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Tanushree
Podder recalls her
trip to the peaceful Malaysian town that bears the stamp of about half
a dozen cultures, including Portuguese, Dutch, British and Chinese
YOU can’t but feel welcome in Malaysia. Cheerful and smiling faces stare out of billboards proclaiming Selamat Datang (Welcome to Malaysia). Be it a restaurant or a shop you are likely to come across the slogan, everywhere. While the buzz and pace of Kuala Lumpur was heart-warming, one was raring to get to the laidback charms of Melaka, the erstwhile Malacca. It is a place with interesting history. Way back in 1403, a Hindu Prince called Parameswara was exiled from Sumatra. The prince converted into Islam and established the new kingdom at Malacca. The strategic location of Malacca’s port drew the Portuguese and the Dutch and then the British. That explains the different kinds of architecture, cuisine and culture. Predominantly Chinese, Malacca still retains the faded imprint of the other cultures. It was threatening to rain as I drove into the town one October morning. But the weather did not prove to be a deterrent as a colourful trishaw was engaged to tour the place. It was the cheerful trishaw driver, Khoo, with his Pidgin English who proved to be a valuable guide. His trishaw was equipped with all kinds of things, including a CD player that belted out foot-tapping beats and kept his adrenaline pumping. Khoo had an excellent business sense; the brand names on his trishaw earned him more money than his rides. "We go Dutch Square. All foreigner go there," he said as he began pedalling energetically. A couple of minutes later we were standing in the midst of several red-coloured edifices and a dilapidated gateway at the far end. The gateway was where we began the tour. "Fort A’Famosa was very big one time. Portuguese people build it," explained the trishaw driver. I nodded politely while trying to take pictures of the only remaining gate to the once impressive fort. A rusted cannon and the ruined gate is all that remain today. Standing at the Porta de Santiago, I looked up at the summit of the hill, on which stand the ruins of St Paul’s Church. Originally a Portuguese chapel, today there are just a few brick walls covered with tombstones of Dutch conquerors. Interestingly, the body of St Francis Xavier was laid to rest at the open grave (now covered by wire mesh) of the church for a period of eight and a half months after his death in China before being transported to Goa. Yes, it is the same St Francis Xavier whose body is preserved at the Bom Jesus Basilica at Goa. From the hilltop, one got some excellent shots of the city. One could also see the statue of St Francis Xavier with its broken right hand. It is said that on the morning after the consecration ceremony, a large Casuarina branch fell on it and broke off the right arm, and that’s the way it remains till date. From there, Khoo took me to The Stadthuys, all the while singing along with the music from his CD. The Stadthuys is the oldest Dutch building in the East. It had once served as the residence of the Dutch Governor but today it is a museum. The Christ Church, standing nearby, was built during the Dutch occupation; it is still used today. Each of the huge roof beams was carved from a single tree trunk and constructed without joints. The handmade pews and windows date back 200 years. Interestingly, the brass Bible inscribed with the first verse of St John in Dutch, old tombstones inscribed with Armenian script incorporated into the floor, and a picture of ‘Last Supper’ in glazed tiles are still there. The only disappointing factor was that pictures were not allowed. "Now we go Jonker Street," declared Khoo. "You find good things there. But first you eat." There was no arguing with Khoo. Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock was where we went to taste the famous Baba & Nyonya food. This particular cuisine has a blend of Chinese, Malay elements. The tourist brochures had recommended laksa (coconut milk gravy with seafood/chicken, bean sprouts, tofu, fish balls and egg noodles, served with a shrimp paste) and otak-otak (spiced fish meat grilled in banana leaves) and they turned out to be an excellent choice. The meal was rounded off with a delicious cendol, a concoction of coconut milk, Gula Melaka (local brown sugar) syrup, with feluda kind of noodles topped with shaved ice. With lunch out of the way, we began a leisurely round of the Jonker Street. Also known as the antique street, the narrow Jonker Street is crowded with small shops selling all kinds of artefacts from the colonial rule. Right from antique furniture to Chinese porcelain, brassware, cast iron beds, lamps, and coins, it has a host of interesting buys. The beaded footwear, apparently a Nyonya creation, was fascinating. But it seemed too ornate to be used on a dusty road back home. My bargaining skills came to great use while buying a mahjong set. Khoo, the ever loyal guide, pitched in with his arguments in the local lingo. The Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum with its beautiful furniture, intricately embroidered panels, artefacts, was a magical place. I had always been fascinated by the words Baba and Nyonya. Here I learnt that they were product of Chinese and Malay parentage. Cheng Hoon Teng Temple on the Harmony Street (so known because it has a mosque, a Hindu temple and a Chinese one, too) was the next stop. It has magnificent lacquer work, and is the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia. Finished with the sight seeing, I wanted to shop. Khoo insisted that I visit the Dataran Pehlawan, which runs from one end of the road to the other and has innumerable shops with designer labels under one roof. "All tourist come here to buy." I went berserk at the Bossini outlet, buying as many as five T-shirts since there was a sale. Although it was late, I had no inclinations of hitting the sack. "You go Little India to eat. I drop you there," suggested Khoo as I paid him off. True to his promise, he dropped me off at an Indian restaurant before he called it a day. The pleasure I had eating typical South Indian fare off the banana leaf is something that defies description. Much as I enjoy all kinds of food, it is the Indian food I love the most, especially when I am abroad. Maybe it is the comfort factor. I left Melaka with a feeling that I would be back one day. It is a place that demands return visits.
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