My Travelogue: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia - Part 1

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
A short travel through Southeast Asia

I fail to plan always. It doesn’t mean I always plan to fail. However, I still wonder why all the time this failure to systematically plan things, be it is for a speech, to write an article, or even for bigger things like a field trip to Southeast Asia’s three key nations, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. After each speech I make, my close friends rap me for ruining a better chance to deliver, thanks to my failure to precisely plan beforehand. I could only wonder looking at friend Raof’s (whose highly gifted intellectual capability is now being tapped by an MNC for its marketing in Saudi Arabia) lecture-note seeing how he had even noted down the special words, examples, anecdotes, etc he has to use during the delivery.

The blame for the constant failure in planning accurately is equally shared by my laziness to get things in time at one hand, and by my poor concentration capacity and impatience to sit longer thinking about same thing on the other. Without this prelude you cannot comprehend why I had not a clear picture in hand of how to go ahead with the field work plan even in the last days of my departure. I paid a lot for my negligence as always I do. However, the month-long journey that saw plenty of unexpected turns, full of excitement and thrill provided me a host of nice experiences and a lot many new friends that will by sure excite my memories for long time to come.

Why the field trip
It was in 2004-06 while reading for the MPhil dissertation work on ‘Developments and modernization of Religious (Islamic) education in Kerala; Role of Samastha Kerala Jam’iyat-ul-Ulama’ at the Centre of Arabic and African Studies (CAAS), School of Language, Literature and Cultural Studies (SLL &CS) of JNU that I came to know about the discourses and observances of Islam In Southeast Asia in general and In Indonesia in particular, the traditional education systems in that parts of the world, and the resemblances of the Southeast Asian Muslim community with their counterparts in South India, especially Kerala. While trying to zero in on a topic for the PhD I read extensively on Indonesian and Southeast Asian Islam pushing my interest to studying them to new heights. Thus came the attempt to explore the similarities between these two distinct Muslim communities flourished outside the Arabian heartlands of Islam through a comparative analysis of the systems of higher education and the ways of producing the Ulama class who stand for reproduction and dissemination of Islamic knowledge.

Since the beginning it was sure that the topic requires extensive fieldwork at home and abroad, and a raw idea of a fieldtrip to Java island of Indonesian archipelago was there in mind. Explorative visits to many of the traditional and modern religious institutions across Kerala coupled with detailed discourses with noted religious scholars and eminent personalities working in the Islamic education field of the south Indian state were completed in 2007 itself. The Actual plan to travel down South East was set for summer 2008, but the laziness in starting the procedures helped only to postpone it until this July, that too with getting the travel arrangements at the last moments.

Some Travel GKs
The delay fed me some new lessons. To start with, almost all the countries provide visa only on a passport having a validity of more than six months, and our Passport Offices entertain applications for renewal of passports since a year before the expiry date. It is very easy to renew a passport before expiry as it needs only an application form plus the expiring passport to be submitted. I learned that renewal of an expired passport is like taking a new passport.

At passport office in Malappuram, it was a smooth procedure as I had already booked my submission time via online. However, most of the people who came there for submitting their passport applications were still unaware of the online booking facility, and they start staying in queue since early morning. It is horrible scene to watch their problems with touts, agents, multi-faceted marketers around, and also with rude officials who forget they are only servants but pretend to be DC or SP.

I have no idea how long it will take for poor and uneducated people to end their sufferings at our government offices. (I still remember my struggles and problems at my village office years back when I went to get an OBC certificate, and cannot forget that Muslim medical doctor in Edappal who charged me Rs 15 to attest a birth certificate in 1994 when I had in my pocket only Rs 10 to go back home. I was fortunate to meet a neighbor in the town who gave me the needed amount and helped me reach home). To take a xerox of my PP I paid Rs 8 in a shop nearby the PP office, the same will cost only less than Rs 2 in Delhi.

As an online applicant I had not to stay in line but to reach in the counter at the time given online, 12-45 pm on 29th June. The renewal charge is Rs 1000, and I paid Rs 1500 extra under the Tatkal stream. The difference! Under Tatkal scheme the renewed passport will be dispatched on the third working day by sure, and under normal scheme it will take at least one week to one month. Mine was dispatched on 2nd, but was received only on 8th, thanks to the efficiency of our postal department. (I elucidate all these as these are common information many wants to know).

