PULAU BESAR MELAKA E-BOOK DISCOVERING THE ISLAND’S ENCHANTING ALLURE
Editor TeamCHIEF EDITOR SITI AISHAH BINTI ABDUL KADIR EDITOR NAZATULSHIMA BINTI RAIZATULHELMI NAJIHAHUDA BINTI JASRI AISYAH BINTI MOHAMAD ADLI BY POLITEKNIK MERLIMAU, MELAKA 2023
PREFACE In the embrace of the cerulean waters, where the tides whisper tales of ages long past, Pulau Besar stands as a testament to the ebb and flow of history. This island, a jewel in the vast expanse of the ocean As the pages of this exploration unfold, we invite you to traverse the sands that have cradled the footsteps of ancient seafarers, to wander amidst the ruins that echo with the voices of forgotten epochs. Pulau Besar is not merely a geographic entity; it is a living chronicle, a canvas upon which the brushstrokes of time have painted stories of triumph, trade, and transformation. Our journey takes us through the lens of history, we uncover the layers of human endeavor that have shaped Pulau Besar Our hope is that, as you turn these pages, you will sense the pulse of Pulau Besar history, feel the weight of its stories, and perhaps be inspired to set foot on its shores yourself. For in understanding the past, we not only honor the legacies of those who came before but also become custodians of the island's enduring heritage. Welcome to a voyage through time—a journey that invites you to uncover the mysteries and marvels that make Pualu Besar a unique chapter in the grand narrative of human history. i.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The completion of this e-book Pulau Besar Exploration: Unveiling Nature ' s Wonders. This exploration book could not have been achieved without the participation and help of Mr. Azmir Izuan Bin Zainal (Executive Science C41) and Mr. Izzuddin Bin Hisham (Administrative Assistant/Operations N19), Majlis Pembangunan Pulau-Pulau Melaka, Jabatan Ketua Menteri Melaka both morally and physically. Their contribution is greatly appreciated and is preceded by a thank you. i.
TABLE OF CONTENTS NO CONTENT PAGE 1 Acknowledgement i 2 Preface ii 3 Introduction 1 4 Maps of Pulau Besar 2 5 List of attraction i. Tomb of Sultan Al-Ariffin ii. Tomb of Syarifah Rodziah iii. Tomb of 7 Brothers iv. Tomb of Tok Janggut v. Perigi 4 5 6 7 8
vi. Perigi Tempayan Pecah vii. Batu Tengkorak viii. Batu Belah xi. Pokok Disula x. Tasik Biawak 910111213 6 List of Activities i. Wall Climbing ii. Kayaking iii. Camping iv. Abseiling v. Bicycle vi. Hiking vii. Jet Ski 15161718 7 Facilities 19 8 Contact 20
INTRODUCTION At the beginning of its opening, the Pulau Besar was inhabited by straits/sea people before the arrival of Parameswara around 1400. During the reign of the Melaka Sultanate, Pulau Besar has served as a stopover for traders to obtain food, firewood and clean water and also wait for their turn to dock at the port of Melaka. Pulau Besar, also known as Water Island and "Wu Shu" by Chinese merchants, was the focus of these merchant ships before the existence of Melaka as the government centre. The merchant ships stopped here for water and firewood supplies before continuing their voyage to the destination. According to Ma Huan, an assistant to Admiral Cheng Ho, Chinese sailors will visit the 'Wu Shu' and dock and rest and get supplies. The strait fishing community that resides at the mouth of the Melaka River brings dried fish and other merchandise to be exchanged for their needs. Pulau Besar is also a hotspot throughout the Malay Islands as it was inhabited by many scholars who had a role in developing Islam a long time ago. Pulau Besar was also recorded as the centre of launching attacks for the Malays who sought to retake Melaka from the Portuguese after the fall of the Melaka Malay Government. 1
MAPOFPULAU BESAR 2 1.Tomb of Sultan Al-Ariffin 2. Tomb of Syarifah Rodziah 3. Tomb of 7 Brothers 4. Tomb of Tok Janggut 5. Perigi 6. Perigi Tempayan Pecah 7. Batu Tengkorak 8. Batu Belah 9. Pokok Disula 10. Tasik Biawak
Listof Attraction 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Sultan Al-Ariffin has contributed to the spread and development of Islamic knowledge across the Malay archipelago. This tomb attracts many foreign visitors to the island. Sultan Al-Ariffin passed away on 17 Rabiulawal, 925 Hijri. (All of them were simply God's guardians) died on Pulau Besar. However, only four graves were correctly identified: the Tomb of Sheikh Ismail, the Tomb of Sheikh Yusuf, the Tomb of Sheikh Ibrahim, and the Tomb of Sarah, Sheikh Yusuf's married daughter. The tomb is still being attended to today. 4 i. Tomb of Sultan Al-Ariffin
This woman's guardian is said to be actually named Syarifah Habsah. His grave is located on Pulau Besar nearby enter the courtyard leading to the surau and tomb of Sultan Al-Arin. Syaritah Habsah is the daughter of Sheikh Ismal. Syarifah Habsah's biological sister is Syarifah Rodziah. There is also a view that says that this grave actually belongs to Siti Sarah, daughter of Sheikh Yusuf As-Siddiq and wife of Sayyid Ibrahim. Her real name is Siti Sarah bin Syeikh Yusuf As-Siddiq and she is a very devout woman of Islam. 5 ii. Tomb of Syarifah Rodziah
