One of my favourite places to visit when I am in Alor Setar is the Kedah Royal Museum housed in a former palace built in 1736 in the heart of the city.
I have a firm conviction that knowing the history of a place makes the food tastes more delicious 😋
The founding legend of Kedah is recorded in the Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa or Kedah Annals which was written sometime in the 1700s.
Merong Mahawangsa, a descendent of Alexander the Great was travelling to China from the Rome. Along the way, Merong Mahawangsa's fleet was attacked and destroyed by Garuda.
Merong Mahawangsa was forced to take refuge in Kedah's Bujang Valley, where he founded the kingdom of Langkasuka.
Merong Mahawangsa later handed the kingdom to his son Merong Mahapudisat before he returned to Rome.
The family ruled Langkasuka for a few generations until the ninth ruler Seri Maharaja Derbar Raja II converted to Islam in 1136.
The Langkasuka kingdom then became the Kedah Sultanate and Seri Maharaja Derbar Raja II became Sultan Mudzafar Shah I whose descendants are rulers of Kedah to this day.
The moment you enter the museum, you will be greeted by a mock up of The Three Million Dollar Wedding - the Kedah Royal Wedding of 1904 which lasted for 90 days. It was the combined weddings of two princes and three princesses of the 26th Sultan of Kedah. All walks of life, all communities and many foreign dignitaries took part in the grand festivities to bless the royal couples with the best of life together.
A royal matrimonial bedroom.
This palace was the birthplace of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, a prince of Kedah, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia (1957 - 1970).
The norbat or Royal Musical Ensemble is part of the Royal Regalia. It's a tradition that goes back to the 1400s.
The nobat performs only on very special occasions such as the sultan's coronation, birthday and wedding.
The museum has many carefully curated, well maintained, fascinating artefacts. There are too many for a quick visit 😁
Kacip - a betelnut cracker.
Gobek - a betelnut grinder.
It is the greatest of honours if a royal family member shares betelnuts with you from his personal betelnut box.
Royal tableware bearing the royal crest. Note the hole in the plate. It is for pouring in hot water to keep the plate and food warm.
A museum is a treasure trove. The stories they tell cannot be fully understood in a single visit, so every time I am in Alor Setar I will check in again at Kedah Royal Museum.
Must include this in your Alor Setar itinerary too 👌
Masjid Zahir built in 1912 is just across the road from Kedah Royal Museum. It is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in the world.
Kedah Royal Museum
Address: Medan Bandar, Kedah, 05400 Alor Setar, Malaysia
Tel: +604 732 7937
Hours: 9am - 5pm (closed 12:30pm - 2:30pm on Friday)
Entrance is free of charge
Besides Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa (Kedah Annals), other accounts of the early history of Kedah come from artefacts from archaeological site of Bujang Valley, records of maritime trade with India, Middle East, and China, etc.
When we did our Malaysian road trip in 2020, Alor Setar and environs was one of the major surprises of the trip. So much to see and explore there. Great Japanese restaurant too!
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