Search for transport Options
Now starts the thoughts on travel tickets. No direct flights to Indonesia from India so far. Earlier, national carrier Garuda Indonesia had services to Mumbai, but was suspended in the wake of 1990’s economic crisis. Recently there ware diplomatic talks to start a Garuda service between Chennai, South India and Medan, North Sumatra, but still awaits materialization. Then the options are to take transits through Singapore, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur and the charges starts from 27k. So the idea of visiting Singapore and Malaysia came up, and the knowledge that connection flights for international travelling are cheaper than direct ones.

Through frequent internet searches and conversations with friends both in Singapore and Malaysia, a raw plan was prepared to go to Singapore first, roam around there, catch a cheaper flight to Jakarta, fly to KL after fieldwork in Indonesia, spend some time in Malaysia, have a short visit to Brunei if time allows, and fly back to India. Information about law-coast carriers like Singapore-based Tiger Airways (www.tigerairways.com) and KL-based Air Asia (www.airasia.com) and their online ads on deadly cheap deals throughout South East Asia suddenly brought me to a relative easy mode, as I was upset since the JNU rejected my application to finance my field trip abroad, ridiculously citing that they can fund me if I am going for a seminar or conference, but no help for a PhD fieldwork (to get that replay I had almost exhausted a whole month processing the request and visiting various JNU offices on daily basis).

Though the cheap flight options were there, the travel-service companies would not book those tickets for you, but you have to do it alone online and you need a credit card, not the SBI ATM card I use to book train ticket online. Tiger flies daily from Chennai and Bangalore, while Air Asia fly only to Tiruchirappally, and amazingly they sometimes provide a KL return deal for as low as below Rs 5,000. In spite of all this I booked a return ticket in Air India for Rs 15,500, to fly Chennai-Singapore on 15th July and KL – Chennai on 14th August, thanks to continues last minute talks with a friend at a travels who told me it would be difficulty to book different flights from destination to destinations, and easy to travel through the same. In my experience I found the latter as a fact, not the first. Anyway I began the trip to Indonesia without even booking a ticket to that country, and decided to check the options after landing in the transit hub of Southeast.

Queries for Visas
In April I had visited Indonesian mission in Delhi after having many conversations with Indonesian students in JNU, Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia to know about visa procedure. Romi, who was doing his PG in economics from JNU, was of great help to sit longer with me appraising the life and situations back his mother land, despite his strenuous course commitments. Indians are also listed under the ‘visa on arrival’ category in Indonesia, i.e. you pay USD 25 while arriving any immigrasi port in Indonesia and get a maximum 30-days entry visa. However, then cultural attaché Satriyo Prinngodhany suggested to apply for a one-year research visa for around INR 4,000, which will be processed within a day. He and Romi also cautioned me against visiting religious institutions on a visit visa, saying it would problems with security officials. However, as I thought to stay in the archipelago for lesser days, I thought to go for a visa or arrival and not to spend some more pennies for it.

A query in Singapore High Commission at Delhi got a replay that they have stopped processing visas directly, but are doing the same through around 50 authorized agencies in India for a charge of Rs 1,050. Friend and long time classmate Shafeeq Hudawi, who is an Imam at Malabar Mosque in Singapore, and Friend Jamal Hudawi, who works for Al Hind Travels in Chennai, assured that every thing can be done from Chennai. Jamal got the passport stamped with a 30-day multiple entry Singapore visa and a one-year Multiple entry Malaysian visa (two photos and a 6-month valid passport are needed for both). The time for processing both the visas is two working days, while Malaysian missions offer it within a day if we pay Rs 500 extra.

Show Money
It is a common tip given to all visitors to Singapore that they should carry (a) at least USD 500 (or equal amount in SGD) as show money and (b) a valid return ticket. The first is to ensure for the government that you are coming to spend and you will not be wandering without provisions for food and accommodation (a perfect capitalist idea, a clear safeguard adopted by non-welfare states), and the second to confirm that you have an exact plan to exit, and will not stay back looking for job. Hearing a number of stories where the travelers were forcefully put on next flight home for not meeting these requirements, I decided not to take a risk and exchanged the INR 30,000 for a mere USD 600 with the help of Jamal. I got an INR 49.20/USD 1 deal that day.

