Background history of Kampung Glam & Sultan

Mosque

Compiled by :

Ustaz Zhulkeflee

PERGAS“The S’pore Religious Teachers Assn”

What is in the name ?

• The word “kampung” literally means “village or settlement.”

• Although usually, its usage connotes a rural type of settlement rather than urban, but its retention somehow reflect its historical beginning even when it has evolved into one of S’pore famous urban centre.

What is in the name ?

• The word “gelam” or “glam” is derived from the name of a particular species of tree - (pokok kayu gelam or mealaleuca Cajuputi) - which was found in abundance in this area. Thus it’s name.

• Apart from its medicinal use, the bark of the tree was used by Malay/Bugis traders to repair their ship.

“Kota Raja” - king’s enclave

• When British established themselves here, a palace was built for the Sultan here - the “Istana Kampung Glam” (at Sultan Gate). Kg Glam was designated as his enclave - comprised of an area from Jalan Sultan to Rochore Road, and from the seafront (present Beach Road) upto the Rochore River (presently called Rochore canal).

“Kampung Glam” - a cosmopolitant Muslim community.• With the establishment of “Kota Raja”,

indigenous Malays (Javanese, Bugis, Banjar, Baweanese, Sumatran, and from peninsular Malaya etc.) from the archipelago converge to this area. Majority was from Java, thus people also referred to this place as “Kampung Jawa”. There were also Arabs, Indians, Ceylonese and Chinese. Kg. Glam was bustling with trades and economic activities.

“Kampung Glam” - a cosmopolitant Muslim community.• One of the most significant trade was providing

“Hajj” services. S’pore was then the transit for steamship plying to Jeddah. Muslims from the archipelago had to transit here. They used to be housed in boarding houses in Bussorah Street, which interestingly came to be called “Kampung Haji (pilgrims’ village)”. The name of streets thus were given middle-eastern ambience.

“Masjid Sultan” - Sultan Mosque - heart & jewel of Kampung Glam• Originally a mosque was built with grant from

the British-East Indies Company.

• With added land given by Tengku Alam and Tengku Alimah, the Muslim community raised funds to rebuilt the old mosque in 1925.

• Architect Dennis Santry of Swan & Maclaren was commissioned to design the present Moorish & Saracenic style buliding.

“Masjid Sultan” - Sultan Mosque - heart & jewel of Kampung Glam

• With its completion, a constituion was drafted for the mosque where henceforth the trustees shall comprise of Muslims from the various groups viz. Malays, Javanese, Bugis, Banjars, Arabs and Indians. It thus retain and reflect the cosmopolitan nature of this Muslim community.

Landmarks :- “Istana Kampung Glam”

• “Istana Kg. Glam” literally means “Kg. Glam palace” - residence of Sultan Hussain Muazzam Shah, Sultan of Singapore who, together with Temenggong Abdul Rahman ceded S’pore to the British. Within the walled compound are also to be found houses of his kins and servants. There is also to be found a clubhouse - “Kota Raja Club”, once a well-known football club.

Landmarks :- “Gedung Kuning”

• Just outside the palace compound along Sultan Gate, is to be found “Gedung Kuning” (literally means “yellow mansion), built by a son of Sultan Hussain. Now owned by family of a Javanese merchant, the building retained many of the charms of colonial building of the time. Note the stone pigeons at the gate and the umbrella-shaped dove-cote at the corner of the building.

Landmarks :- “Rumah Jawa”

• Next along Sultan Gate is a single-storey bungalow once referred to as “Rumah Jawa” (Javanese house) or sometimes called “Rumah Bujangan”(home for singles). Newly arrived Javanese men, usually single, would be housed there. It served as kitchenette for their food trade - like satay, mee rebos etc.. Being newly arrived, they retained strong Javanese culture and often performed the wayang kulit, wayang ketoprak, wayang golek, kuda kepang etc. here.

Landmarks :- “Madrasah Alsagoff”

• At Jalan Sultan is an Islamic school built in 1912 by an Arab-Muslim philanthropist Syed Mohammed Alsagoff.

• It aims to produce Islamic scholars and teachers of the religion. Today, this school is exclusively for girls.

Landmarks :- “Madrasah Aljunied”

• Located at Victoria Lane, Victoria Street is this newly rebuilt Islamic school. The original school was built in 1927 by another well-known Arab-Muslim philanthropist Syed Abdur Rahman bin Junaid Aljunied.

• Thus school has produced many well-known Islamic leaders and scholars of, not only Singapore but of, South-east Asia.

Landmarks :- “Masjid Malabar”

• At the corner of Jalan Sultan and Victoria Street is this mosque built in 1960 to provide niche for the growing Indian traders from Malabar.

• It standout with its gold-coloured and blue glazed tiles domes and minarets.

Landmarks :- “Arab Street”

• This street is famous for trades in textiles and sundry items styled after the middle-eastern bazaar. Now added to the rows of traditional buildings, is the “Golden Landmark” which drew contemporary ‘Hajj’ travel agencies, wholesalers and traders.

• Another draw of the place is the availability outlets selling various Islamic cuisine, e.g. murtabak, briyani etc.

Landmarks :- “Chinese hospital

• Along Aliwal street is a conspicuous building built originally in 1924 as a hospital. It was subsequently used as a Chinese school. Although the school has shifted elsewhere, the building still stands, complete with the façade displaying its original name and date.

Landmarks :- “Tombstone & blacksmith”

• Amongst the dying trade of this area is the tombstone carver and the blacksmith - to be found along Sultan Gate and Baghdad Street. This was because Kg. Glam fronting the beach was at one time, and important disembarking point of ships trading in S’pore. Until around 60’s and 70’s (before land reclamation)- along Nicoll Highway, sailing ships of this region used to anchored.

Landmarks :- “Jalan Kubor”

• Along Victoria Street is a road called “Jalan Kubor” (Cemetery Road). Ancient royal tombs and of the early settlers are buried here giving a somewhat stark contrast to the hustle-bustle of economic activities in Kg. Glam - to remind us the reality that death is an inevitable journey in life.

• “Verily, unto God do we belong and unto Him we shall return.” (Qur’an)