Valley. Hindu-Buddhist gods and influence continued right till the 14th century till the Srivijaya Empire from Sumatra. Even today, the Sanskrit words in the Malay language are so many that an Indian can understand sporadic words, though not enough to make a sentence meaningful.



Me

140 foot statue of Murugan (Karthikeya) at the entrance of Batu Caves. You need to climb some 300 garishly colored steps (at the back) to get to the caves.




Stone Slab Burials - a common feature across civilizations.







The Orang Asli (original/real people) constitute barely 0.7% of the people now. These are made of several peoples who migrated from 40,000 years ago to 10,000 years BCE during the original migrations out of Africa. About 10,000 years ago, there were migrations from China too.

Each of these people speak different languages and have different customs, traditions and cultures.

At Museum of Islamic Art.
At Museum of Islamic Art.


At Museum of Islamic Art. Surah al-Imran

At Museum of Islamic Art.

At Museum of Islamic Art.

At Museum of Islamic Art - The art of "Kris" - the symbols of power worn by Sultans.

Ottoman Room - At Museum of Islamic Art.
The front of the Museum of Islamic Art.

National Mosque of Malaysia.

National Mosque of Malaysia.
National Mosque of Malaysia - the Minaret there.

As a result of syncretic Islam, Malaysian Muslims celebrate local festivals, such as Pesta Kaamatan, a harvest festival. Eid-ul-Fitr is called Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Religious Holiday after month of fasting). Sufism is quite accepted, and they believe in charms, amulets, and healers. While Sunni Islam is the state religion, there is substantial emphasis everywhere on combining the ethnicities of Malay, Chinese, and Indian.

Malaysia, when it was formed, was highly secular, under Tunku Abdur Rehman. By 2001, however, it had become an Islamic state. Today, a Malay is Muslim and by law, cannot convert to any other religion. Muslims can be fined for not fasting or refusing to pray. Women are increasingly pressured to wear head coverings. Female Genital Mutilation is obligatory by a Fatwa and has been declared an Islamic practice.

At the top of Thean Hou Temple 
At the top of Thean Hou Temple 



If your stuff has fallen on the tracks, let us assist you! RapidKL is a superfast transit train.


Walking streets with restaurants and shopping


Coconut icecream!

W.A.W. Restaurant.
A little girl at W.A.W. Restaurant running all over the place!

Oysters.

Frog Fry!

Thean Hou Temple.




The God of Marriage, with a book of matching names in his left hand and a staff in his right. A young girl is praying, probably hoping to find a good groom!

At Thean Hou Temple.

At Thean Hou Temple.

At Thean Hou Temple.
At Thean Hou Temple.
At Thean Hou Temple.
At Thean Hou Temple.
At Thean Hou Temple.

On the way to Little India.

At Little India, Kuala Lumpur.

At Little India, Kuala Lumpur.

Little India at Kuala Lumpur. You can see the Bombay Point, Rathi Silk Palace, Kanchanas, Raani Silks.....
At Little India, Kuala Lumpur.
At Little India, Kuala Lumpur.


Petaling Street

Street Food Restaurant at Petaling Street.
Street Food Restaurant at Petaling Street.

Street Food Restaurant at Petaling Street.

Street Food Restaurant at Petaling Street.



View from KL Tower.

Me at KL Tower

Aquarium at KL

Aquarium at Kuala Lumpur with sting rays and sharks.

Adverts in an underpass.

Adverts in an underpass.

Adverts in an underpass.
At Sky51 Bar.
At Sky51 Bar.
Petronas Towers seen from Sky51 Bar.





KL Tower seen from Sky51 Bar.

Petronas Towers seen from Sky51 Bar.
Sky 51 Bar

The Bus Terminal was super clean, and felt like an airport. They also had boarding passes, with announcements on departures and gates made on the flat panel display .

Plush buses that had loads of leg room, air-conditioning, leg rests, and push back seats. We used this to go to Cameroon Highlands, a 3.5 hour bus ride.

In 1885, British explorer William Cameroon discovered a plateau at an elevation of 2600 feet to 5200 feet above sea level, where the weather was perfect, with gently sloping hills, where a sanatorium or health resort could be developed. Cameroon Highlands, named after him, is about 200 km from Kuala Lumpur and remains cold in the hot tropical weather.

