Yesterday John and I enjoyed a walk to and around the Bukit Brown Cemetery ..... some people may not consider this an 'exciting' walk or perhaps even an 'adventurous' walk, but it was a walk nevertheless and we thoroughly enjoyed it..... we were there with friends and John said it perfectly:
I learnt much about Chinese culture, tradition,
and values.
I met new friends (live ones) by visiting the departed.
That's life.
Thank you all for a great day.
I am a genealogist through and through, as a profession and a hobby, how could I resist a visit to a cemetery? Not only do I have a major interest in genealogy but also history and where better do you get both than at a cemetery! My genie peers will be green with envy when they see where we went!
... and now that the Bukit Brown Cemetery has been marked for 'new development', many people are visiting wanting to know 'where their ancestors lay'. My first thought would always be to check first with the LDS (Latter Day Saints) in Salt Lake City (USA) as they would have documented most if not all of the departed here at BBC.
Before
its closure in 1973 it was a public Chinese cemetery established in the
early 20th century. It was also known to the local community by the
names Kopi Sua or Coffee Hill. The cemetery was named after its first
owner, George Henry Brown. He was a ship owner who arrived in Singapore
from Calcutta in the 1840s he bought the area of land and originally
named it Mount Pleasant. The land was later owned by the Hokkien Ong
clan and subsequently acquired by the municipal authorities in 1919 and
the cemetery opened on the 1 January 1922.
I will document more about the cemetery in my next blog posting and leave this one purely for THE WALK on how to get there as I am sure many people would enjoy time walking around the grounds of the Bukit Brown Cemetery which is not just a haven for nature enthusiasts,
but also a serene resting place for the departed.
If you are driving, then there is a carpark within the grounds. From ADAM / LORNIE ROADS turn into SIME ROAD and then left into LORONG HALWA.
Traveling by public transport is very simple, especially by bus ... and after October 2011 when the Bukit Brown MRT is opened, perhaps this might also be easier for some. Though I would suggest a visit to the cemetery sooner rather than later due to the 'possible' closure of the area for 'development', though no dates have even been mentioned.
From the area's of BISHAN and SERANGOON alight at bus stop 41149 and from the south, QUEENSTOWN. PASIR PANJANG, TANGLIN etc; alight at bus stop 41141:
from bus stop 41141 look to your left and see the crossover....
crossover Adam / Lornie Roads here....
and walk towards SIME ROAD passing a few graves on the edge of the pathway:
when I saw the graves near the pathway, I thought the departed would certainly not be 'resting in peace' with the traffic along a major roadway so close by!
Turn left into SIME ROAD and passing by more graves ....
continue a short distance till you reach the intersection on LORONG HALWA and turn LEFT
the 'main entrance gateway' is seen from the intersection of SIME ROAD and LORANG HALWA. The following image was taken from inside the gates looking out towards SIME ROAD.
once inside there are many pathways you can take .... if you have dogs with you, please respect where you are and make sure you carry 'poo bags' and not allow the dogs to run across or over the graves.
This is truly a beautiful and peaceful haven amongs the noise and pollution of Singapore ..... lets all enjoy it for as long as we can.
Take note:
1. Mosquito repellent is a MUST. Bring a can along to spray. Lots of mozzies.
2. Wear Light colour clothing, long pants, long sleeves or spray.
3. Wear comfortable non-slip shoes as the area has lots of leaves, roots and stones, safety is important.
4. Read up on Bukit Brown before going so you have a better understanding
(websites below)
5. Bring water, umbrella.
6. Go toilet before....NO facilities anywhere there or nearby.
there are many blogs and articles to read on Bukit Brown Cemetery,
I have chosen these few blogs for interest and more detail:
SAVING BUKIT BROWN PROJECT (also has map)
on our walk yesterday I found this perfect leaf:
but do hope you enjoyed the walk!
a few of the blog posts in my "walk series" are as follows:
Hi :)
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to spend some time at bukit brown ever since i read that it will be exhumed in a few yrs' time. :( sad to know that due to a lack of space, we have to make do without these historical burial grounds... im not surprised to know that the future generations might no longer get to see what a cemetery looks like in future. your blog, like others, definitely come in handy :)