PICTURES WITH A STORY .....

Often we glimpse at a picture or pictures and never attempting to see or read the stories behind them. Often concluding that it or them has or have no stories to tell. Very true for only the photographer can tell us the stories within that picture. Especially when we have right in our hands pictures dating back many years ago.

Let's go back a few decades back when pictures are in white and black and discover the stories. Well I am able to tell the background to that picture because I was the photographer. How we dismissed the facts and the stories within because failing to look deeper and unwary of the wealth within. 

                                                                     PICTURE A                                                              

It's a quiet and peaceful. No traffic except for two persons about to cross the road. Even then they looked cautious.  It's early morning, a beautiful day with a slight breeze in the air. Obviously it is not of the current time frame but one snapped in 1957 when Malaya was heralding its Independence     (Merdeka) The signage on the arch framing the road tells all. There is a picture of Tunku Abdul Rahman the first Prime Minister for all to see when they passed by. 
 

The road is still in service in 2015 but transformed through the years to be a busy double thorough fare. Imagine only a bicycle or two on the road minus the cars , motor cycles lorries etc. The air is cleaner and the trees grow to their full heights and right to the road boarders. Years earlier a horse drawn cart would also be on the road. Alas all that has gone. 2015 sees a total change of the area fronting the road side at ALOR MERAH four kilometres from Alor Setar city centre. 

All the greens are gone. Bare and brick buildings have taken their places. You risk your life if you do cross the road without watching for the heavy traffic to and fro.

picture B

This is a picture of Alor Setar in 1955 with imported British cars parked in front of Bangunan Wan Mat Saman ( now the Kedah Religious Department). A 'Humber' or a Hillman Minx could be the model of the car. Angsana trees lined the road stretching from Bangunan Balai Besar to the corner of Jalan Raja and Jalan Tunku Ibrahim. The white building stretching across the picture was the PWD office and later became an art gallery. The open field in front of the PWD office is known as 'Padang Court' the public open field for the Alor Setar community where all state functions were held here. Its proximity to the Zahir Mosque and Sultan's office and in the centre of the town makes it the "Town Padang" typifying itself as many other established town padang in all the state capitals of Malaya and Singapore.

A look back at history, glimpses at old pictures will open our eyes to yester-years and that too if the old pictures are still safe in our keeping.