Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Kota Bharu, Kelantan
http://www.journeymalaysia.com/MC_kotabahru1.htm

Istana:
Built: First built by the easily flooded river bank of Sungai Kelantan. Later shifted to higher grounds.

Major floods:
Bah Merah (Dec 1926/Jan 1927), Bah Besar (Dec 1966/Jan 1967)

Masjid Kampung Laut
http://www.journeymalaysia.com/MHIS_nilampuri.htm
http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masjid_Kampung_Laut,_Nilam_Puri
http://www.arkib.gov.my/masjid-kampung-laut-kelantan
Built: 1400s / 1401 / 1730s / 18th Century / other
Actual date built: Unknown
Original site: Kampung Laut, Tumpat, Kelantan
Present location: Nilam Puri, near Pusat Pengajian Islam, Cawangan Universiti Malaya in Kelantan.
Repute: Oldest mosque in Kelantan (true). Oldest mosque in Malaysia (untrue). Oldest mosque in Southeast Asia (untrue).
Architecture: Hindu / Buddhist chandi
Previous status: Hindu chandi or kuil Hindu
Present status: presently a mosque
Attached stories: Muslim missionaries washed ashore after a shipwreck while en route from Java to Pattani or vice versa
Other related structures: The mosque built at the old Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Pengkalan Chepa, Masjid Demak in Java, Masjid Kono in Champa, Masjid Nad Tanjung and Masjid Wadi Hussein in Thailand.
Associated structures at present site: Istana Nilam Puri is an old Malay palace of the Kelantan royalty. My father-in-law and my husband used to live in the palace at Nilam Puri.

Masjid Muhammadi
http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masjid_Muhammadi
http://www.ridelhotel.com.my/masjid%20muhammadi.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2eHwQ1US4A
Built: 1867
Location: Heart of Kota Bharu, Kelantan
Referred names: Masjid Besar / Masjid Besar Kota Bharu
Name: Named after Sultan Muhammad IV
First built: wooden mosque 1867-1920
Second built: brick mosque by British 1920-today
Renovations: many

Initial Masjid Muhammadi was a wooden structure 1867-1920, Kota Bharu.
From Rosli Che Soh in Facebook
http://archive.org/details/kelantanstateofm00grah

Markets & Shopping
http://www.kelantan.gov.my/

Hotels
http://www.ridelhotel.com.my/rooms.php

Mosques in Malaysia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLLax5mF8Ek&feature=fvwrel

KB Today

Today is Nisfu Sya'ban, which means we start fasting in 2 weeks time. I visited Kota Bahru (KB) after lunch, to see KB for the 3rd time this year. I also visited my father's uncle's shop in KB - Jaffar Rawas, as I usually do, days before Ramadan. It is like an unwritten ritual. Jaffar Rawas store sells Quran, dates, air zamzam, etc. Laila Rawas store sells textiles. Let's see, the development in KB this far, on Nisfu Sya'ban 1433 H, 2 weeks before Ramadan.

Bridge from Pasir Hor side (left) to USM side (right).
KB  is straight ahead. Kubang  Kerian is behind the camera side.

KB taxi stand near Tabung Haji (TH). The small shop at the left of the tall TH building is a mobile phone outlet. It sells mobile phone batteries for RM20 each. I bought 4 pieces.

KB taxi stand

An old street with a herbal dealer.

Old street scene.

Roti?

At the end of the old street is the KB Scouts corner

Studio apartments under construction in KB, the former site of Pasar Kain MPKB.

Ansar Garden Hotel and Wan Ali Tailor in KB.

I just noticed that Jaffar Rawas store is beneath PAS HQ. This particular Jaffar Rawas store sells the most number of Quran in Kelantan. I remember buying 30 Quran from this store when I first came to live in Kelantan in September 1983. I still buy a lot of Quran from this store, mostly to give away as wedding gifts. There are some beautiful Quran here. This is a blessed store. There is a fridge in front that has fruit juices - apple juice, pomegranate juice, mango juice, etc. Today I saw 4 types of dates at Jaffar Rawas but I didn't see a particular type that I like - one that is heart-shaped, appears pale yellow and tastes sweeter than sugar. I have to come again.

Jaffar Rawas and Laila Rawas stores in KB.

Pusat Perubatan An-Nisa' (women's hospital). Most Muslim women prefer to come here to give birth as they prefer female doctors to handle them during delivery. I don't know what the cost is.

High rise in KB: on the left is Kota Bharu Trade Centre (KTC), on the right is the new Perdana Hotel (the old buiding that was built in the early 1970s was demolished to build this new one). KTC also houses the Red Warriors bistro.

Another place I visited was Azam Money Changer in KB. I didn't take any photo there as he deals with cash. Today Affandi exchanged RM2,625 and got AUD$800. He and Ibrahim will be leaving for Perth after Aidilfitri. They will be in Perth for 2 weeks, mostly for some transaction. Ibrahim is both Australian as well as Malaysian. (Azam later closed down.)

External links
http://www.mpkb.gov.my/

GH Kota Bharu 1930s (1)

General Hospital Kota Bharu (GHKB)

Hospital Kota Bharu (HKB)
Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II (HRPZ II)

The initial hospital was at another site, in front of Pejabat Tanah today (probably the Klinik An-Nisa today). The hospital then shifted to its present site in 1930s (there is a date mentioned in one of the publications of Muzium Kelantan).

Post-war
Dr Che' Lah bin Md Joonos was an early Malay doctor (1904-1986). He was transferred from the Civil General Hospital Kuala Lumpur to the Health Office Kota Bharu, Kelantan where he served as Health Officer (H.O.) on 11 December 1945. Four months later, Dr Che' Lah worked at the General Hospital Kota Bharu where he served as Medical Director (M.D.) on 30 April 1946.

Tuan Haji Tamin Merican provided a few names of staff (mainly doctors) who had served at the hospital.

The hospital has changed names three times. It was first General Hospital Kota Bharu (GHKB), then Hospital Kota Bharu (HKB) and now Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II (HRPZ II). The previous Malay names were Hospital Umum Kota Bharu and Hospital Besar Kota Bharu. Today, it is referred to simply as "GH" despite its modern long Malay royal name.

HRPZ II has undergone renovations since 1990. Only part of the colonial buildings remain today. Many new modern buildings have been added. If you take the periphery road to the rear of the hospital, you may still be able to see some of the remaining colonial buildings which are white-washed low lying little brick buildings with tiny windows and big blue wooden entrance doors.

Photos of HRPZ II on 6 June 2007.

Main entrance to HRPZ II.

HRPZ II wards nearest the main entrance:

Renovated old wards.

The old TB Ward (pics below) has been demolished in 2009 and new construction has begun in January 2010.

Old parking lot at old TB Ward (demolished).

 

Old TB Ward (demolished)

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has used GHKB as its teaching hospital for medical student training since 1983 when Hospital USM (HUSM) was still being built.