Bertandang ke makam diraja Langgar, Kedah (A visit to the royal mausoleum at Langgar, Kedah)

Assalamualaikum para pembaca sekalian. Sudah hampir sebulan saya tidak membuat apa-apa posting baru dalam mana-mana blog kelolaan saya, mungkin kerana malas atau tiada apa-apa gerak? Untuk pengetahuan, beberapa hari kebelakangan ini saya banyak berjalan tetapi bukan seperti dahulu di mana saya selalu menaiki bas dan membuat hitch-hike iaitu menumpang kenderaan orang yang ditahan di tepian jalan, kali ini saya mengembara lebih selesa dengan menaiki kereta bersama ahli keluarga.
Greetings dear readers. It's been almost a month since I made any new posting in any of my blogs, maybe because of laziness or there's just simply no move? For information, these recent few days, I've been busy travelling but unlike before when I often take the bus and hitch-hike any vehicle on the way, this time I travelled in comfort by car with family members.
Minggu lepas saya tergerak untuk kembali ke kampung ibu di Muar kemudian pergi menghadiri majlis perkahwinan sepupu di Johor Bahru... Sempat singgah di Batu Pahat untuk menziarahi saudara-mara di sana sebelum kembali berehat beberapa hari di Muar. Setelah itu saya "terpanggil" untuk pergi ke Pulau Besar di Melaka dan keesokannya ada kenalan menawarkan diri untuk membawa berjalan ke beberapa tempat menarik di Melaka termasuk Perigi Hang Tuah, Masjid lama Duyung, Masjid Kampung Hulu dan makam Sheikh Shamsuddin Pasai di Kampung Ketek.
Last week, I was moved to return to my mom's kampung (village) in Muar then attend a cousin's wedding function in Johor Bahru... Stopped at Batu Pahat to visit the relatives there before returning to Muar and rest for a few days. After that, I was "called" to go to Pulau Besar in Melaka and the next day, a new friend offered to take to some interesting places in Melaka including Hang Tuah's well, the old mosque of Duyung, Kampung Hulu Mosque and the tomb of Sheikh Shamsuddin Pasai at Kampung Ketek.
Adapun saya baru sahaja 2 hari kembali daripada Pantai Timur. Pada penghujung minggu lepas, saya telah pergi ke Kuantan untuk menghadiri majlis perkahwinan sepupu yang sama (majlis pihak lelaki pula) dan merancang untuk ke Janda Baik, Bentong selepas itu. Tetapi sepupu saya pula mengajak menemani dia dan isteri pergi melawat rumah kakaknya di Kertih, Terengganu. Tanpa dirancang, 2 hari kemudian sampai pula ke Kuala Terengganu.
Just to inform, I've just returned 2 days ago from the East Coast. Last weekend, I went to Kuantan to attend the same cousin's wedding function (for the groom side) and planned to stop at Janda Baik afterwards. But my cousin asked me to accompany him and the wife to visit his sister's place in Kertih, Terengganu. Without any prior planning, 2 days later we arrived at Kuala Terengganu.
Kalau ikutkan, sepupu ini mahu saya mengikutinya berjalan sampai ke Kelantan pula. Dalam pada itu, dia ada rancangan untuk membawa isterinya berbulan-madu ke Pulau Redang. Kalau begitu, apakah saya perlu menunggu di KT atau turut ke pulau itu sekali? Saya pula yang jadi serba salah kerana seorang kawan memerlukan saya kembali ke Kuala Lumpur pada hari Khamis pula.
The cousin actually wanted me to follow him up to Kelantan. At the same time, he plans to bring his wife for honeymoon at Pulau (island of) Redang. If that is the case, should I wait in KT or hop on to the island too? I was in a quandary as a friend wanted me to return to Kuala Lumpur by Thursday.
Akhirnya hari Rabu malam Khamis saya pun membuat keputusan mengambil bas jam 10 malam untuk kembali ke KL. Biarlah sepupu itu pandai-pandai belajar menangani hidup perkahwinan dengan sendiri. Takkan semuanya perlu ditunjukkan ya tidak?
So on Wednesday at night, I decided to take the 10 o'clock bus back to KL. Let the cousin learn how to tackle married life on his own. Is it right to show him all that he needs to know?
Apapun, baru hari ini saya tergerak untuk menambah sesuatu di dalam blogspot saya, setelah melihat signal wi-fi Internet yang ditumpang daripada jiran sebelah ternyata terang tanpa gangguan. Gerak hati inipun menyuruh supaya meletakkan beberapa gambar yang diambil di Kedah, ketika perjalanan ke Utara yang dilakukan 2 bulan lalu...
Whatever, it's only today that I feel the urge to add something to my blogspots, after finding out that the next door neighbour's Internet wi-fi signal with I often hitch on is crystal clear without interference. So my insticts told me to put some pictures taken in Kedah, while on a trip to the North made 2 months ago...
Hmm... Banyak sebenarnya gambar yang saya ada, menunggu masa sahaja untuk dikongsi bersama. Buat masa ini biarlah dikongsi beberapa gambar yang diambil sekitar makam diraja Kedah di Langgar, Alor Setar ya...
Hmm... Actually I've got lots of pictures, just waiting the right time to share. For the moment, let's just share some pictures taken in and around the Kedah royal mausoleum at Langgar, Alor Setar ya...
Oh... Mungkin ada yang tertanya-tanya, kenapa posting kali ini ada tanda persoalan pada penghujung tajuknya? Jawab saya, sebab sebelum memulakan penulisan ini, saya pun tak tahu gambar mana hendak diletak. Setelah menulis separuh jalan, barulah timbul gerak untuk meletakkan gambar-gambar berkenaan makam diraja Kedah di Langgar.
Oh... Perhaps some would ask, why the question at the end of the title of this posting? My answer, because before this writing was started, I had no idea which picture to put. Only after writing half-way then came the gut feeling to put the pictures related to the Kedah royal mausoleum in Langgar.
Lagi satu, semasa di Langgar lah saya mengalami perasaan deja vu paling lama sepanjang ingatan dalam hidup ini... Dalam perjalanan masuk daripada jalan besar ke makam, saya dapat merasakan apa yang berlaku dan pemandangan yang terlihat adalah sama dengan satu mimpi yang pernah berlaku lebih 10 tahun lalu... Sama kesemuanya dalam tempoh 15 minit, tidak ada lebih, tidak ada kurang! Pelik bukan?
One more thing, it was in Langgar that I had the longest sense of deja vu as far as I can remember in my life... While walking from the main road entering towards the mausoleum, I can feel that whatever happened there and the surrounding view were the same as that seen in a dream more than 10 years ago... Exactly the same for a period of 15 minutes, no less, no more! Weird isn't it?
OK... Tanpa membuang masa, tataplah gambar-gambar di bawah... Silakan!
OK... Without wasting more time, have a look at the pictures below... Come!

