Kota Johor Lama (Johor old fort)

Assalamualaikum semua. Sukacita dimaklumkan anak kecil saya Muhammad Al-Aminul Rasyid sudah berumur 3 bulan pada hari ini 13 Januari. Oleh kerana artikel baru ini akan menjadi artikel ke 313 di blogspot ini biar saya mempersembahkannya sekarang walaupun asalnya ia patut dibuat 4 hari lagi. Mari...

Peace be upon you all. It is a pleasure to inform that my young child Muhammad Al-Aminul Rasyid is now 3 months old on this day 13th of January. Since this new article would be the 313th in this blogspot let me present it now although originally it was planned to be made 4 more days from now. Come...

Lebih kurang 22 km di tenggara bandar Kota Tinggi terletak Kota Johor Lama...

Some 22 km south-east of the town of Kota Tinggi lies Kota Johor Lama (the old fort of Johor)...

Ia adalah satu peninggalan sejarah yang penting sehingga dibina satu pusat maklumat...
It is an important historical site such that an information centre was built around...



Terdapat sebuah muzium untuk menceritakan keadaan.
There is a museum to tell the actual condition.




Sedangkan Kota Johor Lama itu sendiri tinggal longgokan-longgokan tanah.
While the Johor old fort itself is left with heaps of soil.

Tersebut di sini bahawa Kota Johor Lama adalah sebuah kota pertahanan yang dibina pada tahun 1540 Masihi oleh Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II, pemerintah empayar Johor-Riau 1528-1564. Ketika itu empayar yang mewarisi jajahan takluk Melaka ini sedang hangat berperang dengan Portugis, kuasa penjajah Barat yang berjaya menawan Kota Melaka tahun 1511.

It is said here that the Johor old fort was a defence fort built in the year 1540 AD by Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II, ruler of the Johor-Riau empire 1528-1564. At the time the empire which inherited the colonies of Melaka was hotly in war with the Portuguese, the Western colonial force who succeeded in capturing the city of Melaka in the year 1511.

Lihat longgokan-longgokan tanah yang membentuk benteng pertahanan...

Look at the heaps of soil which form the defence fortification...

Pandangan dari hujung sana...

A look from the other end...

Terdapat celah-celah untuk meletakkan meriam...

There are openings for placing cannons...

Ini pula adalah tangga menuruni bukit menghala ke Sungai Johor. Untuk pengetahuan Kota Johor Lama terletak di puncak bukit tepian sungai...

This in turn is a staircase leading downhill towards the river of Johor. For information the old fort of Johor is situated at the top of hill besides the river...

Ini adalah benteng kota dilihat daripada lereng bukit tepian sungai. Dapat dibayangkan bahawa suatu masa dahulu lereng bukit ini sudah diterangkan tanpa pohon, untuk memudahkan pemantauan terhadap apa-apa pergerakan di perairan Sungai Johor. Kota Johor Lama terletak sekitar 14 km dari kuala Sungai Johor. Namun sungainya begitu lebar... di sini sahaja jaraknya sekitar 2.5 km untuk sampai ke seberang sana!

This is the fortification seen from the hillside near the river. One could imagine that once upon a time the hillside was cleared from trees, to make it easy to monitor whatever movement made in the waters of the Johor river. The fort of Johor lama is situated some 14 km from the estuary of the Johor river. Still the river is very wide... around these parts alone it is a distance of 2.5 km to reach the other side!

Masjid (Mosque of) Sultan, Kampung Gelam

Seterusnya kita ke Masjid Sultan di Kampung Gelam, asalnya sebuah perkampungan Melayu tradisional yang turut mengandungi istana Sultan.

Next we go to the Sultan mosque at Kampung Gelam, originally a Malay traditional village which included the palace of the Sultan.

Sejarah menyebut bangunan asal masjid ini yang berbumbung piramid dua lapis dibina pada 1824, tahun empayar Johor-Riau dipecah dua melalui Perjanjian Inggeris-Belanda. Sultan Hussain Shah yang diangkat menjadi raja bahagian empayar naungan Inggeris membina masjid bersebelahan istana baginda di Kampung Gelam. Maka ia adalah masjid tertua yang masih wujud di Singapura...

