The Forgotten Pillar

Bull fighting. Is a famous cultural event in Spain.

But we have it in Malaysia too.

Better known as ‘laga kerbau’, it was once a famous game in Kedah. Kerbau was considered the most valuable herd, imported from Siam through Padang Besar train station circa 1667-1940. During these period, wealth of a person in Kedah was measured with the numbers of buffalo he owns. This farm animal was used to work in the paddy field, however some fierce buffalo are nurtured to be ‘kerbau laga’ to fight in annual ‘Laga Kerbau’ until it was banned circa 1930.

The venue of the annual event (Laga Kerbau) was at a field in front of Istana Anak Bukit. Yes. it’s my home area. The base of my home was the stage for the Sultan and his ministers to sit and watch the match. The pillars of the stage are still there around my house, which my granddad think was beneficial to keep when he built the house.

Years ago when my grandma was still alive, I remembered it became her place to put the ‘batu giling’ when makin her own cili giling and the place she cut the coconuts. However these days, with my busy working parents, the stones just sit there alone as nobody are using them for any activities more.

Here’s some pic of them…should be six of them but I wonder where the other one had gone. may be hidden somewhere in bushes i just couldn’t see

the two pillar at the right side of my house

another two at the back of my house

another one at the left side

The Loke Mansion

Some years ago…back in 2005 it was the first time I took a walk around Medan Tunku. May be I have been there before, I couldn’t recall…but it was the first time my eyes caught a diamond in a mud. It was an abandoned building at a pretty dirty parking area. It really caught my attention that I decided to stay for a nite at the nearby hotel just to have a look at the building from the upper view. The ruined building was amazing…and my brain keep questioning..why should such beautiful building being abandoned and what building is it in the past? With the beautifully designed architecture (tho’ already half-ruined up), I’m sure it’s not just another old building on the block. It must be holding some history and glory in the past. It was such a waste that the place had just become a parking area. May be it was not historical enough that the government has not gazette it as a historical building. So many question comes up in my mind on that time. How I wish I am wealthy enough to buy the place from the fierce parking guy, before anyone got the idea to demolish it to build a brand new building. It was my dream to restore it back to it’s original feature and may be..open a cafe in it. It will sure draw many customers as it is quite a ‘hot’, yet not crowded area. And the area has become my favorite hang up whenever I come to KL(I like to peek around the building). Well, its entertaining, tho…to see some ‘mak nyah pakai bunga di rambut’ lepak2 around the area.hehe…

In 2007, it comes to my surprise that I began to see the new gate has been build up around the area. Thats it..I thought..the government has seen the jewel and begin to restore it. I was soo….dissappointed that i haven’t taken any photo of my dear favourite ruined-up building before the construction begin(my cam has broke during those years and well, as a student, never had enuf to buy new one). Then when they put a signage at the gate…I was surprised once again…it’s not restored by the government! the sign written Cheang & Ariff on it. wow…it’s a take over by a law firm! how lucky they are. After the restoration work, however, the gate make it impossible for me to have a peek in it…therefore I seldomly being there anymore.

It’s only in last February that I knew what’s the name of the building. It’s Loke Mansion, as I read about it in The Edge haven. It was a sigh of relief to see the how perfect they restored the interior. Well. I don’t know about the articles in The Star as I don’t readnewspaper much these days. It’s only after I knew the name of the building that I began searching about the info of the building in the internet. Thanks Dato’ Loh…u’ve made my dream to see the building back to glory come true!

-The Avid Fan of Old Building