Town folks, largely senior citizens, sat quietly sipping their late morning coffee wondering what was going on.
The occasion was a special one, especially for the 200-odd visitors who descended upon Papan, located 20km from here.
The occasion was a special one, especially for the 200-odd visitors who descended upon Papan, located 20km from here.
They were there for a commemorative event to mark the demise of Raja Bilah -- Papan's legendary Penghulu and the leader of the Mandailing community 100 years ago. He died on June 9, 1911.
A special tahlil prayer was held at the palatial mansion known as Bagas Godang (which literally means a large house in the Mandailing language) built by Raja Bilah in 1896.
The Bagas Godang, popularly known as Rumah Besar Raja Bilah was built by the late Mandailing leader to ensure that the community had a clan centre where they could gather to network.
The Bagas Godang, popularly known as Rumah Besar Raja Bilah was built by the late Mandailing leader to ensure that the community had a clan centre where they could gather to network.
Those who were present yesterday spanned four generations -- from the third up to the sixth.
The Mandailing originated from the north of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
"We have not had a family gathering for quite sometime now.
"The last time some of us gathered in Papan was about 10 years ago when my cousin Raja Ridzuan Raja Kamaruddin (the great grandson of Raja Bilah) died.
"A decade had passed without any family gathering in Papan.
"And because there were no specific events to celebrate, no one attempted to call for a family gathering," said Hafizah Kamaruddin, 52, an assistant news editor with the national news agency, Bernama.
That was until about six months ago when Hafizah, who is Raja Bilah's maternal great granddaughter, and her cousin Nadimah Mohd Jamil, the great grandniece of Raja Bilah, met Perak Heritage Society vice-president Law Siak Hong.
They discussed how Raja Bilah's heritage, including the Rumah Asal, Rumah Besar and the history of Papan could be promoted for the benefit of the public and especially to the present younger descendants of Raja Bilah.
Law, who manages the Sybil Kathigasu Memorial Clinic, located about 200m from the Rumah Besar Raja Bilah, proposed to the cousins to hold a commemorative prayer for Raja Bilah since 2011 would be the 100th anniversary of his death.
"We worked on that idea and with the help of others in the family, including Abdur-Razzaq Lubis (the author of Raja Bilah and the Mandailings in Perak: 1875-1911), we have been able to gather as many descendants as possible to Papan to commemorate the centennial anniversary of Raja Bilah's death.
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