History mentioned that the original mosque building which has a two-tier pyramid-shaped roof was built in 1824, the year the Johor-Riau empire was broken into two through the Anglo-Dutch Treaty. Sultan Hussain Shah who was raised to be the ruler of that part of the empire's under English patronage built the mosque next to his palace in Kampung Gelam. Thus it is the oldest mosque still in existence in Singapura.

Sejarah turut menyebut masjid ini dibina semula ke bentuk kini tahun 1924. Saya pernah diberitahu bahawa Masjid Sultan adalah yang pertama disekitar Tanah Melayu memakai kubah berbentuk separuh bulat atas tajam, juga dikenali sebagai kubah potong bawang. Bentuk ini sebenarnya berasal daripada Timur Tengah dan India Utara, dibawa ke Nusantara oleh penjajah Barat. Kenyataan ini mungkin betul jika kubahnya telah dibina lebih awal. Kalau setakat tahun 1924, rasanya ada masjid-masjid di Malaysia yang sudah memiliki kubah terlebih dahulu.

History also mentioned this mosque was rebuilt to get its current shape in the year 1924. I was once told that Masjid Sultan is the first in the Malay lands and around to use the dome shaped like a half-sphere with a pointed top, also known as "kubah potong bawang" (the union-cut dome). This shape actually originated from the Middle East and Northern India, brought to Nusantara or the Malay archipelago by the Western colonialists. The statement might be true if the dome was built earlier. If it was just in the year 1924, then I believe there are mosques in Malaysia which already have such domes first.

Sekarang mari lihat ke dalam.
Now let's have a look inside.

Bahagian belakang dewan solat utama...

The rear section of the main prayer hall...

Bahagian hadapan...

The front section...

Kelihatan ada bentuk senibina gereja...

There appears to be church architecture...

Namun ini tidak menyalahi prinsip agama Islam. Untuk pengetahuan kubah dan menara masjid juga asalnya diambil daripada senibina Kristian Byzantium di Eropah, sebelum diaplikasikan pada bangunan masjid di Mekah dan Madinah lalu diikuti di bahagian lain empayar Islam. Sekian.

Still this does not go against the principles of Islam. For information domes and towers of the mosque was original taken from the architecture of Christian Byzantium in Europe, before it was applied to mosques in Mecca and Madinah and thus was followed at other parts of the Islamic empire. That's all.

Makam (Tomb of) Radin Mas Ayu

Di bahagian lebih tinggi lereng Bukit Teluk Belanga (sekarang dikenali sebagai Mount Faber) terdapat makam Radin Mas Ayu, seorang puteri dari Jawa.

At a higher section of the sides of the hill of Teluk Belanga (now known as Mount Faber) there exist the tomb of Radin Mas Ayu, a princess from Jawa (Java).

Masuk sahaja ke kawasan makam boleh kelihatan makam penjaganya Radin Dandiar di tepi kiri...

The minute upon entering the tomb area one could see the tomb of her caretaker Radin Dandiar at the left side...

Makam utama terletak lebih tinggi.

The main tomb is situated higher.

Inilah Makam Radin Mas, seorang puteri Jawa yang menjadi satu legenda di Singapura.
This is it the tomb of Radin Mas, a princess of Jawa who became a legend in Singapura.

Makam diraja (Royal tomb complex) of Johor, Teluk Belanga, Singapura

Di sebelah Masjid Temenggung, Teluk Belanga pula terdapat kawasan pemakaman diraja Johor.
Besides the mosque of Temenggung, Teluk Belanga in turn lies a royal tomb complex of Johor.

Berbanding makam diraja lagi satu di Johor (lihat Makam diraja (Royal tomb complex of) Johor, Jalan Mahmoodiah, Johor Bahru ), kawasan pemakaman ini lebih tua.

Compared to the other royal tomb complex in Johor (look at Makam diraja (Royal tomb complex of) Johor, Jalan Mahmoodiah, Johor Bahru ), this tomb complex is much older.

Ini disebabkan di Teluk Belanga lah keluarga diraja Johor moden lebih dahulu bertapak.

