The Temple that the Mother of Malaysia’s First Prime Minister Built

The Buddhist Channel, 7 January 2024

Alor Star, Kedah (Malaysia) -- Wat Samosorn Rachanupradit (Thai: วัดสโมสรราชานุประดิษฐ์) is a Thai Buddhist temple situated in Alor Setar, Kedah. It is located in the suburb of Bakar Bata, by the banks of Sungai Kedah. The temple is often just known as Wat Siam Bakar Bata.

Wat Siam Bakar Bata has an interesting beginning related to the sixth wife of Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, the 26th ruler of Kedah (1881 to 1943). Her name was Cik Menyelara, also known as Khunying Nuea Nonthanakorn, and she was of Thai origin. She was the daughter of Luang Naraborirak (Kleb Nandanagara), a district officer in Thailand.

Most significantly, she was the mother of Malaysia's founding father, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al'haj (1903-1990).

Apart from the temple, Sultan Abdul Hamid also gifted Cik Menyelara a pagoda-shaped, three-story house called Istana Tiga Tangga (three tiered palace). This palace was built by a 90-year-old Chinese craftsman, and it was here where Tunku Abdul Rahman was born on February 8, 1903.

According to royal records, Wat Siam Bakar Bata was built in 1910 on land donated by Cik Menyelara. The temple's significance in relation to royalty is still visible today, as the temple sits behind the Kedah State Museum, which was formerly the Kota Setar Palace, the seat of His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Abidin Shah II, the 19th Sultan of Kedah (1723-1778) and all rulers of Kedah after him.

The ubosot (ordination hall) was one of the first structures built on the site. The ubosot, still standing today, is unique in that it followed the local contemporary architectural design of that time, instead of the typical Thai style.

The design of these ubosots is adapted from the Melaka style roof (in Malay it is called bumbung panjang Melaka) or a typical Malay folk house. This was likely the model for ubosots in the early 20th century, as seen in many temples in Kedah.

The temple was built with the support of the Sultan, as requested by Cik Menyelara as gratitude to her Thai parents. Later, the temple housed some of the ashes of Cik Menyelara.

Later, when Wat Bakar Bata could no longer accommodate the increasing number of devotees, they raised funds in the 1950s and bought a piece of land in Telok Wanjah. That temple is called Wat Nikrodharam, the biggest Buddhist Temple in Alor Setar.

Wat Bakar Bata became a popular temple under its former Porthan (Thai for temple's Chief monk) Yong. Porthan Yong was a disciple of the famous Luang Por Lindam or Porthan Orchick from Wat Naka.

Porthan Yong was well known for his chants to help avoid danger, assist people in escaping accidents, enable prosperous business, develop good relationships with others, and more. He passed away in 1996.

The current Chief monk here is Ven. Phra Phuan Kamphukwanno.

Upon reaching the temple, an imposing gate with the temple's name in both Roman and Thai letters greets the visitor. The gate is flanked by a pair of white elephant statues.

To the left of the gate is the Ubosot, while in front of the ubosot are 5 stupas. The larger stupa is said to contain the relics of Porthan Yong. This stupa used to be black but was recently painted in gold, as if it had returned to its past glory.

The next visible structure is the viharn or lecture hall. The main pillars beside the front doors are adorned with beautifully crafted dragons. In Thai beliefs, dragons embody both natural and supernatural powers. They also represent maturity and longevity. Indeed, like other Asian dragons, they can make rain, ensuring good harvests for farmers. Thai dragons are also the protectors of the temples.

Inside the viharn, a tranquil environment envelops the visitor upon entry. A three-tiered Buddha sits in the center of the hall, with a fully walled mural of the Bodhi tree in the background. The hall is flanked by murals depicting stories of the Buddha's life, from his birth to enlightenment.

Around the hall, one can see statues of deceased monks. The prominent one is Porthan Yong, whose photo is displayed side by side with the Buddha. A picture of Che Menjalara can also be seen, with brief explanations in English and Thai.

Upstairs of this viharn are found the monks' quarters and also lecture rooms.

Outside and at the back of the viharn, flows the majestic Sungai Kedah (Kedah River). Ample space permeates within the compound between the river banks and the viharn. On this space, a shrine of the 4-faced Buddha is built under the Bodhi tree. This is flanked by two beautifully crafted grey elephants.

In Thai Buddhism, elephants are guardians of Buddha, Earth, and its temples. Their physical strength represents mental strength and responsibility. In ancient times, Buddhists supposedly noticed how elephants show thoughtful behavior, intelligence, and an ability to be trained.

Wat Siam Bakar Bata or Wat Wat Samosorn Rachanupradit is not the biggest nor the most beautiful Buddhist temple in Kedah. Nevertheless, its interesting history and how it relates to the country's history make it a worthwhile visit.

If You Go:
Wat Samosorn Rachanupradit
100D Lorong Wat Siam, Bakar Bata,
05100 Alor Setar,
Kedah, Malaysia
Phone: +60-4-734 9086

Sources:
1) https://sure.su.ac.th/xmlui/handle/123456789/12703
2) https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cik_Menyelara