About an hour-plus drive from bustling KL, accompanied by views of the unperturbed daily life along old trunk roads, lies the old royal capital of Selangor. The old town holds guard to the entrance of Bukit Melawati that stands overlooking Kuala Selangor and the Straits of Malacca.

The hill hosts a lighthouse as well as remnants of our historical past, silently witnessing the changing times and our evolution.

The locale is surrounded by mangrove swamps that attract a variety of birds, a firefly park where visitors can ride on a boat along the river to watch the fireflies, and fishing settlements famed for their seafood restaurants. Bukit Melawati, amongst its lighthouse and forts, also accommodates old graves which may be able to provide us with a glimpse of our past.

Depending on which text one refers, (there seem to be some point of divergence) what's consistent is that Paduka Sri China, from the genealogy of Malacca Sultanate, was made the ruler of Jeram, about 10km away and one of the oldest places in Selangor.

It is said that the Dutch built a European-style castle and named it Fort Atlingsburg, after their commander. However, all that is left of the old forts are a few cannons and foundation stones. There is clearly a colonial British presence evident in some of the rubble walls and the lighthouse, but this receives scarce mention in the museum. Nevertheless the building, which is situated near the lighthouse, offers information for those wishing to learn about the history as it is reported.

Today, Bukit Melawati is frequented by all folks of life looking for a scenic spot to spend time with friends and family. They are often entertained by the antics of the Silver-Leaf Monkeys and Long-Tailed Macaques looking for peanuts and other handouts from visitors.

They say history is written by the victor...

History can also be canvassed to receive light only from certain angles.

Remnants of our past, bits and pieces of what and how we were, lie scattered around us everywhere, staring right in our faces, whispering into our ears their stories. Stories that transcend space and time... Stories that speak in a silence that is deafening...

Standing there gazing into the horizon, these stories come alive. Our history. Of you and me.

No ammount of canvassing can stop it from seeing the light.

For more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Selangor

http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/china2.htm

Picture 1 - Paul Wong

Pictures 2, 3 & 4 - Nandakumar Haridas