Browsing through the Straits Times this morning, I read about an ongoing exhibition by the name of Singapura: 700 Years currently ongoing at the National Museum of Singapore till August 10, 2015. The exhibition, as part of SG50 celebrations, promises to take history buffs on journey of "Singapore’s transformation through the ages as it went from a humble fishing village to the pride of an empire, before finally achieving the status of being an independent nation-state as it is today."
Given the kind of history buff I am, I could not resist but take a second journey to the National Museum, after my first visit here last August.
After the trailing Malay heritage at Kampong Glam and a light lunch at Bugis Junction, I headed to the National Museum.
I passed by some rather empty streets. Quite a few people were out vacationing or were simply at home celebrating the Chinese New Year holidays!
Passing by the National Library Building...
Some heritage buildings on the way...
St. Joseph's Church - a Roman Catholic church that dates back to the early 1900s...
This church succeeds the Church of São José, which was built by a priest of the Portuguese mission, Father Francisco da Silva Pinto e Maia of Porto, who arrived here from Goa in 1826 and founded the Mission in Singapore...
Amazing Gothic doorways of the Church...
And finally I reach the National Museum...
Nestled in verdant greenery, the National Museum stands out in its pristine white splendour...
The building does indeed look magnificent...
The dome consists of 3,000 zinc fish-scaled tiles and stained glass panels...
A series of redevelopments have ensured that the Raffles Library and Museum of the 1800s lives on as the National Museum today...
The rotunda - as beautiful from inside as it is from the outside...
I finally reach the "Singapura: 700 Years" exhibition...
Going back 700 years...
Pottery and stoneware from archaeological sites across Singapore...
A variant of the merlion legend that refuses to go away...
The archaeology of Singapore is bracketed into four distinct periods...
Sites of archaeological significance exist mainly in the Downtown Core...
Another encounter with the legendary Singapore Stone that still confounds experts...
Discoveries from various sites around Downtown. Most of these findings were by accident when the area was being developed. But it is indeed impressive to see how Singapore has protected whatever it has discovered of the past!
Long Ya Men (龙牙门) or Dragon's Teeth Gate was a craggy granite outcrop, that stood at the gateway to Keppel Harbour in Singapore. The Long Ya Men served as navigational aids to ancient mariners...
Long Ya Men was documented in a navigational map belonging to Chinese Ming dynasty's Admiral Zheng He. It is also mentioned in Wang Dayuan's historical maritime annal, Wu Bei Zhi (武备志). The Long Ya Men's unique features assisted Zheng He in navigating the waters around Singapore during his seven maritime voyages to the west between 1405 and 1433...
The Malays called it "Batu Berlayar" or the Sailing Rock. British sailors named the more prominent Batu Berlayar, "Lot's Wife" in reference to the biblical story of the wife of Abraham's nephew, Lot, who was transformed into a pillar of salt when she disobeyed divine orders not to look back at the destruction of Sodom while fleeing from the city...
The rocky outcrops were subsequently destroyed by the British in 1848 to widen the channel for larger vessels to sail through. In 2005, a replica was erected by the government near its original site to mark the role it played in Singapore's maritime history. That's something for my next trip to Singapore!!!!
Like today, Singapore in ancient times stood at crossroads - crossroads where diverse geopolitical interests converged...
The known history of Singapore begins with Sang Nila Utama, a Srivijayan prince from Palembang, legendarily founded the Kingdom of Singapura in 1299. His official title, Sri Maharaja Sang Utama Parameswara Batara Sri Tri Buana, translates as "Lord Central King Batara of Three world Realms", signifying his authority over Palembang, Bintan and Singapura...
The legends of merlion and Parameswara endure...
There was considerable Indian influence with the Tamil Chola emperor, Rajindrachola raiding the island in 1025 and 1068 AD...
The Swordfish Attack legend... the seas around Singapore were infested with swordfish disturbing fishermen and prohibiting free movement of trade vessels. That's when a little boy suggested that banana trunks be used as barricades around the island. That idea proved successful with the beaks of the swordfish getting stuck in the banana trunks immobilising them. The kid became an instant hero. But the king, Paduka Sri Maharaja, felt threatened and got the boy killed. His blood covered an entire hill which was then called Bukit Merah or the Red Hill! (Source: 10 Legends and Myths of Singapore)
Bukit Larangan - that's where I was yesterday!
The founder of Singapore, Sri Tri Buana is said to be a descendant of Alexander the Great!
Sri Pikrama Wira - Sri Tri Buana's son...
Sri Rana Wikerma, the third ruler of Singapore...
The fourth ruler, Paduka Sri Maharaja infamous for killing the kid who protected Singapore from the swordfish...
Iskandar Shah, the last king, converted to Islam and established relations with China, fled Singapore after he got defeated by the Majapahit forces of Java. He fled and established the kingdom at Malacca!
The Singapore Stone...
No one has figured what the inscriptions on the stone say...
Perhaps, the Singapore Stone predicted the prosperous future Singapore was to have... Who knows?
But for now, I move to sections on modern Singapore...
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