The opening of the Johore dewan, 1875
This brief note by Engku ‘Abdu’l-Aziz, D.K., documents the ceremonial opening of the newly completed Dewan at Johore Bahru on 20 September 1875, attended by Governor Jervois, Lady Jervois, and their children (p. 168).
Summary
The text records the ritual protocol observed at the opening. Seven bearers (Penjawat) carried specific ceremonial items: an egg, a pebaran (incense burner), tepong tawar (rice flour water), beras basoh (washed rice), berteh (puffed rice), beras kunyit (saffron rice), and a Chogan Negri (a regalia emblem of the country). The ceremony began with the breaking of the egg at the main entrance, followed by the sprinkling of tepong tawar and scattering of the rice items. All then entered the Dewan, prayers were read, and the proceedings concluded with seventeen guns fired from the flag-staff hill (p. 168).