Event 1 A post Chinese New Year celebration organised by the the Bukit Brown Face book group takes place between 9 am – 12 pm on 11 February, Saturday at Bukit Brown. It’s chance for the group to meet and welcome new members and guests, a chance to orientate those new to Bukit Brown. Bring what ever you like. But also bring your own re- useable utensils. Bukit Brown is about sustainable habitat. For more details, please check in here
Much camaraderie and good eats at the last post- festive event on Boxing Day 2011
Checking out what sauces are available
Chinchalok Omelette - A Big Hit!
The chinkchalok omelette really hit the spot for one.
"yes, I can see how this can be used to strain the tea or whack the mozzies""
Some cyclists dropped in
"Don't worry, I got your back sister"
"Lest, we forget why we gathered..."
"And so we celebrate......"
"And we give thanks...."
Event 2 On the same evening, a night tour lead by Suki Singh. See here for a report on ” the howling success” of the first ever full moon tour organised . Register your interest in the event here
See you at Bukit Brown!
Calling all shutter bugs, share your best work on the Bukit Brown Gallery
Mirror Image
Choose your best 8 photographs, caption it, theme it, tell us how you captured it, whatever you like.
Tell us a something about yourself and your interest in Bukit Brown
We will devote each new blog posting to your photographs
The penultimate goal – to build up enough to launch an exhibition, the ultimate goal – a book!
Send your contributions to a.t.bukitbrown@gmail.com
DIY Tour Map
For self-guiding, please refer to our tour guides and featured tombs. Read up on tips before you visit for full enjoyment and safety. Enjoy the flora and fauna.
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Division Map
Division map useful for finding tombs
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We are often asked about the distances over Bukit Brown. Cyclists and runners may find these useful:
Route 1 map: 3.9 km
Route 2: 2.2 km
Route 3: 4.6 km
For the greater Bukit Brown cemetery complex:
Master map for greater Bukit Brown (Photo: Mok Ly Ying)
Mok Ly Yng says:
The Seh Ong Cemetery was made up of 5 hills since day 1. Lornie/Adam Road only cut thru the valley between Hill 4/5 (on the golf course side) and the rest of Hills 1-3 on the BBC side. Then later on, PIE came in and cut thru the lower areas of the Hills 1 and 2.
Seh Ong had 5 hills since the area was acquired in the 19th century. Still today, the hill tops are still around, but the ‘body’ of the hills are badly bisected by the two roads (Lornie/Adam Rds and PIE).
Kheam Hock Road also cut thru a valley between the Seh Ong Hills 1 (left) and 2/3 (right), does not affect the hill count.
When word gets round that an organised group is about to descend on Bukit Brown, you’ll almost be certain to find Master Lim Su Min and his mobile tea station.
Master Lim brews a mean tea
He made his first appearance on Boxing Day last year in an event organized by the Bukit Brown face book group to work off the Christmas feasting with a brisk walk, jog or cycle in the grounds.
Su Min decided he will offer freshly brewed fine Chinese tea on the ground as an incentive after the “work out”. Today, when he is not on his travels to do community service around the region, he is a fixture under the same shady tree which he has claimed for his tea station. Even when overseas, Bukit Brown is always close to his heart as he looks out for interesting teas for the next serving.
Custom is brisk. The offering this day was lapsong suchong. One thimble full of tea is never quite enough and one regular customer has threatened to bring her own mug.
His, is the stuff of gung fu. Bottled water on standby, a portable stove on standby to heat the water to replenish his thermos, and the ritual of warming and rinsing of tea cups before the brew is offered to be sipped.
Master Lim is a man of many talents.
He can be prevailed upon to strum a few ditties on his trusty ukelele...
....brush in a quick water colour
And he can be moved to pen a haiku or two.
“Tea leaves instilling:
Peace our souls are resting
Tranquility eternal
Ladies and Gentlemen, we present Lim Su Min, tea master extraordinaire and poet in virtual residence at Bukit Brown.
As Su Min operates only under artistic license, his tea is complimentary and yes, refills are allowed while stocks last. He has as yet not run out.
Thanks to SOS Save Bukit Brown for this tongue-in-cheek video drawn from the album of enchanted nights. Enjoy!