The seven brothers in question are all from Palembang and attend the same school. They've come to Pulau Besar with one goal in mind: to learn martial arts. They decided to destroy the walls of their ships to create the walls of dwellings after researching a hunch that Pulau Besar was suited for colonization and developing martial arts. This mausoleum was once placed roughly 100 meters from Sheikh Ismail's grave but has since been relocated by the Melaka Islamic Religious Department (JAIM) to the Pulau Besar Cemetery Complex to prevent cult activities from spreading. 6 iii. Tomb of 7 Brothers
It is believed that Tok Beard comes from Acheh who came to Pulau Besar with his friend, Commander Black Tongue. The title Tok Janggut is said to refer to his white and long beard. He has developed his martial arts in Besar. People have come to see him to learn martial arts from him. When he died, he was buried on Pulau Besar. This grave is located near the boathouse and is often visited. In 2021, the Melaka Department of Islamic Religion and the Melaka Mufti Department carried out excavation work to move this grave to a cemetery near the surau, but the results of excavations at the site found that nothing was found at the site. When you come, Tomb of Tok Janggut's is gone after the digging operation. 7 iv. Tomb of Tok Janggut
Around 1400 BC Pulau Besar was known as water Island where it served fishermen and traders as a potable water supply locality to those traversing through the Straits of Melaka. Perigi on Pulau Besar, like wells in many other areas, usually play an important role in various aspects, among which wells are used to obtain clean water for the daily use of residents as well as Traditional uses such as some wells may play a role in traditional beliefs or practices among local communities. 8 V. Perigi
This stone is located in the area of Pandanusa Golf Club and is close to the beach. If you look closely, this stone seems to resemble a human skull and there is a square split mark that is believed to have been split by the ancients to get the treasure inside. But their efforts failed and they plastered the stone again. This stone was also planned to be blown up but the effort was in vain because the stone did not open at all. 9 vi. Perigi Tempayan Pecah
This stone is located in the area of Pandanusa Golf Club and is close to the beach. If you look closely, this stone seems to resemble a human skull and there is a square split mark that is believed to have been split by the ancients to get the treasure inside. But their efforts failed and they plastered the stone again. This stone was also planned to be blown up but the effort was in vain because the stone did not open at all. 10 vii. Batu Tengkorak
On the top of the Pulau Besar hill, there is a massive split rock known as 'Batu Belah' by the locals. Locals think that the split stones are the remains of ancient warriors who tested their skills. This massive stone is three meters tall and has a 1.5-meter-deep crack in the middle. There are various myths surrounding stone splitting. People come to Batu Belah for a variety of reasons. They will enter the rock by going over their left shoulder and stepping sideways, then reaching for the end of the crack with their right hand. 11 viii. Batu Belah
Among the spirit worship locations that can be found on Pulau Besar is such as the Pokok Disula spirit worship. According to the beliefs of the Malay community, this tree is a curse on lovers who are making love under the tree. As a result, the couple was sworn in and remained as they are today. The Malay community believes that this tree has its own spirit and should be worshiped so that its spirit is not lost. Neglecting the worship of this tree will have a negative impact on the community that inhabits Pulau Besar. 12 xi. Pokok Disula
There is a lake at the back of Makam Sultan Ariffin which is called lizard lake. Unfortunately, upon arriving at the lake, the species was nowhere to be seen. According to local residents, it used to be easy to see the species because the location of the lake was just next to a garbage dump. Since many resorts are not operating, there is no more garbage thrown in the area and this situation makes the lizards have to look for food in other places. Now, the state of the lake now has no water. 13 x. Tasik Biawak
Listof Activities 14
i.Wall Climbing ii. Kayaking 15ii. Kayaking
iii. Camping ii. Kayaking 16iv. Abseiling
v. Bicycle ii. Kayaking 17vi. Hiking
vii. Jet Ski 18
Facilities in Pulau Besar 19 i. Shop ii. Food court iii. Toilet
CONTACT INFORMATION boatmen contact number Redtma contact number 013-346 7614 / 019- 256 1001 redtma 20i. Encik Supaya Al Kano 014-7175799 ii. Encik Muhammad Shahid bin Mohd 012-6430725 iii. Encik Ibrahim bin Elias 016-6775035 iv. Encik Mohd Shah Izwan bin Saptu 018-7746700 Contact Redtma first before booking the activities