| |
Hotel
Puri
118, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock , 75200 Melaka, Malaysia |
| |
|
Hotel
Puri Melaka is a boutique hotel in the heart of the old
city of Malacca.
It is a 20 minute drive from the
North-South Highway (Malacca/Ayer Keroh
exit),
and 5 minutes from the central bus station.
Surrounded by antique
and bric-a-brac shops,
it is only a stroll away from Malacca's
historical
precinct.
The
hotel is a carefully restored Peranakan house
which once belonged to the
decendants of an eminent
philanthropist and rubber plantation owner, Tan
Kim
Seng.Extending 100 metres long, its distinct
characteristicsare
its beautiful and intricately
decorated façade and the impressive
length of the
house. Retaining its old charm, Hotel Puri
Melaka provides
modern amenities to its hotel
guests
.
|
| |
 Hotel
Puri has a distinguished beginning. It was the ancestral home of the descendants
of Tan KimSeng (1805-1864). He was a third generation Straits Chinese born in
Malacca. His grandfather migrated to Malacca in the 18th century from Eng Choon
district of Fujian Province, China. He became a very successful businessman in
Malacca. When Singapore was founded in 1819 by Stamford Raffles, Tan Kim Seng
moved to Singapore. Tan Kim Seng never forgot his place of birth, Malacca.The
building Hotel Puri resides in was first built in 1822 and was bought over by
Tan Kim Seng in 1840. The house was then rebuilt by Tan Kim Seng's grandson, Tan
Jiak Choo at a cost of 14,000 Straits Settlement Dollars in 1876. The house sits
on a piece of land which has in its possession the original Dutch title dating
back to 28.4.1819. It is located in one of the oldest streets in Malacca called
Heeren Street by the Dutch, and known as Holland Street to the Chinese till this
day. |
| |
 The
word Peranakan was originally used in Indonesia for the descendants of immigrant
Chinese who have forgotten their own language and integrated and adopted some
local Malay custom, and practice intermarriage with the natives. Legend has it
that this unique ethnic group could be traced back to the 15th century. China
under the Ming Emperor traded far and wide. In an effort to strengthen ties with
the rich and strategic port of Malacca, betrothed his daughter to the Malacca
ruler. The princess and her entourage of about 500 formed the first permanent
Chinese settlement in Malacca at Bukit China (or China Hill). These early settlers
married the local brides and gave rise to the first generation Peranakan, the
male being known as 'Baba' and the female as 'Nyonya'. The descendants
of these mixed marriages later married within their own community. As a result,
Malay became the linqua franca of their offsprings. However, the babas and nyonyas
continued to practise the customs and traditions of their Chinese forefathers,
while at the same time absorbed and assimilated some local way of life especially
in the attires of the nyonyas and in food preparation.
|
|