Departure…
It was on a rainy Monday morning on 13th July that I started my journey from home along with my brother-in-law and long-term friend Muneer Hudawi (now a high official at Qatar’s Finance Ministry) after a ritual prayer in the company of my beloved parents, wife and children. I didn’t forget to get the blessings of my parents. Both of them recited the exalted Ayatul Kursi, the ‘Verse of the Throne’, which is considered as the greatest spiritual safety net by majority Muslims, from holy Quran and blessed my head. I drove the car first to my 2nd home, Darul Huda, where we all have spent more time in life than we had spent at our own homes. Met my teachers and friends there, participated in their prayer along with thousand and more students. Later we offered a touching visit to the grave of Darul Huda’s founder and our fatherly figure Dr U Bapputty Haji, whose sincere and simple life has influenced us the most, who was my great inspiration for higher studies, who compelled all of us to traverse the entire India understanding the life of people, who sent me to UAE 10 years back to practice and improve my Arabic language and missionary skills, and who always reminded the need to reach out to the world in order to help out the poor and the needy. As usual I could not complete the ziyara without having tears in the eyes.

Heavy down power and huge rush marked the night journey in Chennai Mail I boarded from Kuttippuram at 6pm. The thickly crowded compartments even on a week-day proved right the often heard demands by Chennai-bound passengers for more trains from Kerala. A seat was availed only after 2 hours when it stopped at Palakkad junction. I pushed the suitcase beneath the seat while kept the laptop in its own place to catch a snap. Of course, I had a nice sleep in a sitting position, thanks to our 12-year training in Darul Huda, where we practiced the art of multi-model sleeping as well, and where we had even friends expert to sleep in a standing position.

In Chennai
The train reached at Chennai Central in exact time. I woke up to the hustle and bustle of the biggest station of the Southern Railway. Friend Midulaj Kuttippuram, a software engineer with The Railways, was waiting for me outside to take me to his rented room. A day in hand in Chennai before the next day flight, my major tension was on how to get the Malaysian visa stamped, though Jamal assured to get it within a day. Having a sudden bath, we hurried to Jamal’s office in Prince Plaza, Pantheon Road, Egmore in an auto, not to mention the hard bargains with Autowalas, you have to do it anywhere in India except in Calicut (Koshikode, North Kerala), where Auto-drivers are known for their friendly and honest dealings. Tension prevails as Jamal informs he will be one-hour late. However, he links me with another person who goes to the Malaysian consulate. Human trust works. I hand over my passport to this unknown person.

Down the memory lines
Jamal comes in for a reunion after almost 9 years. We move to a nearby restaurant, and over a Masala Dosa, we walk through the memory lines recalling the days we played football and cricket in Darul Huda, escaped out of the college walls in dark nights to watch any of the international matches at unknown persons’ homes or in public spaces, cleverly hiding our identities. While lunching at famous Hotel Kalyan Bhavan Biryani (Near Adithanar Statue, Pantheon Road, Egmore, Timings: 11:00am-4:00pm, 6:40pm-9:30pm), a shock wave ran through our spines as we recollected a stunning story; once we eagerly went inside a home in Chemmad to watch a cricket match between India and Pakistan. We also actively participated in the frequent discussions over the play with the people already there. In between came the householder, and to our utter shock he was the Tirurangadi Police Sub-Inspector. A nice man, he advised not to do these kinds of adventures again, but promised not to inform the authority. Thanks a lot for him. We wouldn’t have completed the course in DH and be what we are now if the authority was informed about this gross indiscipline.

Even while having a delicious dinner prepared by Jamal’s beloved wife at their residence in a tranquil area at the outskirt of Chennai we were recollecting the eventful college days. We also talked about the drastic transformations in our post-college lives. I chose to stay with Jamal as his home was close to the airport. We took an evening MRTS (Mass Rapid Transport System), which is the new addition to the transport options in Chennai, to Tambaram. MRTS, a well-patronized suburban rail network, was aimed at relieving the congestion on the bus system, which is already under severe strain. However, it is very difficult to travel even in MRTS in peak hours. Wait for the Chennai Metro planned for 2014-15.

Wonderful Morning Scenes
It is one of my favorite things to watch the early morning atmosphere at any new place. What a splendid and awesome feeling has the uncovering of a new dawn been always! That experience is superb and wonderful, be it in a metropolitan city or in a serene village like that of my Chekanoor. Great loss for all those deep early morning sleepers!

