Ulu Melaka, Langkawi

Ulu Melaka (GPS: 6.35404, 99.77476) is a mukim in central Langkawi, Kedah. It was named after the name river that flows through the area, Sungai Melaka. The name Ulu Melaka means the village is at the upper part of the river.

Ulu Melaka is the second most populous mukim in Langkawi after Kuah. It benefited from its position between administrative capital at Kuah and the tourist belt at Pantai Cenang. Much of Ulu Melaka is agricultural land given predominantly to paddy farming. The tallest mountain in Langkawi, Gunung Raya, is also located in Ulu Melaka. Other sights in Ulu Melaka includes the ancient gravestones of Makam Purba.

Etymology of Ulu Melaka

According to legend,¹, the name Ulu Melaka goes back to the time of the Malacca Sultanate, where Tun Fatimah, the daughter of Bendahara Seri Maharaja Tun Mutahir (1498-1510AD), the 8th bendahara of the Malacca Sultanate. Tun Fatimah was mentioned in Sejarah Melayu. She was espoused to Tun Mat Ali, the son of Sri Nara Diraja Tun Tahir. After murdering Tun Fatimah's family, she was taken as the wife of Sultan Mahmud.

Tun Fatimah's grave is at the Muslim Cemetery at Padang Mat Sirat in Langkawi. She was ordered by Sultan Mahmud to hide herself from Malacca at the sign that Malacca might fall into the hands of enemies. She was ordered to set sail in the direction of the sunset on a trading vessel to avoid public notice. She was accompanied by a warrior, Panglima Harimau Berantai, to act has her bodyguard until she safely arrived at her destination.

After sailing for a few days, Tun Fatimah arrived at Pulau Langkawi. The place was given the name Ulu Melaka as an extension of the Malacca realm in Pulau Langkawi.

Ulu Melaka is on the Map of Places in Langkawi

References

1. Studions Production: Pengakhiran Tun Fatimah

Back to Discover Langkawi mainpage

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.