Tamarind City: Where Modern India Began – Bishwanath Ghosh
‘While in other big cities tradition stays mothballed in trunks, taken out only during festivals and weddings, tradition here is worn round the year.’
This is just one of the author’s many keen observations of Chennai. With mordant wit, this biography of a city spares neither half of its split-personality: from moody, magical Madras to bursting-at-the-seams, tech-savvy Chennai. And, a minute into the book, the reader knows they are inseparable-and Bishwanath Ghosh refuses to take sides.
And yet, he tells us, while Chennai is usually known as conservative and orthodox, almost every modern institution in India-from the army to the judiciary, from medicine to engineering-traces its roots to Madras’s Fort St George, which was built when Delhi had only just become the capital of the Mughal Empire, and Calcutta and Bombay weren’t even born. Today, the city once again figures prominently on the global map as ‘India’s Detroit’, a manufacturing giant, and a hub of medical tourism. There have been sweeping changes since pre-Independent India, but even as Chennai embraces change, its people hold its age-old customs and traditions close to their heart. ‘This is what makes Chennai unique,’ says Ghosh, ‘the marriage of tradition and technology’.
Bishwanath Ghosh wears a reporter’s cap and explores the city he has made his home, delving into its past, roaming its historic sites and neighbourhoods, and meeting a wide variety of people-from a top vocalist to a top sexologist, from a yoga teacher to a hip transsexual, from a yesteryear film star to his own eighty-five-year-old neighbour, from the ghosts of Clive, Wellesley, Hastings and Yale to those of Periyar and MGR, two people who redefined the political skyline of Tamil Nadu.
What emerges is an evocative portrait of this unique city, drawn without reservation-sometimes with humour, sometimes with irony-but always with love.
A beach resort and the second largest urban area in Negeri Sembilan after Seremban, Port Dickson is named after the British officer, John Frederick Dickson in 1989 and is a favourite weekend getaway for those from Seremban, Port Klang and Kuala Lumpur and even Singapore. The town is known for its high-end hotel establishments, army bases, pristine beaches facing the Strait of Malacca, and a lot more.
The town used to produce charcoal and therefore was called Arang which in Malay means charcoal. There used to be a carbon mine at the first mile of the coast road which was named Jalan Pantai, but was later developed as a small port by the British during the Straits Settlement period. Port Dickson was also known as Tanjung which means a Cape in Malay, alluding to the town centre’s location on a small peninsula. The oldest shophouses were the four situated presently at Jalan Lama.
Historically what is today Port Dickson and nearby Lukut were then part of the Luak of Kelang, one of the original nine chiefdoms or luaks that formed the first iteration of Negeri Sembilan in 1773. By the early 1800s, it was then part of Selangor. On 30 July 1880, a meeting was held in Singapore between Sultan Abdul Samad, then Sultan of Selangor, Raja Bot, the ruler of Lukut district, Dato’ Kelana of Sungai Ujong as well as the British, in which Selangor ceded the district of Lukut to Sungai Ujong which later became the modern-day Negeri Sembilan.
Tin ore was plentiful in Lukut, an area within the Port Dickson district, during the 1820s, and it attracted Chinese immigrant miners. The British considered the area to have great potential as a harbour and it was intended to supersede the port in Pengkalan Kempas. The officer in charge was named Dickson, and the town was named Port Dickson after him. Others claim that Sir John Frederick Dickson, colonial secretary, and a senior official of the Federated Malay States founded Port Dickson and Pulau Arang in 1889. Soon Port Dickson evolved into a busy trading centre and railways were constructed to facilitate the growth and development of the town. Although Port Dickson experienced rapid development, its beaches are fairly well preserved.
Port Dickson, as a resort town, thrives primarily on tourism, but other sectors also contribute to the town’s economic growth. Along with Seremban, Port Dickson is part of the 1530 sq km Malaysia Vision Valley, a growth corridor initiated by the state government which aims to develop the western half of Negeri Sembilan to complement the existing development in the neighbouring Klang Valley and the Greater Kuala Lumpur area. Port Dickson has two refineries which make significant contributions to the local economy.
