Apr 22, 2009

Welcome to Kota Bharu, Kelantan!

Assalamualaikum dear readers.

It's another night when I can't focus on my revision. I blog hopping and feel so bored. Tonight Hubby should be giving an Islamic lecture at the 'kampung' mosque and he hasn't come home yet. 9.32pm. Ladies, I am bored. Hmm... maybe I just share with you about my State.

Please bear with me because I'm kind of lazy now and not a very good tourist guide. I've googled all the appropriate pictures and let's start the tour. This is not gonna be very well organized so, bear with me.

This is the simple map of Kelantan.

My home is in a kampung (village) called Pulau Melaka, located some where in the district of Kota Bharu (state capital).

This state is ruled by the opposition party known as Malaysian Pan Islamic Party (PAS). The Chief Minister of Kelantan is the pious and humble state leader, Tuan Guru Haji Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (pic below). We love this person because he really cares about what he preaches and his people. Ever since he became the CM the State Government has gradually implement Islamic way of life in everything under it's power. Alhamdulillah.


The Wau or kite is one of the traditional past time games. This is the traditional kite of Kelantan known as Wau Bulan or the Moon Kite. hehehe maybe because the ruling party use the moon symbol in their flag.... sorry I'm just kidding. Nowadays it is only played once in a while but we also have yearly International Kite Festival.


Samples of food that you can taste in Kelantan. Every night market have these.


Batik is the well known clothes produced by Kelantanese. It is formally wore on Thursday in every government departments in Kelantan. This pictures are only a few samples.


Another Kelantanese favourite dessert, the Dodol or glutinuos cake made from coconut milk, brown sugar, glutinuos rice and water ( I'm not so sure about the exact ingredients - need to check with Ummi). Sticky and sweet.


The beautiful teenagers of the best Islamic girls school in the state, the Maahad Muhammadi Lil Banaat. This school has produced (I don't know the right word) so many brilliant Muslimah in academic and deen.


The age old vehicle, the trishaw or locally known as 'teksi'. Don't get confuse with the taxi @ cab in your country. We do have taxis here but this one is very historic. If you want to tour the city in a laid back kind of transport, I think you should try this teksi. Slow and steady.


This is another traditional Kelantanese food known as Nasi Tumpang. A smooth sticky rice combine with either sweet sour fried prawn and fried egg or prawn gravy with 'serunding' wrapped in a cone shape banana leaf. It's so delicious and fragrant.

serunding = basically beef/chicken/fish meat fried with coconut milk, spices and cooked until dried.

You can also visit the old castle of the Kelantanese Malay Sultanate. We called it Istana Jahar or Jahar Castle. Currently it has become the Kelantan Islamic Muzeum.


The Sultan's mosque known as Masjid Sultan Ismail Petra located in Kubang Kerian. It's very big and modern compared to Masjid Kampung Laut or Masjid Muhammadi, the state mosque.


Below is the oldest mosque in Kelantan. It is called Masjid Kampung Laut located in Nilam Puri.


One of the main tourist attraction in the city center is the Padang Bas near the state mosque. This is usually where buses bringing tourists to Kota Bharu will be parked while they tour the city.


A kind of billboard that you can see around the Islamic City of Kota Bharu. Women on the billboard should be well covered. Although the Government prefers advertisement without women models it's still give some exception.


A nice view of Kota Bharu - a blend of modern and traditional.


This is inside the famous biggest wet market in Kelantan. It was rename as Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah (Siti Khadijah Wet Market) to represent the 80% women peddlers in the market and as a remembrance to the late Saiyyidatina Khadijah radiallahu anha, a well known Islamic entreprenuer.


This is the State where Malaysian Pan Islamic Party (PAS) is ruling where Islam is the most important things. Even the State anthem is MEMBANGUN BERSAMA ISLAM which means developing with Islam. Below is the picture of Kelantanese Muslimah during the recent General Election.


There lots of things that I can share about Kota Bharu and Kelantan herself but my eyes are getting sleepy and I have to iron some clothes. So... tired.

Bye now!

p/s: more info on Kota Bharu can be found in google

15 comments:

siouxsiesweets said...

wow masha allah sounds amazing i want to move there! it seems islam is so important to your country which is fantastic im hoping to become an english teacher so i can make hijrah hopefully somewhere like where u live masha Allah your blog is very informative

Asha said...

Kakchik, that was an interesting read! I don't really know much about kelantan but at least you gave me some idea. InsyaAllah, my parents intend to bring the family to Malaysia for hols this June so if I have a chance, would love to drop by Kelantan and try all those delicious food!

p.s. The nasi tumpang looks yummy altho' it is wrapped in the banana leaf. Haha just the thought of sweet and sour prawns made my mouth waterrrrrr.......*drip drip* :)

xuen adyla said...

i want to go there and have vacation

it look nice

btw that food look scary in green

whats that

The Urban Muslimah said...

salam. I wish I could see more of the islamic ways of life implemented here in KL. Love the billboards - it's just how it's supposed to be!

Samudera Tinta said...

Rindunya diriku kepada Nasi Tupe.huhu..

Unknown said...

my sister siouxsiesweets, you'd be welcome to move here sis. there's a huffaz school in my village that has a few teachers from abroad but all of them are male. having an English teacher teaching English would be good.

Unknown said...

Dear Asha, oh, really? If you family really visit Malaysia, please extend your visit to Kelantan. Please... I know usually visitors like to stay in Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan is a 45min flight from KL. It's quite far. But if you would like to experience something different than please visit Kelantan. Insya-Allah, I'll be there for you.

Unknown said...

my dear xuen, give yourself a chance sis. pls come for a visit. i'll be happy to guide you around.

that scary green looking food is only a kind of rice, it's actually very delicious (if you look inside the wrapping).

Unknown said...

My friend The Urban Muslimah, it would be rather diff sis since the government is so diff in their stands. But, who knows one day, our wish will come true.

Unknown said...

Samudera Tinta dok di mana skrg ni? Bkn di KB ke? Kalau rindu blh blk KB cari.

Samudera Tinta said...

Kak Chik, saya duk di Bangi skrg nie. Haritu balik smetar Qlate. Hajat nak dengar kuliah Tok Guru. Tapi Ustaz Nik Ammar plop ganti. Tak terpikir plop nak cari nasi tupe masa tuh.

Rugi sungguh! Ish, ish..

BARAN said...

Kak Chik, nak nasi kerabu....isk2. hidangan yang wajib diranggas nanti bila saya balik msia.9 more weeks to go ! kak chik,doakan saya selamat balik Qlate deh.

Unknown said...

Samudera Tinta, baru kakchik tau, patutla rindu nok make nasi tupe. Takpo, balik nati buleh gi cari kat gerai kuih dkt masjid telipot tu.

Unknown said...

Baran, memang lidah Kelate mesti akan terkenang nasi kerabu ni. Kami kat rumah ni dalam sebulan adalah 2 @ 3 kali buat nasi kerabu. 9 minggu tak lama, insya-Allah selesai dgn baik & slmt balik ke sini. Nanti dptlah kita jumpa ya.

thE^DuCheSs said...

salam.. akak... kite culik gambor dodol satu.. yang kat post atas ni... mintak izin akak... boleh ke? kalau tak kang nak delete balik.. thanks.. nice blog neway.. uwaaaaaaaaaaa... nak balik kampung!!!

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