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The Legendary Founding of Malacca and
Melaka Tree by: Ismail Saidin
According to legend, during a hunt, the chase ended when the
royal hound was attacked by its intended prey – an albino mouse deer.
The dog fell into the river and Parameswara watched the event while
leaning under the shade of a tree. Inspired by the fighting spirit of the
mouse deer, he asked his attendance the name of the tree he was leaning.
His warlord replied the tree was Malaka tree. Parameswara decided to
open a new kingdom and called it Melaka.
The interesting part of this episode was the ability of the warlord
to identify the tree spontaneously when asked by the king. The warlord,
probably of Indian (Hindu) origin was familiar with the plant by the name
of Amalaka as the tree was the element of the ancient Hindu art of
medicine, the Ayurveda. In addition, the Malays called the