A former mining town, most attractions in Port Dickson are concentrated around the coast – the beautiful beaches of Pantai Cahaya Negeri, Tanjung Tuan, Teluk Kemang, Saujana, and Bagan Pinang present a host of adventures and fun for families and adrenaline junkies. The 18 km long beach from Tanjung Gemuk to Tanjung Tuan is a holiday destination for locals, especially those who come from the Klang Valley. Many Singaporeans have invested in holiday homes in and around Port Dickson and over the years, many hotels and resorts were opened to capitalise on the tourist draw. In the 1990s, Port Dickson boomed with new hotels and resorts being planned and constructed. Due to the Asian financial crisis of 1997, however, many of these projects stalled, leaving many unfinished buildings scattered along the Port Dickson coastline. While some of these half-constructed resorts are still abandoned, with the improving economy of the 2000s, many of the projects were eventually revived and completed.
The newer five-star Admiral Marina & Leisure Club has good dock facilities for yacht travellers, sailboats and luxury cruisers and is a transit point for racing sailboats joining the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, the Royal Langkawi International Regatta and Thailand’s Phuket Kings Cup regattas.
Lying about 17 km south of Port Dickson right before Cape Rachado, the Blue Lagoon is a compact yet quite popular beach in the area. Locally referred to as Tanjung Biru, the beach is surrounded by a dense cover of hills and vegetation which makes the beach stand apart. Due to its proximity to the Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve, wildlife sightings especially migratory birds, monkeys and squirrels are a common sight in this region. The water at the beach remains calm and is shallow which makes it safe for kids to play around in. This also makes for a great location for water sports. Hidden under the beach water lie several coral reefs which add to the ambience of the beach and are an attraction for divers. Blue Lagoon Beach also accommodates several market stalls, food vendors and a hawker centre which make it a great picnic spot. The best time to visit the beach is on a weekday between 10 am and 5 pm.
Located on a coastal strip between the 5th and 6th mile of Port Dickson, about 8 km away, Cahaya Negeri or Pantai Cahaya Negeri is a white-sandy gleaming beach. This shimmering beach features an artificial cape with a recreational park that accommodates some soothing picnic spots. This crowd-pleasing venue is quite popular for its phenomenal sunset views. There is a beautiful wooden bridge called Lover’s Bridge constructed on the eastern edge of the beach’s entrance which is a wonderful spot to take photographs and the bridge leads you to Pulau Burung or Bird Island a coastal mangrove area. On this island, there’s a wonderful watchtower which offers a jaw-dropping view of the coastline of Port Dickson. Activities like camping, hiking, water sports, boating, fishing, and barbeques can be done at the beach. There are public toilets available here which charge between 50 sen to RM 1.
Located on the 7th mile of the Port Dickson coastal road, Wan Loong Chinese Temple is a Buddhist Chinese Temple. Wan Loong means the Dragon of the Clouds and has been built to honour several deities including the Monkey King and Kuan Yin or the Goddess of Mercy. The temple has an aesthetic colourful appeal with its traditional architecture comprising carved Chinese motifs and dragons. The fortress wall of the temple and the pools full of colourful fishes and a giant turtle are its exclusive features. There is a tortoise in the temple pond which is believed to bring good luck when visitors touch it. It is recommended to visit the Wan Loong Temple between 9 am and 1 on to avoid excessive crowds.
Sri Anjaneyar Temple is a temple dedicated to the monkey god, Lord Hanuman and is quite famous owing to the mystical stories attached to it. It’s believed that the Hanuman statue placed in the shrine had itself turned its head to face the town of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu in India. The head-shifting occurrence is said to have happened in 1996 when a foreign photographer was clicking pictures of the shrine. And when he returned to click some more shots, he was shocked to see the change in the position of the idol’s head. Some believe that due to the strong bond that Lord Hanuman shared with Lord Ram, the idol turned its head towards Rameswaram. According to others, the idol turned its head because Lord Hanuman was against the meat and alcohol that was originally offered in the temple. The temple is open daily, from 7:30 to 9 am and then again between 7:30 to 9 pm.
Cape Rachado is an enclave of the state of Malacca about 18 km from Port Dickson. It is the Portuguese name for Tanjung Tuan and is the only coastal forest in Malaysia. Cape Rachado was declared a permanent forest reserve by the Forest Department of Melaka in 1921 and was also gazetted as an International Bird Area and a Wildlife Sanctuary. The forest reserve attracts bird watchers from all over and is visited by more than 300,000 migratory birds and more than 177 species of flora. It is well known for its iconic Cape Rachado Lighthouse. It’s a great place for visitors who want to experience the evergreen forest and the beautiful ocean in the same place. The Cape Rachado Lighthouse was built by the Portuguese in 1511 and was used to guide ships along the Straits of Melaka. It was rebuilt in 1863 and offers a spectacular view of the sea and the Straits of Melaka. With a height of 24 meters, the masonry tower is accessible only by foot and is located in an enclosed woodland, which makes it a perfect spot for bird watching. March would be the ideal time to visit Cape Rachado as the Raptors Watch takes place during this time of the year. The morning hours of the day are usually the ideal time to visit the place as it’s cooler. There is an entry fee of RM 1 to access the place.
