TERENGGANU’S ROYAL SILVER DRUMS

MY pace quickens significantly as the intended destination looms ever closer. The sweltering tropical sun is directly overhead when I finally find myself standing right in front of Istana Maziah. There’s not a soul in sight on my side of the palace gates. Beyond that, I see several burly sentries guarding the closed entrance. The mere sight of their stern faces is enough to deter anyone from planning an unauthorised entry.

A raised covered platform astride the old palace entrance catches my attention. I immediately recognise it as the Balai Nobat — the place where the Terengganu royal orchestra used to perform during important ceremonies.

Excited beyond words but yet not daring to attract the attention of the watchful guards, I start tracing the palace’s outer perimeter, looking for a spot that will give me the best view. Fortunately, I don’t have to walk far as the Balai Nobat is located fairly close to the guardhouse.

Despite being devoid of any activity, the structure immediately evokes a feeling of nostalgia as I start recalling the late Tan Sri Datuk Dr Mubin Sheppard’s research on Terengganu’s Nobat instruments and the strange tale of their ancient predecessor from the Riau-Lingga islands.