Gunung Keriang, Kedah

Gunung Keriang, Kedah. (14 August, 2015)


Gunung Keriang (GPS: 6.19107, 100.33075) is a limestone outcrop in Kedah. It stands at a height of 218 meters, rising out of the rice plains just north of Alor Setar. Located within the shadow of the mountain is the Kedah Rice Museum.

360° View of Gunung Keriang on Google Maps Street View

Due to its prominent position within the rice plains of Kedah, Gunung Keriang has many legends and myths attached to it. According to W.E. Maxwell¹, and early documenter of local history (writing in The History of Perak from Nature Sources), the name Keriang (or as he transcribed it, "Geriyang") means "the mountain of the Divinity". According to him, it comes from two words, the Sanskrit giri गिरि meaning mountain, and hyang is from Javanese and Malay meaning godhead or divinity.

There are limestone caves on the wall of Gunung Keriang, so it would not be far-fetched to presume that bird-nest harvesting was carried out here since the earliest time. The locals call Gunung Keriang the elephant mountain, on account that a protrusion in the limestone bears the appearance of the head of the pachyderm.

Gunung Keriang is a source of natural crystals. A good selection of those hewn from this mountain is on display at My Crystal Museum in Penang.

Closer view of Gunung Keriang, Kedah. (14 August, 2015)


View of Gunung Keriang from afar, surrounded by the rice-growing plains of Kedah. (11 March, 2008)


Close-up view of Gunung Keriang where it does look like an elephant head. (11 March, 2008)


Another view of the elephant head at Gunung Keriang. (11 March, 2008)


A free-standing limestone outcrop at Gunung Keriang. (11 March, 2008)


A cave at Gunung Keriang. (11 March, 2008)


The tranquil village scenery at the foot of Gunung Keriang. (11 March, 2008)


Here I am at Gunung Keriang. (14 August, 2015)

Gunung Keriang is on the map of Alor Setar

Gunung Keriang is on the map of the Hills & Mountains of Kedah

References

Back to Discover Kedah mainpage; list of Mountains in Kedah and Mountains in Malaysia

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