The Lukut Fort and Museum is a historical recreational site in Port Dickson. The fort was built in 1847 by Raja Jumaat and is in ruins today. Its antiquities are displayed in the Lukut Museum which was built in 1999. Located 6 km from Port Dickson, the Lukut Fort and Museum is now a recreational historical site with a park and gazebos maintained by the government. The entrance is free to the fort and museum. The museum is situated in a former bungalow of a district officer. This double-storey building has 4 galleries housing artefacts relating to the local history dating back to the tin mining era, culture and traditions. One of the artefacts on display includes a Portuguese bronze canon from a shipwreck during the Battle of Cape Rachado. Other displays include pottery shards, stoneware plates, porcelain belonging to the Qing Dynasty and clay floor tiles. Gallery C & D are temporary exhibition galleries displaying exhibits relating to different themes every year. The fort and museum are open between 9 am and 6 pm and entrance is free.
Set in two old army buildings, the Port Dickson Army Museum is dedicated to Malaysian army artefacts. Also known as Muzium Tentera Darat, it houses 9 galleries along with outdoor exhibits that trace the army from the 16th century Melaka Sultanate to the British era. One very interesting exhibit is the CPM or the Communist Party of Malaya Tunnel which has been recreated underground similar to the one used by the bandits who conducted all their activities here during the Emergency. There’s a collection of various military aircraft and helicopters, armoured vehicles, field guns, artillery pieces and a steam locomotive on display here. Another gallery focuses on the modern army and its UN peacekeeping missions. The museum has a cafe, a souvenir shop, toilets and a surau as well. The museum has free entry fees and is open between 9:30 am and 6 pm.
Home to paintings and optical illusions, the Alive 3D Art Gallery leaves visitors amused and enthralled. The paintings are three-dimensional which let the people be a part of the painting. The paintings are divided into five zones. The Wild West Cowboy Indoor Theme Park is a must-visit if one is planning to go to the gallery. The gallery is open from 11 am to 10 am on weekdays and Sundays and from 10 am to 11 pm on Saturdays. The Wild West Cowboy Theme Park is open from 12 noon to 10 pm on weekdays, 10 am to 11 pm on Saturdays and 10 am to 10 pm on Sundays and Public holidays. It is closed on Tuesdays unless it is Malaysia School Holiday or Public Holiday.
The Teluk Kemang Observatory, also known as the Baitul Hilal Complex is a modern space observatory and is one of the most reputed observatories in the region and boasts of an extensive collection of sophisticated telescopes. The observatory provides a jaw-dropping view of the Straits of Melaka and is a perfect setting for stargazing. It is a popular place for astronomical gatherings and observations. One of its telescopes, a 24-inch spectacular beauty was purchased for RM 2 million and is well known for its accurate observations. The view from the telescope is dependent on the weather and the night sky, however, visitors can even see Saturn or Jupiter on a clear day. The observatory is open between 3 and 5 pm and again between 10:30 pm and midnight.
Pusat Ikan Hiasan is a fish centre located at the northern end of Port Dickson in Teluk Kemang. The centre boasts a wide diversity of fish species and also acts as a breeding and conservation centre for marine life. It is famous for its sea turtles on display and traces their lifecycle from hatchlings to adulthood. The port is being managed by the Department of Fisheries and also holds an incubator site for commercial coral reef entrepreneurs. The market is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays and is closed for a prayer break on Fridays between 12:15 and 2:45 pm. On weekends it is open from 10 am to 4 pm.
The PD Ostrich Show Farm is an ostrich farm popular for ostrich and pony rides. The show farm offers activities like petting and feeding ostriches, rabbits, horses, peacocks and guinea pigs and learning interesting facts about ostriches. Children particularly have a wonderful time at the PD Ostrich Show Farm where they get to run around rabbits and enjoy ostrich rides. The show farm has a cafeteria where one can enjoy the signature Ostrich Satay. It is open between 9 am and 6 pm every day. Entry fees are RM 15 for Malaysian adults and RM 10 for children who are Malaysian. For foreigners, adults pay RM 20 while children pay RM 10.
