  Kampung Kolam, George Town
Kampung Kolam is a road within the core zone of the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site. It links Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling with Lebuh Carnarvon.
House in Kampung Kolam (17 November 2010)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Kampung Kolam got its name from the village that was located there. The village got its name from the tank, or kolam, in front of home of Cauder Mydin Merican, also known as Kapitan Keling, the founder of the Kapitan Keling Mosque. The villagers were mostly Indian Muslims who can trace their origin from South Indian districts such as Tanjore.
When Dr Sun Yat Sen chose 120 Armenian Street as his Penang base, he did so partly because Kampung Kolam offered him a safe getaway from authorities, should the need arise. Like the adjacent Kampung Kaka, Kampung Kolam existed as a village right up to the turn of the 20th century, when it eventually gave way to the brick shophouses that stand today.
Update: 3 December, 2010
Recent sprucing up of the Kampung Kolam area has revealed Kapitan Keling's Tomb.
Getting there
You can reach Kampung Kolam by taking the Rapid Penang Free Shuttle Bus to Station No. 15 (Kampung Kolam).
Kampung Kolam Location Map
Kampung Kolam plaque (12 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Old Kampung Kolam sign (12 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
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