Harmony Street, Malacca

Why can’t people live in harmony? That’s some high hopes looking at how the world today. But we know that at some point, humanity can living in peace no matter what their race or religion. I don’t know if it would become reality in the distant future but I know for sure in the past, people did!

malacca, harmony street, jonker walk, melaka, malaysia, jalan tukong

Jalan Tukong or Harmony street at night

As I travelled back in Malacca, Malaysia, there was this small street that had several religious house of prays, standing still side by side! The name was Jalan Tukong. Located one block aside of Jonker walk. Literally translated as Goldsmith street, also well known as the Harmony streets because the proximity of several religious buildings. Islam’s Mesjid Kampung Kling, Hokkien’s Cheng Hoon Temple, Budhism’s Xiang Lin Si Temple & Hindu’s Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple.

Mesjid Kampung Kling

Mesjid Kampung Kling

Built by Indian Muslim traders in 1748, originally was a wooden building and in 1872, it was rebuilt in brick. This mosque is one of the traditional mosques in Malacca, which still retains its original design. The architectural design of the mosque is a cross between Sumatran, Chinese, Hindu, and the Malacca Malay. The minaret, ablution pool and entrance arch were built at the same time with the main building.

The minaret resembles a pagoda. The mosque also has a blend of English and Portuguese glazed tiles, Corinthian columns with symmetrical arches in the main prayer hall, a Victorian chandelier, a wooden pulpit with Hindu and Chinese-style carvings, and Moorish cast iron lamp-posts in the place of ablution for pre-prayer cleansing.

The ablution pool is one of the most unique thing you can find here, even for me, as Moslem from the neighboor country. You see, before praying, we should take wudhu or pre-prayer cleansing. Usually done by standing while pouring tap water. But here, there’s a pool with plastic buckets to draw the water from the pool, and do the cleansing beside the pool.

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple

Translated as “Temple of Green Cloud” is a Chinese temple practicing the Three Doctrinal Systems of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, served as the main place of worship for local Hoklo (Hokkien) community and now is the oldest functioning temple in Malaysia. Featuring a magnificent main gate at the entrance, the Cheng Hoon Teng temple consists of a complex of several prayer halls, with a large main prayer hall dedicated to the goddess of mercy, Kuan Yin. Additional smaller prayer quarters were added later. One of these is dedicated to the Buddhist gods of wealth, longevity and propagation, while another houses ancestral tablets.

One of the most dramatic features of Cheng Hoon Teng temple is the seven-metre red flag-pole facing the left wing of the main prayer hall, which houses the remains of two of the three Kapitans who contributed to the construction of the temple. Across the road is a traditional opera theatre, which forms a part of the Cheng Hoon Teng temple complex. The building conforms to the principles of feng shui. The complex is laid out to ensure a view of the river and high ground on either side.

Built in 1673 by Kapitan Lee Wei King with building materials imported from China. Then rebuilding in 1801 contributed to the aesthetic and magnificent structural additions of the building. In 1962, then abbot Seck Kim Seng ordained Houn Jiyu-Kennett, a Zen nun from England and the future founder of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, at this temple. In 2003, Cheng Hoon Teng was awarded a UNESCO award for outstanding architectural restoration.

Xiang Lin Si Temple

Xing Lian Si Temple

This temple is a Buddhist temple located just the opposite of Cheng Hoon Teng. This double-storey temple follows Mahayana Buddhism, one of the three main branches of Buddhism along with Theravāda and Vajrayāna. The second floor of the temple is a convenient spot for capturing scenic photos of its neighbouring Taoist temple Cheng Hoon Teng and the rest of the “Harmony Street”. It also kept a complete collection of the Pali Canon, a religious scripture of Buddhism.

Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple

Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple

Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Malaysia, one of the few existing Chitty temples in Malaysia and one of the oldest functioning Hindu temples in Maritime Southeast Asia. Built by Thavinayagar Chitty, the leader of the Chitty people, in 1781 after the Dutch colonial government of Malacca gave him a plot of land. The temple is dedicated to Vinayagar or Ganesha, the elephant deity. In the back room is a sculpture of the deity with the head of an elephant and the body of a man with four hands. There is another altar dedicated to Lord Muruga, the younger brother of Lord Vinayagar.

There are three Rathams made of wood with lovely carvings of Indian Deities, and dating back some 200 years. The Rathams are maintained in good condition and kept in the temple grounds. One Ratham is for Lord Ganesha, one for Lord Subramaniar Swamy, and one for Lord Rama Swamy. They are used during festive seasons drawn by bullocks and are lighted with decorative lamps making them look beautiful at night.

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Check more information here in my video!

Isn’t strange that our ancestor have the living proof that they can living co-exist with others? Why can’t we?