After lunch, with still time to kill before the night fall in Alor Setar, we decided to visit the Paddy Museum (Muzium Padi), which is at the foot of Gunung Keriang. I have heard so much about this place from neighbours and friends, so it was a must visit on my list this time.
This museum was built in 2004, on a land belonging to MADA (Malaysian Agricultural Development Authority), for RM24.7 million. The museum itself resembles bushels of harvested paddy stalks. As you explore the Paddy Museum, you will find the rice motif repeated everywhere, on the banisters (like in this photo), and even on the fence and gate outside.
Opening hours : daily 10am to 6pm,
except on Friday, 12.30-2.30pm break.
Admission : RM3 for adult / RM 1 for children
Distance from Alor Setar Town : +/- 10 kms.
The most hype and talked about murals is located on the top gallery, via a spiral staircase. This is a massive circular mural measuring 103m in circumference and 8m in height. The viewing gallery is a revolving platform that complete a circle in 30mins. Sitting in the chair on this gallery gives one a feel that one is looking at the kampong scenes surrounding Gunung Keriang.
The mural was painted by 43 Koreans artists and it took them 9 months to complete.
paddy field
kampong at the foot of Mt Keriang
kampong at the foot of Mt Keriang
villagers having fiesta time
On the ground floor, there is a information centre.
Exhibits shown are the tools used during the olden days to cultivate this crop, different methods of transportation etc.
Besides rice from paddy fields, the farmers can also catch fishes from the sawah as supplementary food
Containers made from mengkuang leaves to store rice in the olden days
Paddy processing
(separating the paddy from stalks)
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