Sunday 23 October 2011

The Arabs in Penang (2)

JELUTONG TIMUR, MUKIM JELUTONG (Part 2)



INTRODUCTION

I visited Masjid Jamek Jelutong & its associated graveyard on 22 October 2011 to locate some graves for TEMD. Jelutong is a tree noted for its gum which is used for making chewing gum. This is my second time visiting the mosque and graves. I visited them about  2 weeks ago on 9 October 2011 but did not have time to look around and study the information here. I went back this week.


1. Masjid Jamek Jelutong, Mukim Jelutong

This is a very old mosque in Penang. It could have been built circa 1820 by the same set of Hadrami Arabs who opened Masjid Banda Hilir in Banda Hilir, Malacca. It is therefore approximately 191 years old in 2011.



2. Kubur Jelutong

a. Kubur beside the parking lot 

On the right side of the mosque (standing facing qiblat) are 4 plots of graves. The frontmost plot is Kubur Syed, followed by Kubur Syed Yasin & Kwangtung China, followed by another set of (older) Kubur Syed with no names visible on the tombstones (batu nisan) and a rear plot within thick enclosed walls. All Syed are buried within Kubur Syed, especially the frontmost plot. Syed Sheikh is buried here.

Entrance to mosque and public parking
Kubur Syed (frontmost plot)
A different view of Kubur Syed (frontmost plot)
Middle plot. Kubur Syed Yasin (in foreground) and the Kwangtung man (rear grave)
Another plot of Kubur Syed (they seem more weathered and without names)
Rear plot of graves within thick brick enclosure


b. Kubur near van jenazah side

On the left side of the mosque are graves of non Syed (non Arabs). There is a big brick wall enclosure and is almost filled with graves. Within the brick wall enclosure is the grave of Hjh Fatimah bt Hamidon. There are more graves beyond the brick wall enclosure. There are many graves all around the brick wall enclosure.

Left side of mosque that opens to the public non-Syed graves
Graves between the mosque and brick wall enclosure. Entrance to enclosure (1/7).
Graves within the brick wall enclosure - left aspect of enclosure , entrance view (2/7).
 Closer to the graves at left aspect of enclosure (3/7).
.
Pusara Hjh Fatimah bt Hamidon (1/2). Also refer caption below.
Pusara Hjh Fatimah bt Hamidon (2/2), a descendant of Ismail @ Nakhoda Kecil.
Contact Badariah Baba Ahmad in Facebook for family tree and info on Geni.com.
View, panned from left to right (4/7).
View of right aspect of graves within low stone wall enclosure. View from entrance (5/7).
Another view. Same as above (6/7)
Close-up of headstones of graves inside the low stone wall enclosure (7/7).
More graves beyond the brick wall enclosure
View of the left side of the mosque from the graves within the enclosure.
Aluminium usung for keranda. They are made with wider bottom so many more people can help carry the jenazah
Roll-down aluminium doors through which the jenazah is carried to the grave after solat jenazah
View of graves at kampung or van jenazah side
Affandi performing wudhu'

Most of the graves at Kubur Jelutong do not follow any arrangement (except they all face qiblat) and some graves can be easily stepped on if one is not careful.