Kuala Pilah lies 40 km east of Seremban. The charm of this old valley town lies in its Chinese shophouses surrounded by traditional Malay village houses built on stilts. The countryside is a breath of fresh air with clear fresh water from Mount Angsi. A wonderful dragon fruit cultivation can also be seen here with beautiful kampongs and paddy fields on the way. Kuala Pilah is also known for its Minangkabau houses with a sloping buffalo horn roofline. There are rows of small shopping outlets in the newer and central suburbs.
Located in Johol, the Batu Maloi Cave is a 2.4-kilometre-long talus cave made up of fallen boulders of granite with a river flowing through it. It is said to be the longest granite cave in Malaysia and is popular among cavers. The Ulu Bendul Recreation is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kuala Pilah. It is situated in the Angsi Forest Reserve, compartments 45 and 52 and is about 16 km away from Seremban. The site was established in 1972 and is a fun spot to hike and trek in the jungle paths. The Martin Lister Memorial, an arch designed in Chinese fashion, was established in 1901. It is a historical site that one can visit to pay respects and commemorate the Late Martin Lister who was killed for his efforts to end the violence and conflict of the secret Chinese societies that tortured Chinese migrants. The Sikh Gurudwara Sahib and the Sri Kanthasamy Temple as well as the Masjid India are places of worship in the town.
The Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Precarious State – Declan Walsh
On assignment as the country careened between crises, Walsh traveled from the raucous port of Karachi to the salons of Lahore, and from Baluchistan to the mountains of Waziristan. He met a diverse cast of extraordinary Pakistanis—a chieftain readying for war at his desert fort, a retired spy skulking through the borderlands, and a crusading lawyer risking death for her beliefs, among others. Through these “nine lives” he describes a country on the brink—a place of creeping extremism and political chaos, but also personal bravery and dogged idealism that defy easy stereotypes.
Unbeknownst to Walsh, however, an intelligence agent was tracking him. Written in the aftermath of Walsh’s abrupt deportation, The Nine Lives of Pakistan concludes with an astonishing encounter with that agent, and his revelations about Pakistan’s powerful security state. Intimate and complex, attuned to the centrifugal forces of history, identity, and faith, The Nine Lives of Pakistan offers an unflinching account of life in a precarious, vital country.
Historically spelt as Negri Sembilan, Negeri Sembilan lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia and borders Selangor to the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south. The state has diverse tropical rainforests and an equatorial climate with mountain ranges belonging to the Titiwangsa Mountains, a southern subrange of the Tenasserim Hills that spans throughout southern Myanmar, southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia, with Mount Besar Hantu as the highest point. It is the fourth-smallest state in Malaysia by area as well as the second-largest in the southern region after Johor.
The state’s name is believed to derive from the nine or sembilan villages or nagari in the Minangkabau language that is known as Luak today settled by the Minangkabau, a people originally from West Sumatra in present-day Indonesia. Minangkabau features are still visible today in traditional architecture and the dialect of Malay spoken.
Unlike the hereditary monarchs of the other royal Malay states, the ruler of Negeri Sembilan is elected and is known as Yang di-Pertuan Besar instead of Sultan. The election of the Ruler is also unique among all Malay states. He is elected by the council of Undangs who lead the four biggest territories of Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Johol, and Rembau, from the legitimate male members of the Pagaruyung Dynasty, with the surviving sons of the previous Yamtuan coming first in the considerations but not being obligatory to be voted on, making it one of the more democratic monarchies.
The capital of Negeri Sembilan is Seremban and the royal capital is Seri Menanti in Kuala Pilah. The Arabic honorific title of the state is Darul Khusus or the Special Abode.
The earliest possible human settlement in Negeri Sembilan can be traced back to the Pasoh Caves, a complex of karst caves near Simpang Pertang. Some of the artefacts found around the caves include stone tools and food leftovers, estimated to be used around 12,000 BC based on carbon dating. According to the Malay Annals, Parameswara reportedly visited the settlement of Sening Ujong, which was located in what is now Seremban.
The Minangkabaus from Sumatra settled in what is today Negeri Sembilan in the 15th century under the protection of the Malacca Sultanate, and later under the protection of its successor, the Sultanate of Johor. They also brought their matrilineal custom, known as Adat Perpatih, with them and made it the local custom. As Johor weakened in the 18th century, attacks by the Bugis forced the Minangkabaus to seek protection from their homeland. The Minangkabau ruler, Sultan Abdul Jalil, obliged by sending his near relative, Raja Mahmud, also known as Raja Melewar. When he arrived, he found that another royal, Raja Khatib had already established himself as ruler. He declared war against Raja Khatib and became the ruler of Negeri Sembilan. The Sultan of Johor confirmed his position by granting the title Yamtuan Seri Menanti or He Who is Highest Lord of the Seri Menanti in 1773.
