Gua Musang
Encyclopedia
Gua Musang is a town and territory (jajahan) in Kelantan
, Malaysia. It is the largest district in Kelantan. Gua Musang is administered by the Gua Musang District Council. Gua Musang district is bordered by the state of Pahang
to the south, Terengganu
to the east, Perak
to the west and the Kelantanese districts of Kuala Krai
and Jeli
to the north. It is a small railway town
about 160 kilometers south of Kuala Krai
. Gua Musang is represented by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
in the Dewan Rakyat
. The town lies on the railway line from Kota Bharu
to Gemas
.
of the Civet
". On the eastern side of this town stands Bukit Gua Musang, a barren hill of rocks and deceptive stone-steps running 105 meters high. It stands in a commanding position, with a huge cave running into its interior and is about meters away from the other green tree-covered hills. From a distance, this hill looks like a stone pillar with a big crack which nearly splits it vertically into two equal halves. Between the hill and the town, there runs a railway track.
Ranking Population Jajahan Gua Musang.
es (or musang in Malay
) running into the cave. At once, they seized their bows and arrows and lay in wait for the foxes. They waited the whole evening but the foxes did not emerge, not even when the storm had stopped. From then on, the inhabitants called the cave Gua Musang.
A month after this strange event, seven young hunters climbed the hill but only one came back alive. He told the villagers that when he and his six companions were halfway up the hill, a length of stone staircase appeared before them. They climbed the staircase and upon reaching the summit they found a tree, under which, stood a bowl of pure water. The young men, with the exception of one, drank the water in the bowl to quench their thirst. Before the others could persuade him to drink, the bowl vanished. They grew afraid and quickly began to descend. Suddenly a blood-chilling cry was heard. The hunter turned quickly but it was too late! His six friends had disappeared from sight. He rushed down the slope but there was no sign of any dead bodies at the bottom of the hill.
He concluded that the "God of the Cave" had taken his friends and had spared him because he had not drunk the water in the bowl. Most of the villagers did not believe the young man's story. They were sure that the other six must have slipped and fallen, but the bodies of the missing hunters were never found.
in Taman Negara is among the oldest in the world. It is well known for its biodiversity and is home to many endangered species of animals and plants.
Gua Musang is surrounded by limestone hills and caves, which have become popular with cavers and rock climbers.
The small village of Merapoh
in Pahang which is just south of Gua Musang serves as a popular starting point for those who want to scale Gunung Tahan.
Another interesting place to visit in Gua Musang is a Buddhist temple in Pulai, which is purportedly 400 years old.
Nenggiri River is a favourite among those who enjoy river rafting
. There is also a rafting race, called Nenggiri Challenge. Archaeological sites can be found in caves, such as Gua Cha, Chawan and Jaya, which are situated along the river.
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
, Malaysia. It is the largest district in Kelantan. Gua Musang is administered by the Gua Musang District Council. Gua Musang district is bordered by the state of Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
to the south, Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
to the east, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
to the west and the Kelantanese districts of Kuala Krai
Kuala Krai
Kuala Krai is a territory and town in the interior of the State of Kelantan in the north-east of Malaysia.-Kuala Krai territory:...
and Jeli
Jeli
Jeli is a town and territory in Kelantan, Malaysia. As of 2000, the district's population is estimated to be 42,882. Jeli is administered by the Jeli District Council. Jeli is bordered by the state of Perak to the west, Thailand to the north, Tanah Merah district to the north east and Kuala Krai...
to the north. It is a small railway town
Railway town
A railway town is a settlement that originated or was greatly developed because of a railway station or junction at its site.In Victorian Britain, the spread of railways greatly affected the fate of many small towns...
about 160 kilometers south of Kuala Krai
Kuala Krai
Kuala Krai is a territory and town in the interior of the State of Kelantan in the north-east of Malaysia.-Kuala Krai territory:...