While being anywhere in South India don’t miss to see that amazing artistic talents shown by womenfolk at the threshold of Hindu homes when they excellently draw Kolam using rice powder. Believed to bestow prosperity at homes, women get up early in the morning and have a shower before creatively drawing a symmetrical pattern in the front yard after cleaning and sprinkling water. The seemingly complicated patterns and designs of Kolam can be called a ‘painted prayer’, a line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots to make a beautiful picture. According to common belief, the lines must be completed as it symbolically prevents entry of evil spirits inside the shapes, and thus its entry inside the houses. You wonder watching some highly creative women drawing large complicated designs without lifting the hand off the floor. While washing the dress on the open roof in the night, I had a clear idea of the surrounding homes, and in the morning I was in the right place to watch the young women in the opposite house skillfully drawing the Kolam.

Take Off
On the breakfast table I felt totally home. Main menu was nothing other than our favorite Malabar pathiri (a delicate bread made of rice powder, a dish popular among Mappila Muslims of North Kerala) and chicken curry.

After a heavy breakfast we rushed to catch an auto, then a MRTS to get down at the Trisulam station, only 100m away from the Chennai International Airport terminal, Meenambakam. With three terminals, namely Anna International terminal, Kamraj Domestic Terminal and Cargo Terminal, Chennai airport is the third busiest in the country after Delhi and Mumbai, and is one of the largest gateways in to the country.

Though it was an extremely busy time, the procedure at the airport was very smooth and the dealings of the security and emigration officials were very cordial and friendly, unlike experiences in Delhi even for domestic movements. During an early morning flight to Cochin just after last year’s gruesome Mumbai attack, a security official singled me out, thanks to my Muslim name and beard, and interrogated like a criminal for quite sometime until they get assured that I am only a common passenger eager to meet parents, wife and kids at home. However, I cannot underestimate the high security threats perceived in the capital city compared to Chennai.

The emigration official was appreciative of my JNU studentship and wished me fruitful days ahead. It was a long wait for boarding. The 9.55am IC flight was delayed until 11.30 due to delay in arrival of the incoming flight. I roamed around through the nicely furnished duty-free shops. Entered the exclusive bookshop filled with light-reading books aimed at travelers. I took out a Lonely Planet guide, ‘Southeast Asia on a shoestring’, which became a best companion throughout my trip. As one not used to buying books priced in dollars (we use to take photocopies of all foreign books inside JNU for a mere 40p/page) a price of Rs 2,495 was too expensive for such a book that will shortly be available in second-hand bookshops, like the famous Sunday book market in Delhi’s Darya Gunj, for deadly cheap price. The bookshop owner flatly denied any discount, and tried to make me understand that a bargaining is unexpected from an air-traveler.

A strange thing happened when I gave my SBI ATM card for payment. Seeing my Muslim name he suddenly felt home and asked me whether I am a Muslim, and to my affirmative answer he said he is also one so that will give me a 10% discount out of solidarity. I remembered the interesting incident experienced by old JNU friends Prashant and Abhilash when they went to New Delhi Railway station to parcel friend Asif’s bike to Kerala. The employ in charge was insisting to bribe, but seeing the name written in the booking receipt, he asked the same question, Muslim? To the yes answer by Prashant, the man said he is also one and waived off the extra amount he demanded. I think expressions of such solidarity and soft-corner out of various grounds are understandable to my readers. Outside our state we get regional solidarity and out of India we lend a helping hand to fellow Indians. Malayalees always show a soft-corner to fellow Mallus outside Kerala, and many of North Indian friends in JNU, especially Muslims, have wondered seeing this Mallu solidarity irrespective of religion. Recently an old JNU classmate from Bihar chatted from his office in Qatar and was speaking angrily against Malayalees for preferring only Mallus for all posts, irrespective of religion. He wondered that why his Muslim Malayali boss dump a North Indian Muslim for a Malayali Hindu or Christian.

The Air India flight was filled mostly by male workers from Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately I couldn’t ask for a window seat and the man on window was a serious traveler with no intention to talk. so I hesitated to beg for the seat as I always do. In the right side, it was Rajan Srinivasan, a poor ship worker from Madurai going back to the shipping company he works for in Singapore after a three-month leave. He spoke in Tamil and broken English while I used the famous MalTamil (tell Malayalam with little curve). I filled the emigration white card and red health card (special due to HINI) for him as he was unable to write in English. He was the first man who insisted me to have a clear look in to the dark sides of the glittering Singapore. After having a good and heavy lunch onboard, most of the passengers plunged into deep sleep letting me immerse myself in the Lonely Planet guide to learn more about the tiny rich city-state where I will land after a four-hour flight down South East.