Negeri Sembilan, at the dawn of her establishment, was originally a loose confederation consisting of nine luaks, hence the name. At the time of Raja Melewar’s accession, it used to cover a larger area than its modern-day boundaries. Besides modern-day Negeri Sembilan, it also spanned parts of what is today Selangor, Malacca, Pahang and Johor. The original nine chiefdoms or domains in 1773 that made up the first incarnation of Negeri Sembilan and gave the state its name are Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Rembau, Johol, Jelai, Ulu Pahang, Naning, Segamat and Klang. The latter four chiefdoms were annexed into neighbouring states in the 19th century. Naning was annexed into the Straits Settlement of Malacca in 1832 following the Naning War; Ulu Pahang became the Bera region of Pahang, Segamat was annexed into Johor and Klang became the Kuala Langat region of Selangor.
After Raja Melewar’s death, a series of disputes arose over the succession. For a considerable period, the local nobles applied to the Minangkabau ruler in Sumatra for a ruler. However, competing interests supported different candidates, often resulting in instability and civil war. In 1874, the British intervened militarily in a leadership tussle in Sungai Ujong to preserve British economic interests and placed the domain under the control of a British Resident. Jelebu followed in 1883 and Rembau in 1887. The formation of modern Negeri Sembilan began in 1889, when the Seri Menanti domain, under the rule of Tuanku Muhammad, the son of Yamtuan Antah, combined with the domains of Tampin and Rembau, forming the Seri Menanti Confederation as a single political entity. The domains of Sungai Ujong and Jelebu joined this confederation in 1895, forming the state of Negeri Sembilan in its modern borders. Martin Lister became the new state’s first Resident, and Negeri Sembilan became part of the Federated Malay States the same year.
Negeri Sembilan endured Japanese occupation in World War II between 1942 and 1945, joined the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and became a state of Malaysia in 1963. In the 1990s and 2000s, Seremban and Nilai attracted people who moved in from the overcrowded towns of the Klang Valley. These two cities also became the sites of new factories and industrial parks, accelerating the development of the state into modern times. On 9 September 2009, the state capital of Seremban was approved to become a city or a Bandar Raya and Seremban achieved the status of a city on 20 January 2020.
Negeri Sembilan is composed of two vast plains divided by a mountainous spine in the middle, well-drained by various rivers, resulting in the state being bisected into two regions, namely western Negeri Sembilan consisting of Port Dickson, Seremban and Rembau Districts and eastern Negeri Sembilan, which covers the districts of Jelebu, Kuala Pilah, Jempol and Tampin. The western half seems to be more developed and has an intricate and concentrated road network compared to the latter, which is much more rural. Negeri Sembilan is a multiethnic state in which every ethnic group speaks their respective languages and dialects. The state has the highest percentage of Indians compared to other Malaysian states. The Negeri Sembilanese people speak a unique variety of Malay known as Negeri Sembilan Malay or in their native language as Baso Nogoghi. It is not closely related to other varieties of Malay in Peninsular Malaysia but more closely related to the Malay varieties spoken in neighbouring Sumatra especially varieties of Minangkabau. Besides Malays, the Chinese community also speak their languages and dialects. Orang Asli peoples like Temuans speak a language closely related to Malay. Standard Malay is widely used throughout the state.
The Minangkabau people brought along with them a cultural heritage which is still preserved and practised today known as the Adat Perpatih, a matrilineal system of inheritance and administration that is unique to the state. In this system, the husband is the head of the household and inheritance passes from the mother to the daughter. The Minangkabaus in Negeri Sembilan are divided into twelve sukus or clans. Each of these sukus is led by a chief, known as the Lembaga and each suku is broken down into subunits known as the Perut, where each of them is led by a chief, either known as a Buapak if a male or Ibu Soko if female. Both the Buapak and Ibu Soko play a vital role as people to refer to regarding the adat and religious matters among the subordinates of the Perut, known as Anak Buah. Marriage between members of the same clan is forbidden.
For the state of Negeri Sembilan, let’s work our way from the south to the north.