. Gua Musang is represented by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh bin Tengku Mohd Hamzah is a major Malaysian political figure from the state of Kelantan, and a former Finance Minister. He is an uncle of the current Raja Perempuan of Kelantan. Tengku is a Malay hereditary title usually translated as prince...
in the Dewan Rakyat
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
. The town lies on the railway line from Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
to Gemas
Gemas
Gemas is a small town in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, just near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. The town is located approximately 165 km from the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. It is the meeting place of Malaysian west and east coast rail lines operated by Malayan Railways. For this...
.
Geography
Gua Musang literally means "CaveCave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
of the Civet
Civet
The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
". On the eastern side of this town stands Bukit Gua Musang, a barren hill of rocks and deceptive stone-steps running 105 meters high. It stands in a commanding position, with a huge cave running into its interior and is about meters away from the other green tree-covered hills. From a distance, this hill looks like a stone pillar with a big crack which nearly splits it vertically into two equal halves. Between the hill and the town, there runs a railway track.
Demographics
Gua Musang as of 2009, has a population of 100,400 peopleRanking Population Jajahan Gua Musang.
| Rank | Daerah/Mukim | Population 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galas(Town) | 31,814 |
| 2 | Chiku(kel) | 26,251 |
| 3 | Bertam | 16,923 |
Folklore
It was believed that long ago this town was inhabited by some superstitious hunters who made offerings of animals in front of the cave of Bukit Gua Musang. One afternoon a raging storm broke out and the huts of the hunters were destroyed. At the height of the storm a bolt of lightning struck the summit of the hill and nearly split it in two. The hunters, believing that the God of the Cave was angry with them, knelt down and began to pray. As they were praying they saw a huge pack of foxFox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es (or musang in Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
) running into the cave. At once, they seized their bows and arrows and lay in wait for the foxes. They waited the whole evening but the foxes did not emerge, not even when the storm had stopped. From then on, the inhabitants called the cave Gua Musang.
A month after this strange event, seven young hunters climbed the hill but only one came back alive. He told the villagers that when he and his six companions were halfway up the hill, a length of stone staircase appeared before them. They climbed the staircase and upon reaching the summit they found a tree, under which, stood a bowl of pure water. The young men, with the exception of one, drank the water in the bowl to quench their thirst. Before the others could persuade him to drink, the bowl vanished. They grew afraid and quickly began to descend. Suddenly a blood-chilling cry was heard. The hunter turned quickly but it was too late! His six friends had disappeared from sight. He rushed down the slope but there was no sign of any dead bodies at the bottom of the hill.
He concluded that the "God of the Cave" had taken his friends and had spared him because he had not drunk the water in the bowl. Most of the villagers did not believe the young man's story. They were sure that the other six must have slipped and fallen, but the bodies of the missing hunters were never found.
Places of interest
Gua Musang is the northern gateway to Taman Negara (National Park), which is situated in the southeastern part of Gua Musang district. The untouched tropical rainforestTropical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...
in Taman Negara is among the oldest in the world. It is well known for its biodiversity and is home to many endangered species of animals and plants.
Gua Musang is surrounded by limestone hills and caves, which have become popular with cavers and rock climbers.
The small village of Merapoh
Merapoh
Merapoh is a small town situated in the Lipis district of Pahang, Malaysia. Located near Pahang-Kelantan border.Jalan Bukit Tujuh is an infamous short strip of road along the route from Merapoh in the state of Pahang to Gua Musang in the state of Kelantan. The strip which is in the state of...
in Pahang which is just south of Gua Musang serves as a popular starting point for those who want to scale Gunung Tahan.
Another interesting place to visit in Gua Musang is a Buddhist temple in Pulai, which is purportedly 400 years old.
Nenggiri River is a favourite among those who enjoy river rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
. There is also a rafting race, called Nenggiri Challenge. Archaeological sites can be found in caves, such as Gua Cha, Chawan and Jaya, which are situated along the river.