Development began around 1925, and today, the region grows tea, coffee, cinchona, strawberries, honey.
When we went, it was raining for half-a-day. We rented out a scooter and rode it in our raincoats to the tea estates, bee farms and strawberry farms.

Barrack - a military style cafe that wasn't open!

This was simply superb at Cameroon Highlands. The view from the apartment made it all worthwhile!

View from the apartment where we stayed at Cameroon Highlands.

Room at Cameroon Highlands. Very clean and neat.

Room at Cameroon Highlands. Very clean and neat.

At Boh Tea Plantation.

At Boh Tea Plantation.

On the way back from Boh Tea Plantation.

A Bee Farm.

On the way back from Boh Tea Plantation.

At a Strawberry Farm.

Big Red Strawberry Farm visit.

Big Red Strawberry Farm visit.

Big Red Strawberry Farm visit.
Big Red Strawberry Farm visit.
Big Red Strawberry Farm visit.
Big Red Strawberry Farm visit.

The best food and restaurant in Malaysia! My personal favorite through the trip! Home Taste Restoran run by Vince.
Vince has traveled about 40 countries, is retired, and runs Home Taste Restoran. He sits down with customers, shares his experiences and drinks with them. A real pleasure to talk to and dine with!

I am plugging for Home Taste Restoran!

Home Taste Restoran. No frills, no ambience. Just plastic chairs and tables, and the best food possible!

This was a special made for us. One part Guinness (extra stout), Two parts Heineken make a great brew!
We couldn't stop ourselves from eating, till I remembered that a pic would be good! Pork and fried crab.


On our way to Georgetown, Penang

In 1786, British trader Francis Light managed to obtain a lease of Penang Island from the Sultan of Kedah on behalf of the East India Company. We should remember that the “East Indies” included Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Georgetown was set up as a free port to compete with the French and Portuguese, and gave the British strategic control over Chinese trade. Early 19th century, after the Anglo-Dutch accord, the British also gained strategic control over the straits of Melaka. Effectively, they now controlled all the ports of Singapore, Melaka and Penang.



The entrance to Vintage House, Georgetown!

Vintage House, Georgetown, where we stayed.

Jetty Food Court.

A waterfall in Cameroon Highlands.

Wandering in Georgetown.



This was Yong Pin Restaurant, the second most awesome place we ate at. We had to wait outside in a long queue.
They announce your number and then you can go inside to order and eat in Yon Pin Restoran.

Ambience inside Yon Pin.

The Chinese Tea was excellent! Dimsums, shrimp, pork, we had it all!

The beginnings of Street Art in Georgetown.

Georgetown Mosque

The famous Rickshaw rides in Georgetown. We went around viewing street art and the rickshaw puller also served as our amateur photographer!

In 1786, British trader Francis Light managed to obtain a lease of Penang Island from the Sultan of Kedah on behalf of the East India Company. We should remember that the “East Indies” included Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Georgetown was set up as a free port to compete with the French and Portuguese, and gave the British strategic control over Chinese trade. Early 19th century, after the Anglo-Dutch accord, the British also gained strategic control over the straits of Melaka. Effectively, they now controlled all the ports of Singapore, Melaka and Penang.

Street Art-1
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang

Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Vintage Records, CD's casettes and old Cameras!

Old Cameras! They cost tons though!

Street Art in Georgetown, Penang



Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Baba Nyonya (“Peranakan”) Culture, practiced by elitist Chinese men who married Malay women, almost makes one retch with their opulence. Essentially, there were ultra-rich families that dictated trade, and all else in port towns like Meleka or Georgetown. The man would invariably be Chinese and hark back to China for all things cultural, mixing it with Malay culture. The women would be Malay and once married, would be severely restricted, living mostly inside the house.


All visiting foreign traders would invariably be hosted at a Baba-Nyonya house, and a few months later, would depart, paying their host with gifts of gold and precious gemstones. The food, clothing, architecture, arts and religion all are distinctive and collectively, called the Baba-Nyonya culture.








The Nyonya brides would make these decorative porcelain dolls, tinsel, with and tiny thai kneeling ladies inside glass domes. They would decorate the bridal chamber with these domes.

The bed was quite short presumably because Babas and Nyonyas were small in stature.


Ancestor worship with photos of each generation placed in descending order.

A Nyonya kitchen.

