Fitting ‘crown’ or Kedah ruler
ALOR SETAR: Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah will wear a new and specially designed ‘tengkolok’ or royal headdress during his installation ceremony as the 29th Sultan of Kedah on Oct 22.
The headdress, which has been given the name ‘Seri Mahkota’, was created based on the design of the headdress worn by the ruler’s late father Sultan Badlishah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, who was the 27th Sultan of Kedah.
Designed by Mohd Zairul Fairuz Zakaria, 40, who was born and raised in Titi Haji Idris in Pendang, Kedah, the new headdress is a fitting accessory to complete the sultan’s resplendent coronation regalia.
Acknowledging that the task of creating the ruler’s headdress was not an easy one, he said when making a headgear, it was important to ensure that it suited not only the shape of the wearer’s face but also his personality.
Mohd Zairul, who is also credited with designing the royal headdress named ‘Dendam Tak Sudah’ for Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V, has been involved in the art of designing and folding the ‘tengkolok’ for 12 years.
He owns a company called Kazanah Warisan Al Fairuzi that specialises in making souvenir headdresses made out of ‘songket’.
Mohd Zairul said the ‘Dendam Tak Sudah’ headdress originated from Negeri Sembilan and was worn by several Malay sultans, as well as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
In fact, the ‘Dendam Tak Sudah’ headdress was also worn by the late Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah when he was installed as the 28th Sultan of Kedah 59 years ago.
Mohd Zairul, who now resides in Kuala Lumpur, said before he started working on ‘Seri Mahkota’, he went to Gunung Jerai in Yan, about 42 kilometres from, here, to seek some inspiration.
“I prayed that everything would run smoothly for me. It was so peaceful and harmonious there and five days after I left the mountain, I managed to complete the headdress in an orderly manner,” he added.
Giving more details on ‘Seri Mahkota’, Mohd Zairul said the name of the headdress itself extols the virtues of the ruler’s character and personality while yellow (the colour of the headdress) symbolises the royal colour. The headdress is fashioned out of a one-metre-long ‘songket’ or silk material that is hand-woven with gold thread.
The arrangement, or style of folding, of the ‘Seri Mahkota’ portrays five elements, namely ‘asas lima susun sirih’, ‘simpulan lipat sirih’, ‘layar kasih’, ‘tunas kasih’ and ‘lambang kuasa’.
“The first element represents the sultan upholding the syariah law, supporting customs, leading judiciously, remaining the sovereign throughout his life and living with grace and blessings,” Mohd Zairul explained.
The second element, which used to be featured in the headgear worn by Malay sultans and noblemen in the olden days, represents Malay customs and courtesy while the third element symbolises good characteristics. The fourth element represents ‘alif’, which is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet while the fifth element denotes the reigning monarch.
“Finally, the appearance and style of the round-shaped ‘tengkolok’ denote the fact that the wearer, in his capacity as ruler, will always be in control and protect the people,” he added.
Asked about the differences between the headdresses he created for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Sultan of Kedah, Mohd Zairul said the king’s ‘tengkolok’ was easier to do as the ‘Dendam Tak Sudah’ headdress was inherited from the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong and won by all the subsequent kings.
Mohd Zairul took eight hours to create the king’s headdress and it was completed under the supervision of the officials at Istana Negara.