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Tampin
Bordering the state of Malacca, Tampin borders the town of Pulau Sebang in Malacca. It is also situated at the southern tip of the longest mountain range in Malaysia, the Titiwangsa Mountains. The state borders between Negeri Sembilan and Malacca is demarcated by the traffic lights across Jalan Besar, as seen from the Negri side of the town.
Tampin gets its name from the container or pouch woven from the pandanus fronds. The container was used to store condiments such as the sticky dessert kelamai or dodol and the shrimp paste, belacan.
Tampin was originally part of the district of Rembau. After the Naning War in 1832, Raja Ali declared himself the ruler of Seri Menanti and his son-in-law, Syed Shaaban, as the ruler of Rembau. This enraged other rulers of Negeri Sembilan as they had no right to the posts. In a civil war in 1834, Raja Ali and Syed Shaaban retreated to Tampin and the area from Mount Tampin to Bukit Putus was removed from Rembau. The provinces of Repah, Keru, Tebong and Tampin Tengah formed the district known as Tampin. Syed Shaaban became the first ruler of Tampin and proclaimed himself the title Tunku Besar Tampin. The district is one of the original confederations of nine states collectively known as Negeri Sembilan, which means Nine States in Malay.0
On 11 March 1889, the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Sir Cecil Smith, held a meeting with the rulers of Jelebu, Sungai Ujong, Rembau, Seri Menanti and Tampin to combine the districts to better manage them under British rule. Tampin, Rembau and Seri Menanti agreed to the proposal and were united as the Seri Menanti Confederation and the newly formed confederation accepted Martin Lister as its first British Resident. After Malaya’s independence in 1957, Negeri Sembilan and its districts started forming local administrative councils.
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The Tampin Recreational Park is strategically located and consists of a natural lake, along with lush greenery and various facilities such as a children’s playground, badminton courts, tennis courts and jogging tracks. Tampin Square is located within the vicinity of the Tampin Sports Complex and a local favourite. The Tampin Lake Garden is located about 400 meters from the Tampin Lay By and is equipped with a children’s playground, a look-out tower, huts, benches and jogging tracks. An 8-foot marble monument was erected on the Kelamah River to commemorate the war between the Australian and Japanese military advance on 14 January 1941 during World War II.
Located in the southern corner of the state, Mount Tampin is the geographical southern terminus of the Titiwangsa Mountains, at an elevation of 764 m. Man-made pools on this mountain allow visitors to enjoy the clean and clear water. The existing 5 km hiking track up to the mountain top will be transformed into a jogging and exercising track as locals frequented this mountain in the evenings and weekends.
The Balai Tunku Besar Tampin is the official residence of the ruler of Tampin, the Tunku Besar. Historically, Tampin used to be part of the district of Rembau before it was partitioned in 1836 when the southern area of Rembau around Tampin was being recognised as a new luak or state with its ruler. Unlike the other luaks in Negeri Sembilan where the ruler is known as Undang Luak, the ruler of Tampin is known as Tunku Besar and the post is a hereditary one.
Tempin is located on the junction between the east and west coast railway lines of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad’s or KTMB railway network. The Gemas Railway Museum is located in what was the former Gemas railway station, which ceased operations in 2013 after 91 years of service, when the new station building was completed, as part of the electrification and double tracking of the Seremban-Gemas section of the West Coast Line.
The largest district in Negeri Sembilan, Jempol borders Jelebu to the northwest, Kuala Pilah to the west, Tampin to the south, Bera and the state of Pahang to the northeast and Segamat and the state of Johor to the east. Jempol is also the meeting point of the Muar and Serting Rivers which played an important transportation role in ancient times. Known historically as Jalan Penarikan, it connected trade posts west of the Malay Peninsula with population centres on the east coast and vice versa.
The Ulu Serting Forest Park lies about 8 km from Batu Kikir Town in Compartments 23 and 24 of the Sering Forest Reserve. It is made up of Dipterokarp Pamah and is rich with a variety of flora and fauna. Some basic amenities have been built by the State Forest Department in the form of rest huts, food stalls, and a bathing pond for the comfort of visitors.
The De Bana Forest Park is located in compartment 129 of the Pasom Forest Reserve on the road to Triang Town in Pahang. The forest park got its name from a river that flows through the middle of the forest park, the Bana River. The forest is made up of Dipterokarp Pamah and is rich with a variety of vegetation including wild orchids, and herbs such as Tongkat Ali and Kacip Fatimah. The hilly terrain offers ready-made areas for activities such as jungle trekking and hill climbing. There are basic amenities built by the Forest Department including rest huts, toilets, camping sites, and forest huts.
Memories and Such 