Keramat Kusu
| Keramat Kusu | |
|---|---|
.svg)  Shown within Singapore | |
| General information | |
| Type | shrine, mausoleum |
| Country | Singapore |
| Coordinates | 1°13′23″N 103°51′42″E / 1.2230471°N 103.8616528°E |
| Year(s) built | c. 1880s |
| Destroyed | 2022
|
| Owner | Ishak Samsudin (current caretaker) |
The Keramat Kusu is a Datuk Keramat shrine located on Kusu Island. It is a religious complex containing three enshrined Muslim tombs. The shrine is visited every year as part of a pilgrimage to Kusu Island. In 2022, the shrine was damaged by a large fire and is currently undergoing restoration.
History
[edit]The exact date of construction of the shrine is not known, but some early reports state it was built in 1889.[1] The entombed, Sayyid 'Abd al-Rahman, known locally as "Datok Kong" is said to have lived in the 19th centuries CE.[2][3] A letter dated to 9 March 1875 mentions the shrine's existence under the name "Datok Kramat" and also mentions the annual pilgrimages held to the site.[4] The shrine received renovation in 1917 and was expanded in 1921.[5] However, the shrine seemingly did not have any association with any saint at first, as a 1932 newspaper article describes the shrine in detail but only attributes the grave to be that of a "Malay fisherman."[6] The shrine only became known with the name of Syed Abdul Rahman reportedly in 1948.[7][8]
Keramat Kusu was almost completely destroyed by a large fire on 17 April 2022.[5][9] The cause of the fire has not been determined.[5][9] Restoration works are undergoing, as of 2022.[5]
Significance
[edit]The shrine is popular amongst childless couples, who pray there to have children.[2][10]
Traditional legend
[edit]The traditional legend behind the entombed of Keramat Kusu has two variations. The first version, it is said that the entombed was a Malay sailor or fisherman.[10] In the second version, it is said that the entombed is Sayyid 'Abd al-Rahman, an Arab immigrant, and buried with him were his mother Nenek Ghalib and his daughter Puteri Sharifah Fatimah.[8][10] The second version of the legend is the most commonly followed; the current shrine has graves for all three of the aforementioned.[5][8][10][11]
At least one source claims that the graves in the shrine are merely symbolic cenotaphs that do not hold any human remains.[3]
Annual pilgrimage
[edit]There is an annual pilgrimage to Kusu Island where the shrine is visited as well as the nearby Chinese temple, Tua Pek Kong.[5][11][12] At the shrine, the pilgrims will recite prayers and burn joss paper and place offerings like food at the graves.[5][11][12] Stones are tied at the shrine to ensure one has prosperity and fertility.[5][11][12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "A Picnic..... ...with The Harbour Gods". The Straits Times Annual. 1 January 1952. pp. 26–27.
- ^ a b "Kusu Island". www.sla.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ a b "Datuk Gong in Singapore: The god of the Chinese, Indians and Malays". Yahoo News. 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ "WEDNESDAY, 11th AUGUST". The Straits Times. 14 August 1875. p. 2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The Origin Stories of Keramat Kusu". biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ "Chinese Topics In Malaya". The Straits Times. 20 October 1932. p. 19.
- ^ "TWO FAITHS SHARE HOLY ISLAND". The Straits Times. 24 October 1948. p. 4.
- ^ a b c "Singapore's Kusu Island". Asia Magazine: 18–19. 16 September 1973.
- ^ a b "Kebakaran Pulau Kusu: Penjaga makam terkedu lihat keramat hangus dijilat api". BERITA Mediacorp. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ a b c d Vernon, Cornelius. "Kusu Island – Singapore Infopedia". National Library Board. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ a b c d "Pilgrimage to Kusu Island". www.roots.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ a b c "The Development of the Kusu Island Pilgrimage, from the 1950s—Present". museums.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-26.