THE LEGEND OF SANG NILA UTAMA

The legend of Sang Nila Utama is the foundation of Singapore’s identity, while the "spooky" side of the hill is what kept locals away for centuries. Here is the deeper dive into the myth and the mystery:

1. The Legend of Sang Nila Utama (The Lion City)

According to the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals), Sang Nila Utama was a prince from Palembang who saw the island of Temasek from across the sea and decided to visit.

• The Sacrifice: During his voyage, a massive storm threatened to sink his ship. His advisors told him the sea was angry and demanded a gift. He threw his heavy royal crown into the waves, and the storm instantly stopped, allowing him to land safely at Telok Blangah.
• The Sighting: While hunting on the hill, he saw a "strange beast" with a red body, black head, and white breast. His advisor told him it was a Singa (Lion). Taking this as a lucky omen, he named the island Singapura (Lion City) and established his palace on the hill.
• Historical Twist: Biologically, there were no lions in Singapore—it was likely a Malayan Tiger. However, the name "Singapura" stuck for 700 years!

2. Spooky Stories: Why was it "Forbidden"?

For centuries, the Malays of the region called it Bukit Larangan (Forbidden Hill). They believed the hill was the private residence of the ancestral kings, even after they had died.

• The Royal Ghosts: When Major William Farquhar arrived in 1819, the locals warned him that "drums and trumpets" could be heard at night from the summit, even though nobody lived there. They believed these were the sounds of the ancient royal court still holding ceremonies in the spirit world.
• The Keramat Iskandar Shah: This shrine (often thought to be a tomb) is a major "hotspot" for supernatural stories. People have reported feeling "heavy" or being watched while near it. In the 1980s, schoolboys from nearby schools like St. Joseph’s Institution (SJI) would share dares about staying near the shrine after dark.
• The "Lady in White": Common to many Singaporean hauntings, a female figure in white is sometimes sighted near the Gothic Gates (the entrance to the old Christian cemetery). Because the park sits on top of an old graveyard, many believe the spirits of the early colonial settlers still wander the green.
• The Battlebox Shadows: Deep inside the WWII underground bunkers, visitors and staff have reported hearing phantom footsteps and the smell of old tobacco or gunpowder—remnants of the frantic final days before the British surrendered to the Japanese in 1942.

3. The 1980s "Spooky" Factor

In the 1980s, Fort Canning was much darker and more overgrown than the brightly lit park it is today.

• The Squash Courts: Athletes playing late-night squash in the old barracks often joked about "extra players" or hearing doors slam in empty hallways.
• The National Theatre Ruins: After the theatre was demolished in 1986, the empty slope became a place of urban legend, with some saying the "five stars" of the facade left behind a lingering energy.

A Modern Observation

Today, the Pancur Larangan (Forbidden Spring) has been recreated as a beautiful stone bath. Even though it's a tourist spot now, some visitors still feel a sense of "quiet" there, as if the ancient taboo of entering the royal bathing place hasn't quite faded.

31/12/2025: 2.12 a.m