This was the most cruel practice. All the Nyonya female children had their feet tired up in really small shoes that constricted the feet, and did not allow them to grow. They walked around through their life with deformed feet.
The deformed and bound foot of a woman, You can see how the toes and heels of a Nyonya woman were forced to remain small.

The Babas (Chinese Peranakan) had so much wealth that even their curtain hangers were made of gold.

The blue coloring of these stones came from Kingfisher wings, that soon were endangered.

Ernest Zacharevic made some of the most brilliant street art in Georgetown.



Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.
Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.
Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.
Here's the monk all shaven and shorn, drowsy eyes falling asleep! Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.

Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.
Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.

Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.

Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.
Kek Lok Si Temple on Penang Hill.

To catch the Funicular Cable Railway that goes up Penang Hill, there was a huge wait with batches that took an hour in the queue. We got our ticket an hour before, then went to visit Kek Lok Si temple nearby and came back to join this huge queue.


Feel free to stand as seats are limited! What a redundant instruction 😂

View from Penang Hill.
View from Penang Hill.
View from Penang Hill.
Sign outside a toilet at a hotel on top of Penang Hill.


The temple near Chew Jetty


At Chew Jetty
Food stall near Chew Jetty serving Muah Chee, a glutinous sugary rice ball then coated with crunchy peanut powder and seasame seeds.

At Chew Jetty
Taking pics of people taking pics

At Chew Jetty
At Chew Jetty
At Chew Jetty
A girl sitting alone at Chew Jetty swinging her bare feet.

A mother and child at Chew Jetty
A girl smiling at Chew Jetty

Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang
Street Art in Georgetown, Penang

Making Penang Curry Mee - noodles and seafood combined together in a broth with coconut milk!


I ordered Char Koay Teow, that has crab meat, shrimp, and assorted stuff that will make a vegan throw up.


At Chew Jetty

This was a Railway Station! Unbelievably modern architecture.

The airconditioned waiting room in Butterworth Railway Station of Penang.

The train from Butterworth, Penang to Pulau Sebang/Tampin.
Inside the train from Butterworth, Penang to Pulau Sebang/Tampin.
A toilet inside the train from Butterworth, Penang to Pulau Sebang/Tampin. I wish toilets in Indian trains were this clean. I have traveled across several countries and the state of toilets may be reflective of a culture. Perhaps it is true that India has a "golden culture", going by the color and state of toilets in our trains.

The reception of our Modern Cave Botique Stay in Meleka.

Kitchen counter, microwave, stove, hot and cold waer, coffee, and assorted bread at Modern Cave Botique Stay where we stayed for two nights.

Room at Modern Cave Botique Stay - Rs.4500 for two nights. Quite a steal.

Meleka River

A dragon near Jonker Walk.

We were taking a river cruise, and I saw this father and son. All at once I was 4 years old, sitting on my father's shoulders, viewing the world like a giant!

River Cruise in Meleka.
Meleka Riverside stays with tourists waving at us as we went by. Observe the array of split A/C fans hung outside. Meleka is at 2 degrees above the Equator, where "the sea was wet as wet could be, the sands were dry as dry!". Hot, humid and sultry - the epitome of tropical weather.

Where there is a 7% Tamil population, there must be Bharata Natyam dancers. Most probably arangetram nilanjana too when the dancers graduate!

I love taking the pics of kids with parents. This mother and son seemed to blend into the paintings at the back.
The ripples in the waters of the river created surreal swirls. This was an upside down house, with the car hanging upside down as ou can see.

Meleka Bridge. For centuries, traders and ship captains from across the world had crossed this bridge.
Meleka Bridge. For centuries, traders and ship captains from across the world had crossed this bridge.
Painting of a sultan about to draw his sword. The intense sense of action is conveyed by the poised hand mid-air.
Meleka Maritime Museum. Unfortunately we missed seeing inside the museum because of our short stay and the timings.


A view from Menara Taming Sari from 110 meters above the city.
A view from Menara Taming Sari from 110 meters above the city.
A view from Menara Taming Sari from 110 meters above the city.
Cendol Durian
Preparing an iced dessert for me!

Cendol is an iced sweet dessert that contains droplets of pandan-flavoured green rice flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. It also had red beans.

Rickshaws with pyschadelic lights, blaringly loud music and decorated with cartoon figures, meant to take people for a spin around the area.

