Historical Chulia Street | George town heritage city walk
Historical Chulia Street | George town heritage city walk | ||||
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As Cullin and Zehnder wrote in 1905 of the old town, "Different parts of the town were assigned to the various nationalities, and the Chulias, natives of India, still occupy the same locality as they did in the good old days". The Indian Muslims, once prominent traders and shippers, had fabulous compound houses around Lebuh Chulia in the early years of George Town. But by the end of the 19th century, many of these businesses had lost out to European shipping. The compound houses were sold off, or else shophouses were built along the street front, obscuring the original properties. Many of the original Anglo-Indian bungalows around Lebuh Chulia Street have been converted into budget hotels like Chungking Hotel, Eng Aun Hotel and Yen Keng Hotel. An early 19th century bungalow located at the western end of Lebuh Chulia next to the Himayathul Anjuman Islam has a curious history. Most probably built as an Indian Muslim residence, it became the premises of the Jit-Pun-A Kong Kwan, or Japanese Club, for some years before the First World War. At the turn of the century, Penang was well known for Japanese prostitutes known as karayuki-san. One early postcard depicts a "geisha" in Penang. The Japanese Club building fits the description found in James Low's dissertation of 1836: "A substantial bungalow, from 60-70 feet long by 34-40 broad - the under story of brick and mortar, the upper constructed with the best kinds of wood, with a tiled roof, and the whole interior and exterior of the upper story painted - might be built perhaps for some twelve hundred Spanish dollars. Some of the richest natives are beginning to build brick houses". Similar houses which belonged to wealthy Arabs are found in the Acheen Street Mosque compound. Lebuh Chulia is also the milieu for a large collection of Indian Muslim waqf (endowment) lands. From east to west, they are the Nagore Shrine (1801), the Noordin family mausoleum (1910s), the Masjid Alim Shahwali (tomb from 1811) and the Himayathul Anjuman Islam. The Noordin family mausoleum is located at northeast corner of the Kapitan Kling Mosque. Mohamed Merican Noordin alias M.M. Noordin came to Penang around 1820 and became the most prominent Indian Muslim shipping merchant and philantrophist of his time. He contributed generously towards the cost of laying down pipes from the Water fall for the town's water supply and was one of the first Muslims to be made a Municipal Commissioner and Justice of the Peace. He built the tomb for his mother, and was himself buried there after 1870. The tomb's vestibule accommodated a school for the Muslim community, endowed "for the learning of English, Hindoostanee, Malay, Tamil, Malabar, and the Alkoran. Twenty dollars a month". Although the Noordins were the wealthiest Muslim family in the latter half of the 19th century, the magnificent mausoleum is now in ruins. On the whole, Lebuh Chulia is interesting for its lovely streetscape and off-street compounds and alleyways. This area is called "Cultural Precinct - Chulia Street/Love Lane" under the conservation guidelines, which emphasize streetscape conservation. Unfortunately, many of the Anglo-Indian bungalows and Muslim built heritage have been demolished, and even the mosques are not adequately protected. | ||||
