Seri Menanti

For the state constituency represented in the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly, seeSeri Menanti (state constituency).

Seri Menanti Soghi Monanti
Royal capital
Bandar Diraja Seri Menanti بندر دراج سري مننتي‎
Other transcription(s)
•Jawi	سري مننتي‎
The iconicIstana Lama,with theTitiwangsa Mountainsrising in the background
Location of Seri Menanti in Negeri Sembilan
Seri Menanti Location of Seri Menanti in Peninsular Malaysia
Coordinates:2°41′51″N102°09′30″E
Country	Malaysia
State	Negeri Sembilan
District	Kuala Pilah
Luak	Adat Circle (main) Gunung Pasir, Jempol, Terachi, Ineh, Ulu Muar (administratively)
Founded	circa15th century
As royal capital	1773
Population
• Total	1,610
Time zone	UTC+8(MST)
Postcode	71550

The current residence of theYang Di-Pertuan Besarof Negeri Sembilan, theIstana Besar

Seri Menanti in Kuala Pilah District

Seri Menanti(Jawi:سري مننتي‎;Negeri Sembilan Malay:Soghi Monanti) is a town, amukim,and a state assembly constituency inKuala Pilah District,centralNegeri Sembilan,Malaysia,located 33 km (20.5 m) east of the state capital city ofSerembanand 14 km (8.7 m) southwest ofKuala Pilah.It is the royal capital of the state of Negeri Sembilan and houses the seat of the ruler of the state of Negeri Sembilan, referred to as theYang Di-Pertuan Besarof Negeri Sembilan orYamtuan Besar.The royal palace is known asIstana Besar(Grand Palace).

The area in which Seri Menanti is located is known as the Adat Circle (Malay:Adat Lingkungan). Seri Menanti also governs the surrounding chiefdoms (known locally asluak) of Terachi, Gunung Pasir, Ulu Muar, Jempol, and Ineh, collectively known asLuak Tanah Mengandung.

History

TheMinangkabau peoplemigrated to the wider area ofNegeri Sembilanduring the 14th century as part of the Minang practice ofmerantau.Around the15th century,the Minangkabau moved further inland fromRembauto the area that is modern-daySeri Menanti.Among the explorers were Datuk Puteh ofPagar Ruyung.According to legend, the explorers found three stalks of fresh greenpaddyand thus Datuk Puteh christened the areaPadi Menanti(literally "awaiting paddy" ). Over time, the name changed toSeri Menanti.It is believed that the word "seri" corresponds to the Goddess of rice in the ancient Javanese tradition (Javanese:Sri).

Raja Melewararrived in Negeri Sembilan in 1773 and was proclaimed the firstYamtuan Besarin Kampung Penajis inRembau.He later moved his palace to Seri Menanti, which remains to this day the royal capital of Negeri Sembilan.

Notable and historical landmarks

Istana Lama, now the Royal Museum.

The compounds of theSeri Menanti Royal Mausoleum,with the Royal Mosque in the background.

ThePanca Persada,a place for performing ceremonial bath located nearby Istana Besar.

Completed in 1932, the officialpalaceof the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan is theIstana Besar.The palace complex consists of the Main Palace, the Throne Room (Balairong Seri), and the Royal Banquet Hall.

The old wooden palace, known asIstana Lama,was built and officiated during the reign ofYang Di-Pertuan BesarTuanku Muhammad Shahibni AlmarhumTuanku Antah(who reigned between 1888–1933). It was made in part of Chengal (Penak) woodNeobalanocarpusand ironwood orbelianwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri) and held together using only wooden pegs. The palace took six years to build and was completed in 1908 at a cost of $45,000.00 at that time. The design has subtle hints of Minangkabau architecture; five levels rise to a height of 67 feet, or approximately twenty meters. The palace has 99 columns to support the main structure. The Istana Lama was a replacement for the Istana Pulih, which was burned down by British soldiers. The drawings and plans for Istana Lama were detailed by a Mr. Woodford of the Public Works Department, and based on the designs provided by two local craftsmen, Kahar and Taib.This palace was used until 1932, after which the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar moved to the Istana Besar. The Istana Lama has been designated as a national heritage site and was converted into a Royal Museum in 1992.

Other landmarks include theSeri Menanti Royal Mausoleum.

Surrounding area

Among thevillagesin the area are Kampung Tanah Datar, Kampung Tengah, Kampung Gamin, Kampung Istana Lama, Kampung Sikai, Kampung Buyau, Kampung Batu Hampar, Kampung Mertang Seberang, Kampung Merual, Kampung Galau, Kampung Masjid Terbakar, Kampung Padang Biawas, Kampung Jumbang, Kampong Gunung Pasir, and others. A few traditionally styled houses, derivative of the Minangkabau designRumah Gadang,remain standing around Seri Menanti and in the adjacent villages. A significant portion of the land in Seri Menanti is Malay Reserve and Malay Customary Land (Malay:Tanah Adat).

The Tunku Besar of Seri Menanti

The incumbentTunku Besarof Seri Menanti isTunku Ali Redhauddin,the eldest son of the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri SembilanTuanku Muhrizibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir. The title of Tunku Besar Seri Menanti is the most senior of the Putera Yang Empat (Four Princes). This is the third time in 120 years that theTunku Besar Seri Menantihas been appointed.

Heritage

In February 2009, theUnity, Culture, Arts and Heritage MinisterDatuk Seri Shafie Apdalannounced that theIstana Lama Seri Menantiis among ten historical structures in Malaysia gazette as a national heritage, along withVictoria InstitutioninKuala LumpurandThe StadthuysinMalacca.

See also

• Yamtuan Besar
• Adat perpatih
• Adat
• Royal capitals of Malaysian states