Dataran Pahlawan, a megamall that had several entrances and covered the area from one street to the other.
Dataran Pahlawan - where you can "satisfy all your cravings" for food. We didn't eat anything here however, saving ourselves for the street food on Jonker Street later.



Menara Taming Sari, the gyro tower with a glass cage, can be seen in the background towering 110 meters high.
Rickshaws for the tourist rides.
Jonker Walk! The iconic street food lane in Meleka.
These food balls contained pork and the sauce was yummy!


Jonker Street at night! You couldn't walk without jostling shoulders with dozens of people.
Flambeing always makes a dish taste better! It seals the outside skin of meat, keeping the juices inside, and also adds a layer of crispness to the top. It also adds a smokey burnt flavor if done right!

We had fried Oysters with Egg. Each batch took some 20 minutes to prepare since the cook was doing it for about 20 queued customers in bulk. You can see the speed at which he breaks one egg with his right hand and sprays it on the oysters, even while his left hand grips three more eggs ready to pass to his right!


At Jonker's Walk. It isn't only about food, but several shops selling knick-knacks, shoes and curios.

The street outside our Modern Cave Botique Stay hotel

Chinese costumes of a bride and groom, and a photoshoot of a young couple. They had taken care to really deck themselves out with lipstick, facial make-up, etc. They were posing in traditional robes outside a traditional house, while a team of photographers used modern camera mounts, Canon DSLR cameras, and telephoto zoom lenses. The irony!

Peranakan Street.
The Baba - Nyonya House on Peranakan Street.

Inside the Baba - Nyonya House.

Inside the Baba - Nyonya House.

Bridal costume : Baba - Nyonya House.
Bridegroom's costume : Baba - Nyonya House.

Rainwater would be collected at the Baba - Nyonya House, and would flow down and emerge from the head of a toad at the bottom. For some strange reason, this was associated with good luck.

Peranakan Crockery

A team of bikers passed by us on Peranakan Street.

A model of the fleet of ships that Admiral Zheng He. He sailed from China to Europe via Africa seven times, passing Malaysia en route.

Zheng He, a Chinese explorer, mariner, admiral, and court eunuch from the Ming Dynasty made his seven voyages to Europe from China. His voyages were via Malacca (Malaysia), Calicut (India), Cape of Good Hope (Africa). He was a Muslim and created a wave of popular appeal for Islam across the ports he visited.

Zheng He’s influence on Malaysia is felt even today, after six centuries.

Another theory is that Indian traders and Arabs from Gujarat and South India spread Islam to Malaysia during the 14th century. In 1402, Sri Maharaja Parameswara converted to Islam becoming Sultan Iskander Shah, and most subjects followed en masse.








The Church of Meleka was originally built by the Portuguese who conquered it in the early 16th century.

The Stadthuys served as the Dutch administative capital built in 1650.

An old man, Sultan Muzzafar Shah, married the young Peranan Tun Kudu, seen standing in the window. This ensured peace between everyone and the girl's "sacrifice" in the larger interests of Meleka are renowned even today. Malaysia is strongly patriarchal, since centuries.



The Kite Museum!!!

The Kite Museum!
The Kite Museum!!
The Museum of Beauty is all about how people disfigure themselves to twist their bodies in line with social mores. Growing heads or necks longer, piercing their ears, noses, hands or feet, filing their teeth, or inserting plates into their mouth gradually over years. While there were enough grotesque photographs, those were the only exhibits in the "Museum of Beauty".

St. Pauls Church located near the ruins of A'Famosa fort.


A street musician in St. Pauls church.

The ruins of the A'Famosa fort built in the 16th century by the Portuguese as a defense against attacks by the Meleka Sultanate.



Meleka Rover at Sunset.

Hari Aum Restaurant that had everything Indian! The Dahi Puris were absent however, since it was run by South Indians.
Hari Aum Restoran, a Chettinad Restaurant where we had dinner one day, and breakfast the following day.
Iced White Coffee at Oriental Kopi, KLIA-2

On our way back, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2, we stopped at Oriental Coffee to have dinner.
A sumptuous dinner spread at Oriental Kopi, KLIA-2.



Restaurant at KLIA Terminal 2.

Taking off from Kuala Lumpur to Hyderabad - an aerial view.
 

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