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Keramat Kusu

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Religious shrine in Kusu Island
Keramat Kusu
Keramat Kusu is located in SingaporeKeramat KusuShown within Singapore
General information
Typeshrine, mausoleum
CountrySingapore
Coordinates1°13′23″N 103°51′42″E / 1.2230471°N 103.8616528°E / 1.2230471; 103.8616528
Year(s) builtc. 1880s
Destroyed2022
  • Under reconstruction
OwnerIshak 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

The exact date of construction of the shrine is not known, but some early reports state it was built in 1889. The entombed, Sayyid 'Abd al-Rahman, known locally as "Datok Kong" is said to have lived in the 19th centuries CE. 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. The shrine received renovation in 1917 and was expanded in 1921. 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." The shrine only became known with the name of Syed Abdul Rahman reportedly in 1948.

Keramat Kusu was almost completely destroyed by a large fire on 17 April 2022. The cause of the fire has not been determined. Restoration works are undergoing, as of 2022.

Significance

The shrine is popular amongst childless couples, who pray there to have children.

Traditional legend

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. 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. The second version of the legend is the most commonly followed; the current shrine has graves for all three of the aforementioned.

At least one source claims that the graves in the shrine are merely symbolic cenotaphs that do not hold any human remains.

Annual pilgrimage

There is an annual pilgrimage to Kusu Island where the shrine is visited as well as the nearby Chinese temple, Tua Pek Kong. At the shrine, the pilgrims will recite prayers and burn joss paper and place offerings like food at the graves. Stones are tied at the shrine to ensure one has prosperity and fertility.

See also

References

  1. "A Picnic..... ...with The Harbour Gods". The Straits Times Annual. 1 January 1952. pp. 26–27.
  2. ^ "Kusu Island". www.sla.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  3. ^ "Datuk Gong in Singapore: The god of the Chinese, Indians and Malays". Yahoo News. 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  4. "WEDNESDAY, 11th AUGUST". The Straits Times. 14 August 1875. p. 2.
  5. ^ "The Origin Stories of Keramat Kusu". biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  6. "Chinese Topics In Malaya". The Straits Times. 20 October 1932. p. 19.
  7. "TWO FAITHS SHARE HOLY ISLAND". The Straits Times. 24 October 1948. p. 4.
  8. ^ "Singapore's Kusu Island". Asia Magazine: 18–19. 16 September 1973.
  9. ^ "Kebakaran Pulau Kusu: Penjaga makam terkedu lihat keramat hangus dijilat api". BERITA Mediacorp. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  10. ^ Vernon, Cornelius. "Kusu Island – Singapore Infopedia". National Library Board. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  11. ^ "Pilgrimage to Kusu Island". www.roots.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  12. ^ "The Development of the Kusu Island Pilgrimage, from the 1950s—Present". museums.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
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