49 Moonstone Lane
| 49 Moonstone Lane | |
|---|---|
 The mausoleum and shrine, or keramat of Sharifah Zainah embedded to the northern wall of the warehouse. | |
Interactive map of 49 Moonstone Lane | |
| Singapore 1°19′39″N 103°51′56″E / 1.3275629°N 103.8655246°E | |
| Type | Godown |
| Location | Balestier, Singapore |
| History | |
| Built | 1950 |
| Built for | Bachoo Singh |
| Site notes | |
Architectural style | Modern architecture |
| Governing body | Urban Redevelopment Authority |
49 Moonstone Lane is a five-unit warehouse located near Balestier, Singapore. The warehouse was built in 1950 by Bachoo Singh, an Indian businessman. It is an unofficial heritage site along the Kallang River and contains an Islamic tomb that dates back to pre-WWII times.[1]
History
49 Moonstone Lane was originally a plot of land situated next to the congregational mosque of Kampong Marican, a primarily Arab Muslim settlement in colonial Singapore.[2][3] After the Second World War, an Indian trader and local entrepreneur named Bachoo Singh purchased the plot of land, utilizing it to build a five-unit warehouse in 1950.[4][5] It was formerly used as a cattle shed, but later converted into a godown for the storage of rice and grains.[4][6] The warehouse also received its current name in late April 1952.[7] After the death of Bachoo Singh sometime in the late 20th century, ownership of 49 Moonstone Lane was relegated to the now independent government of Singapore, although merchants were occasionally allowed to lease the property.[8]
An anonymous Muslim grave that had existed on the site prior to 1940 was incorporated into the building as part of Singh's warehouse.[8][5] Singh, a devout Hindu, reportedly took care of the tomb and made arrangements to enshrine and embed the grave into his warehouse, out of respect for the deceased.[9] Revered as a keramat by locals, the tomb was slated for exhumation in March 2019 by the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), with the guarantee that it would be reinterred in the Pusara Abadi Muslim Cemetery.[10][11] However, exhumation of the grave was delayed on 26 March 2019 for further observations to be made at the site.[12][13][14] Local heritage researchers, including Dr Imran Tajuddeen, managed to uncover the identity of the tomb's occupant, a Muslim woman named Sharifah Zainah who was related to prominent mystic and Islamic sage, Habib Noh.[15] The tomb was also one of two shrines dedicated to female relatives of the sage, the other being the shrine of Sharifah Rogayah at Duxton Plain Park.[16]
In 2026, the warehouse became an unofficial heritage site of the Kallang River area, featured in tours and walking trails in said place.[17][18]
Transportation
The nearest form of transport to 49 Moonstone Lane is the bus stop for Moonstone Lane itself, although the warehouse and shrine are located only 800 metres from Potong Pasir MRT station on the North–East MRT line.[19]
See also
References
- ↑ "A Muslim tomb, preserved by a Hindu trader in Singapore". Muslim Network TV. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Yang, Gary (8 January 2026). "Uncovering the mystery of a lone Muslim tomb, hidden in a Kallang warehouse". MustShareNews. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Abdulhamid, U.R. (26 March 2019). "Makam Moonstone Lane ini penting sebagai antara rekod perkampungan perintis Melayu S'pura" [The Moonstone Lane tomb is important as one of the records of Singapore's Malay pioneer villages]. Berita MediaCorp (in Malay). Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- 1 2 Stories from the Kallang River: Connecting People, Places and Memories (Digitalised ed.). Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority. 2025. pp. 44–45. ISBN 9789819416677.
- 1 2 Lee, Pearl; Lee, Clifford; Kor, Justin; Pang, X.Q.; Silvam, Prabhu (2019). Our Home By The Kallang River: Past, Present and Future (Paperback ed.). Singapore: Kolam Ayer Citzens' Consultative Committee. pp. 28–31. ISBN 9789811207006.
- ↑ Cowan, Floyd (25 January 2026). "Oh! Moonstone Art Walk in an Old Singapore Neighbourhood". Asian Journeys. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ "Royal names for roads". The Straits Times. 1 May 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- 1 2 Gibson, William (2022). "A complete catalog of keramat in Singapore". Lee Kong Chian Research Fellowship Submission (Digitised ed.): 397–402 – via National Library Board.
- ↑ "Hindu man who sheltered a Muslim tomb". The Star. Malaysia. 14 April 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2026 – via Press Reader.
- ↑ "Notis Penggalian Tanah Perkuburan Islam di 49 Moonstone Lane" [Exhumation Notice for Islamic Burial Ground at 49 Moonstone Lane]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 9 March 2019. p. 19. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ "Exhumation Notice for 49 Moonstone Lane". The Straits Times. 9 March 2019. p. 10. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Gibson, William (4 August 2024). "Contested shrines: Keramat in Singapore's Tomorrowland". Academia SG. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Zaccheus, Melody (25 March 2019). "Exhumation plans on hold for 1930s grave at Moonstone Lane after heritage community digs up its history". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Zaccheus, Melody (11 April 2019). "The Hindu man who sheltered a Muslim tomb". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Abdulhamid, U.R. (26 March 2019). "Penggalian semula kubur dipercayai cicit Habib Noh ditangguhkan MUIS dan SLA" [Excavation of grave believed to be Habib Noh's great-grandson postponed by MUIS and SLA]. Berita MediaCorp (in Malay). Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Tan, Bonny (19 August 2016). "Habib Noh". National Library Board. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ "ART SG and Singapore Art Week: What to expect at the fair and what not to miss during an art-filled week in the city". UBS. 14 January 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Lee, Alexis (8 January 2026). "From coding workshops to an international printmaking symposium, here's what Singapore Art Week has to offer apart from museums". Confirm Good. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ "Moonstone Lane (Secondary Road)". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 29 July 2026.