The footprints left by Indian Muslims along Chulia Street in Penang.

Today, if you are to walk through the roads of Penang, probably you will not really see all the actual footprints left by the Indian Muslims but still will bump into few, which will reveal to you the early days of the community. 

Let me share with you readers, the footprints dotted along the once famous Chulia Street. This road itself was once tarred with history but with the passing of time, the tar has disappeared leaving some pot holes for us to treasure.

Around Chulia Street was once a village that existed from the 19th century to the turn of the 20th century called Kampung Malabar. It had a strong Indian Influence. It later spilled into Penang Road by the early 19th century. The influence of the Indians extended as far south as Chowrasta Market, which was a market started by Indians and the name itself comes from the Urdu word.

Today, Kampung Malabar is almost homogenously Chinese. All that remains of the Indian settlement at Kampung Malabar has all been erased, though remnants of their presence can still be seen here and there. 
The name “Chulia” refers to the old ‘Chola’ kingdom in India. Both names “Malabar” and “Chulia” indicate the earliest South Indian communities who settled here. The Chulias are a South Indian ethnic group from the Coromandel Coast of India. They are Muslim merchants and moneylenders who arrived in George Town as soon as the British trading port was established.
Let us start our historical walk along this illustrated road from the junction of Penang Road. 
At the junction of Penang Road and Chulia Street is a mid-20th century building which in actual was a 19th century Islamic building. It is called, Anjuman Himayathul Islam, which means "association for the service of Islam" in Arabic. 

It is an organization founded by the Pakistani Muslims in George Town, Penang. It traces its establishment to the mother organisation established in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1884.

Just a stone throw away from here is Masjid Alimsah Waley or Alimsah Waley Mosque. It was founded by Indian Muslims and named in honor of Haji Abdul Cader Alim.
The history of Masjid Alimsah Waley goes back to 1803 when the Muslim community under the leadership of Haji Abdul Cader Alim bought a piece of land on Chulia Street - which at that time was called Malabar Street - through funds pooled by the Muslim community, for the purpose of erecting a small mosque and three attap quarters.

On 3 November 1811, through a deed of assignment, the land was passed to Haji Abdul Cader Alim, who acted as the Imam of the mosque. Thereafter, the mosque was called Masjid Haji Abdul Cader Alim.

On 5 July 1843, Haji Abdul Cader Alim appointed Sahid Lebbay, Muckdom Shah and Kader Meah as trustees of the mosque, and to manage the Muslim properties, on the condition that the land cannot be sold. 
Haji Abdul Cader Alim passed away in 1852. The three trustees subsequently passed away, Sahid Lebbay in 1852, Muckdom Shah in 1851, and Kader Meah in 1843. 
None of them left an heir nor did they manage to pass on the trusteeship. 
As a result, from 1853 to 1901, there was a tussle among different groups over control of the mosque, so much so that the issue was drag to court.
On 14th December 1906, management of the endowment land of the mosque was taken over by the Mohammedan and Hindu Endowment Board. 
In 1933, a Muslim Communal House was erected on the land. It was three storeys high, and had living quarters for 36 families. Unfortunately the communal house suffered massive damage from bombings in the Second World War and remained in a dilapidated state. In 1976, the local council issued a notice for it to be demolished, as it was no longer structurally sound.

The desire to develop the endowment land had been tabled since the late 1970's, but nothing materialised due to the lack of funding. It was only in the year 2000 that a sum of RM9.2 million was earmarked for the redevelopment of the Alimsah Waley Endowment Land. Construction of the new Masjid Alimsah Waley began in 2003 and was completed in 2007.

As you leave this mosque, just at the corner is a notable hotel along Chulia Street called Yeng Keng Hotel. This hotel was once the residence of a great wealthy Indian Muslim- Syed Eusoff. Mid way through the historical walk, you will get a glimpse of the golden landmark of Penang- the Kapitan Keling Mosque. What you pass is the side entrance of one mosque. 

As you are about to approach the end of Chulia Street, you will see from far a building resembling a mosque just opposite where the present Kapitan Restaurant stands. This is actually a shrine called, Nagore Dargah

Nagore Dargah Sheriff, or simply the Nagore Shrine, is a shrine to a Muslim saint at the junction with King Street and Chulia Street. The Nagore Dargah Sheriff was built in the early 1800s, at about the same time as the Kapitan Keling Mosque nearby. This makes it the oldest Indian Muslim shrine in Penang.
The Nagore Dargah Shrine honours Syed Shahul Hamid, a 13th century Muslim Saint who has a large following in Nagore. This shrine in Penang is just one of many similar dargahs that have been built in the saint's memory across southern Asia, and is similar to the Nagore Dargah Shrine in Singapore. It has stood on the original section of Chulia Street from the time of Francis Light.

The Nagore Dargah Shrine in Penang is well kept and painted in brilliant white, so it tends to stand out on clear days. 
There is a small arcade on the side of the shrine with a small collection of shops selling Muslim prayer paraphernalia and songkok headgear. I still remember vividly, as a small boy, I was taken to this very shop to buy songkoks for Raya festivals. There used to be a well somewhere on the King Street side of the shrine but it has vanished.

Inside and outside the shrine, you will see no one except caretakers and peace seeking souls taking naps. There is a replica tomb of the saint decorated with flower petals.

I will be writing a long article on Dargahs and touch on issues, which tarnish the Image and teachings of Islam.

Of course, along the road you will see the Chinese dominating most parts of Chulia Street except for the few eateries owned by Indian Muslims.