This is because it was in Teluk Belanga that the royal family of modern Johor were based at.

Asalnya mereka cuma keluarga Temenggung tetapi dapat merajai Johor apabila empayar Johor-Riau dipecah-belahkan Inggeris dan Belanda.

Originally they were just the family of Temenggung (a high palace of official) but got to rule Johor after the empire of Johor-Riau was broken apart by the English and Dutch.

Kawasan sekeliling di luar dipenuhi makam-makam lama.

The area around outside is filled with old tombs.

Paling terserlah adalah sepasang makam ini di lereng bukit...

The most outstanding is these pair of tombs at the hillside...

Satu daripadanya tertulis gelaran "Sultan Johor". Saya tak tahu Sultan yang mana satu kerana setahu saya semua Sultan Johor daripada keluarga Temenggung dimakamkan di Johor Bahru. Kemudian ada orang menegur saya, yang tertulis itu "Sultanah Johor" bukan "Sultan Johor". Nampaknya saya terlepas pandang huruf Jawi Ha pada tulisan itu...

One of it has the inscription bearing the title "Sultan of Johor". I don't know which Sultan is this since as far I know all Sultans of Johor from the Temenggung family were buried in Johor Bahru. Later someone corrected me sayang what is written is "Sultanah Johor" (the queen) not "Sultan Johor". Looks like I have missed the Jawi letter Ha in the inscription...

Di sebelahnya pula rasanya makam permaisurinya. Itulah yang saya sangkakan mulanya. Tetapi kalau yang tadi adalah makam Sultanah takkan le ini permaisurinya pula. Jadi saya pun tak pasti makam siapa. Nak baca tulisannya pun tak berapa reti. Sekian.

Next to it I think is the tomb of his queen. At least that was what I thought at first. But if the recent tomb is that of the Sultanah how can this in turn be the queen. So I am not sure whose tomb is this. I'm not so good at reading the inscription. That's all.

Masjid (Mosque of) Temenggung, Teluk Belanga

Lebih 3 km ke barat Makam Habib Nuh terdapat Masjid Temenggung di Teluk Belanga
More than 3 km to west of Habib Nuh's tomb lies the mosque of Temenggung at Teluk Belanga


Ia adalah satu lagi tempat yang melambangkan keberadaan orang Islam terutama Melayu di Singapura.
It is another place which symbolises the existence of Muslims especially Malays in Singapura.



Saya difahamkan ia terletak di atas tanah milik kerajaan Johor.
I understand it is situated on top a land owned by the Government of Johor.

Kawasan Teluk Belanga dahulu pernah menjadi pusat pentadbiran keluarga Temenggung yang kini merajai Johor.

The area of Teluk Belanga once used to be the centre of administration for the Temenggung (a high palace official) family who now rules Johor.

Makam Habib Nuh dan masjid di sebelah (Habib Nuh's tomb and the mosque besides)

Dari Pontian kita ke Singapura...
From Pontian we move on to Singapura...

Di satu hujung Palmer Road, Singapura boleh kelihatan bangunan unik dengan tangga tinggi ini...

At one end of Palmer Road, Singapura could be seen this unique building with its high staircase...

Naik tangga dan masuk ke dalam akan kelihatan makam ini...
Go up the stairs and go inside and this tomb would come into view...



Inilah makam Habib Nuh seorang alim yang dianggap sebagai wali...
This is the tomb of Habib Nuh a religious person who is considered as a saint...

The belakangnya terdapat sebuah makam lagi.

Behind it there exist one more tomb.

Yang ini milik Habib Abdul Rahman al-Habshi.

This one belongs to Habib Abdul Rahman al-Habshi.

Di tepi bawah bangunan makam bersambung pula bangunan ini.

Down besides the tomb building there lies this connecting building.

Ia adalah sebuah masjid rasanya satu-satunya di sekitar ini...

It is a mosque, I think the only one around here...

Lihat di dalamnya...

Look at the inside...

Ia ibarat sebuah oasis ketenangan di tengah kegersangan spiritual hiruk-pikuk masyarakat kota.

It could be likened to a calming oasing in the centre of the spiritually barren noises of the city folks.