Balad
attracted me the very first time I saw it.
It was evening, with the sun slowly slipping
into the Red Sea.
As night begins to spread darkness, Balad --
with its narrow stone topped lanes, treaded by travellers and traders for centuries --
comes to life, showcasing a vibrant market place teaming with traders and street hawkers;
shouting to get the attention of bystanders.
This reminded me of the crowded market streets
back in India; giving me a feeling of being at home.
To the tourist it is confusing if you are not
sure of where you are going, as you are jostled and pushed along by the teaming crowd.
I decided to come back the next day for a more
leisurely exploration.
The morning was quiet and cool as I started
criss-crossing the lanes; stopping by to have a closer look at the centuries old,
multi-storied buildings.
Almost all the buildings house shops in the
ground floor and residential quarters in the upper floors. The architecture of the
buildings are unique for this region, in that they are built mainly from rectangular mud
bricks or cut stones.
The lower portions of the walls are made of
stone bricks while the mud bricks are predominantly used in the upper walls; with latticed
wooden poles placed horizontally, running the entire length of the walls (at 4 to 5 feet
heights).
The architecture fired up my engineering
brain, to think of the advantages offered by this method of construction.
Wood is flexible in compression and
distributes the load evenly to the lower bricks, also effectively stopping any cracks in
the wall developing beyond them -- which makes repair work easier, in addition to
increasing the life of the building.
The engineering mind of the medieval Arabs
could be easily gauged by looking at these beautifully constructed multi-storied
buildings, which have withstood the ravages of time and harsh environment of Arabia.
Historical Jeddah
Jeddah started as a fishing village, when the
Quadaa fishermen settled here some 2,500 years ago -- its natural harbour and reef
offering a good base for their fishing boats.
The city grew as an important trading outpost,
on the trading routes between Yemen
and Europe, and was fortified with limestone coral
walls as early as 1,000 AD; according to noted traveller, Nasir-I-Kusuro.
The earlier fortification had two gates one
facing east towards Mecca and the other towards the sea. The fortification was
strengthened in 16th Century, to protect the city from the Portuguese attack, with six
watchtowers and gates -- Bab Makkah facing East; Bab Sharif facing South; Bab Al Bunt, Bab
Sharaf and Bab Al Madinah facing North; and Bab Al Magharibah facing West.
Jeddah's turbulent history saw it
alternatively coming under the rule of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, Egypt’s Mamalukes
and the Saudi’s of Central Arabia -- until the Saudi King, Abdul Aziz took over the
Western province of Hejaz, including the city of Jeddah.
The King Abdul
Aziz Historical Square, which is at the heart of the Balad, is where the
people of Jeddah welcomed King Abdul Aziz and his army on the 23rd of September, 1924.
This day of annexing the Hejaz province is celebrated as a National Day in Saudi Arabia.
Balad is one big
market place that contains many specialised markets:
Souq Al-Nada
Showcases glittering and eye catching Arabian, African and Asian gold and silver
ornaments.
Souq Al-Jamia
The textile market, named after the Bedouin tribes who used to sell textiles, spices and
grains here.
Souq Al-Alawi
That cuts through Balad, from east to west.
Gabel Street Souq
Selling an assorted variety of wares that includes spices, electronics, perfumes, dates,
honey and household articles.
As you walk through the Souq Al Alawi, Biet
Nassif -- an impressive restored building, with a 700 year old flag mast and a 15th
Century cannon on its front yard -- dominates the King Abdul Aziz Historical Square.
The Jeddah Historical Area Preservation Department (JHAPD) has
restored a number of old and crumbling building as the Government tries to protect old
buildings from demolition, in order to preserve the historical area.
The excavation of a 15th century underground
water canal, bringing water from nearby mountains about 15km away, underlines the
historical and archaeological wealth waiting to be uncovered in Balad.
|
The Al Alawi Moroccan Restaurant is aesthetically
located in a restored building with beautifully laid colourful stones on the front yard,
creating a mystical medieval environment for diners wishing to taste traditional Moroccan
and African cuisine. |
It came as a mild cultural
shock as I exited the market place of Balad, to be confronted by glittering high-rise
buildings, shopping malls and the ear-piercing horns of cars -- abruptly awakened from a
short travel back in time, to my own Arabian Night dreamland.
Saudi Arabia -- the
Magazine:
Published four times a year, presenting in-depth, coverage of social, cultural and
historical issues relating to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
© M. Ahmed Nagoor. |
