The Story of Masjid Tinggi, a Landmark of Bagan Serai
Since the beginning of British colonial rule in Malaya, the British initiated a rice cultivation scheme in specific areas. This was done to support food supplies for the people living in Malaya.
Before the existence of this scheme, most food sources were imported from abroad, such as Thailand and Burma (now known as Myanmar). For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, the first rice cultivation scheme was opened in Kerian, Perak. Since the opening of the scheme, there was a massive migration from Banjarmasin to Malaya, a time when the spirit of the Nusantara was still highly revered, unlike today. Some were also brought in by the British themselves to ensure the success of the rice cultivation scheme.
Due to this mass migration, and given that most of them were Muslims, a mosque was built in the area in 1897. The construction of this old mosque was led by Haji Din, together with the Banjarmasin people who migrated to Bagan Serai, as previously mentioned. Haji Din endowed his land to build this mosque to accommodate the local community in performing their Islamic religious duties in a comfortable space. The community worked together to build the mosque, and its design followed Banjarmasin architecture.
Image for reference of Banjarmasin mosque architecture
Image for reference of Banjarmasin mosque architecture
At the end of 1928, during the reign of Sultan Iskandar Shah (the 30th Sultan of Perak), this mosque was inaugurated and received recognition from Sultan Iskandar Shah to be used as a place of worship for Muslims. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, almost the entire structure and walls of this mosque were built of wood, with a zinc roof. Regarding the four-story minaret, it was built in 1929, and the mosque subsequently became known as Masjid Tinggi (High Mosque). This is likely because it was the tallest mosque in Perak at the time, which led to the name Masjid Tinggi being adopted as its title and name.
Please be informed that this mosque is no longer used for daily worship because a new mosque, named Masjid Al-Athar, was built in 1966 right next to Masjid Tinggi. There is also a Maahad Tahfiz Al-Akhlak Al-Islamiah Masjid Tinggi built near the mosque.
condition of Masjid Tinggi before conservation
It is known that the National Heritage Department carried out conservation work on the entire Masjid Tinggi in 2006. Among the conservation works performed were replacing old and rotten walls, replacing cracked and damaged cement, repairing broken drains, restoring the water tank used for wudu (ablution), repainting it to look new, and fixing other damages. Today, Masjid Tinggi serves as a Banjar gallery.