Following the successful inaugural Bukit Brown Full Moon Tour January, a further two were organised for the next moon rising during the Chinese New Year.
Dateline 7.30pm, 11th February 2012- – Bukit Brown (Lorong Halwa)
A whooping 40 turned up, and although the moon was late in raising and was missed, an unscheduled stop uphill to Bukit Brown’s most spectacular tomb site was the bright spot in the night’s tour . Here are the highlights
Hang Chong from nature society weighs in Bukit Browns habitat and its importance.
The walk begins, what lies ahead?
Suki with captive audience waxing lyrical on Bukit Brown
Making tracks uphill to Seh Ong Hill
It's so spacious, lets spread out....
- Like a floating stage, the splendour of a night out at Ong Sam Leong
A moment of reflection
Making tracks down Seh Ong Hill
The final tomb stop : The Sikh Guards
Photo Credits Yuen Kit Mun
Dateline: 9pm, 9th February, Thursday 2011
There were only 4 in this tour, hastily arranged because of a late alert that the moon would be at its most beautiful yet.
Full Moon at Bukit Brown
A life size sikh guard at Blk 4, captured in splendid isolation
Ferns nests replendent, still by night
Moon on the Rise
Photo Credits : Suki Singh
Dateline: 11pm, 7th January 2012– BukitBrown (Lorong Halwa Entrance)
The sky was clear, the air was a contrasting cool to the day’s heat and humidity and the near full moon played peek a boo behind nature’s lace veil.
Branches framing the moon in lace
The stars were as near galactic as it can be in urban Singapore. Orion, the hunter is the easiest to spot here on a clear night. Look for his sabre, we were told, it marks compass North.
Orion - The Hunter
The star gazing marked the start of the tour of Bukit Brown by night organized by our intrepid guide, Suki Singh who used to patrol Bukit Brown when he was a policeman.
Suki by day checking out Bukit Brown. Some say he bears a remarkable resemblance to the iconic Sikh guards which stand guard at one of the tombs. The guards are unique to Singapore and so is Suki unique to Bukit Brown.
Hang Chong, with the Nature Society of Singapore was an adjunct guide. Nestled amidst the splendor of this rain tree he pointed out the birds nest fern, which in turn hosted a family of fruit bats.
The hospitable rain tree
We spotted one member at home and it proceeded to pee, narrowly missing one participant. I am still not sure whether it was an act of welcome or disdain.
Spot the fruit bat
The crickets provided the accompaniment to the calls of the night jar and frogs which punctuated the music of the night as we strolled, stopping every now and then to snap a few shots.
Capturing the enchanted evening
Listen here for the Night Jar
Bukit Brown is hauntingly beautiful by night, inviting quiet companionship and contemplation. I could hear my thoughts breathing.
The Dignity of Repose
Perfect Alignment
Suki shared stories of encounters of the criminal kind during his patrolling days. But what Suki says in Bukit Brown stays in Bukit Brown. If you want to know more, you just have to join future tours.
We were not the only group in attendance that night. One other, smaller group, dressed uniformly and stylishly in black introduced themselves as members of Tarot Chaos. This night according to their calendar was auspicious for harmonising with and harnessing the energy of the elements
Incense Burner - Tarot Chaos
We moved on to let them commune with their blithe spirits. Just as we were about to turn a corner Bukit Brown decided she needed a drink and the elements obliged. It started as a drizzle but we soon realized just how thirsty she was when the rain came pelting down. Gallantly, the men made way for the women after their cameras were first attended to. We huddled under umbrellas enjoined under the trees as there was no lightning and decided to wait it out. When it did not relent, the group activated Plan B: a dash to the entrance where the cars were parked. We chalked up more than an hour on the walk but had lingered and tarried so often we had not covered a lot of ground. The bodies piled in to the available cars, off to Adam Road Food Centre for a well-deserved teh tarik and steaming bowls of kambing soup for some, clean forgetting to take photos.
But the best had already been captured. It stopped raining just as we finished supper. The die-hards returned to Bukit Brown and captured that magical moment when moonlight gives way to the first rays of dawn.
The Glow of Bukit Brown
From Dusk to Dawn
We were 18! plus one..........
For the brave 18 who attended the tour, it was dare I say a “howling” success.
Text: Catherine Lim
Photo Credits : Suki Singh and Claire Leow
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