The History of the Abandoned Mansion in Pekan Karai
Pekan Karai is well-known to residents around Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Siput. Karai is a small town located on the banks of the Perak River. It is a mukim that falls under the jurisdiction and administration of the Kuala Kangsar district.
Before we delve deeper into this article's topic regarding the abandoned mansion, here is a little background on the origin of the name Karai. Actually, the name Karai is derived from a tree, though some also link it to the discovery of a tomb belonging to an Acehnese descendant named Karai. We will share more about the history and origins of the name Karai in a future orangperak.com article. Many know Karai because of the famous Victoria Bridge, which is over 100 years old.
However, many are unaware that the abandoned mansion, now completely deserted, is actually nearly as old as, or perhaps even older than, the Victoria Bridge. It still stands in a dilapidated state behind a thicket of trees on a hill.
For our loyal orangperak.com readers, the mansion, which features English architectural concepts and is located behind Sekolah Agama Rakyat Ad-Dinniyyah, is no longer inhabited and looks increasingly weathered by time. For lovers of historical monuments, this mansion actually holds significant value! In fact, many NGOs have taken the initiative to clean up the mansion alongside other agencies in an effort to promote it. It is not impossible for this mansion to become an icon in Karai, much like how Kellie’s Castle became a focal point in Batu Gajah.
Roughly speaking, the features on the walls of this mansion combine English and Chinese architecture. This is evident from the abstract dragon-shaped art found on the building. If you, as a loyal orangperak.com reader, are curious, this dragon motif is highly favored by the Chinese community because it is believed to bring good feng shui (luck). Who would have thought that this mansion holds 1,001 stories within its walls? Among them is the fact that it was once used by the Japanese army as their headquarters during the Japanese occupation of Malaya.
Originally, this abandoned mansion was owned by a nobleman known as Datuk Setia. He left the house when the Japanese began invading Malaya in 1941. Everyone was afraid of the Japanese, and many fled their villages. According to the elders in the area, there used to be a small cannon placed in front of the mansion. However, it has since disappeared without a trace, likely taken by irresponsible individuals. After the Japanese were defeated and left Malaya, the mansion was used as temporary housing for police officers before their barracks were completed. Finally, the mansion was used as a religious school in the 1980s before being left abandoned in 2004.
The school has since moved to a new building. Many original residents of Karai truly appreciate and wish to preserve the mansion because it is an unrecognized icon of Karai. If you roam around Karai, you won't find another mansion like this; it is the only one of its kind in Karai.