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Beberapa rumah tradisional Melayu di Langgar
Some traditional Malay houses in Langgar









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Lorong masuk ke kawasan makam diraja Kedah
The road leading to the Kedah royal mausoleum


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Makam diraja dilihat daripada luar
The royal mausoleum seen from outside

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Masjid lama berdekatan makam diraja. Gerak hati saya menyuruh solat Zuhur dan jamak Asar di masjid ini dan berehat sebentar sebelum ke makam.
The old mosque nearby the royal mausoleum. My gut feelings told me to do the Zuhur and Asar prayers (combined under one period as allowed in Islam for long distance travellers) and rest a little before going to the mausoleum

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Papan maklumat (sebenarnya batu) mengenai makam diraja Langgar di dalam kawasan kompleks permakaman. Kawasan ini terbuka kepada pelawat waktu siang.
The information board (or stone?) on the Langgar royal mausoluem within the mausoluem complex. This area is open to visitors during the day.

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Pintu gerbang bagi kawasan dalam kompleks yang mengandungi makam. Mengikut ceritanya, pintu itu cuma dibuka kepada pelawat pada Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Aidil Adha dan Hari Keputeraan Sultan Kedah. Selain itu, cuma kerabat diraja terdekat dan mereka yang diperkenankan sahaja boleh masuk ke dalam.
The main gate for the area within the complex which contains the royal tombs. According to locals, the gate is only opened to visitors during the festive celebrations of Aidilfitri, Aidil Adha and the Sultan of Kedah's birthday. Beside that, only close members of the royal family and those granted audiance can enter.
Alhamdulillah, dengan kuasa Allah, kunci pintu gerbang sudah terbuka ketika saya sampai sedangkan di sekeliling tidak kelihatan walau pun seorang manusia kecuali saya sahaja!
Thank God, with Allah's permission, the lock for the main gate was already opened by the time I arrived although I can't see a single person anywhere around except myself!

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Gambar-gambar makam para Sultan dan kerabat diraja Kedah. Saya pernah diberitahu bahawa ini kawasan larangan... Kalau tiada izin boleh ketulahan dan gambar yang diambil tidak akan melekat di dalam kamera.
Pictures of tombs of some Sultans (Kings of Kedah) and royal family members. I was told that this is a restricted area... Without permission, one can suffer ketulahan (some sort of royal curse) while pictures taken would not lodge inside the camera.
Apapun, saya sajikan di sini untuk renungan para pembaca sekalian. Di dalam kawasan ini terdapat banyak makam yang ditanda dengan batu nesan Aceh... Mungkin sebab itu saya boleh masuk ke dalam tanpa sebarang halangan? :]
Whatever, I put these here for readers to reflect on. Inside, there's many tombs marked by Aceh-type gravestones... Perhaps that is why I can enter without any obstruction? :]