THE next time you visit the small town of Kuala Kedah on your way to Langkawi, don't rush into the ferry terminal the moment you park your car or you'd miss something interesting there.

Few visitors realise that there's a small tomb in the middle of the car park there though, with its blue roof and black railings, it can be easily spotted.

The tomb is said to be the final resting place of Tok Pasai.

For those who don't know it, Tok Pasai was best remembered for his gentle approach to spreading Islam in the State.

Called a religious warrior, Tok Pasai came from the town that bears his name in Indonesia. He was said to have arrived in Kuala Kedah 164 years ago, in 1844.

The local inhabitants then were intrigued by his vast religious knowledge. Well built and with polite manners, Tok Pasai soon won the people's respect and admiration.

Stories have it that he fled Sumatra when the Dutch colonial powers wanted to suppress his activities there. As he was reluctant to reveal his actual name due to the circumstances then, the people of Kuala Kedah called him Tok Pasai in reference to his birthplace.

Upon his demise, the grieving villagers decided to erect a tomb in memory of him.

They also renamed a nearby village and canal after him. The tiny village of Kampung Tok Pasai and Alor Tok Pasai survive till today in Kuala Kedah.

Recently the State government erected a bridge over the Kedah River and called it Jambatan Tok Pasai.

Tourists planning to visit the ruins of Kuala Kedah fort will have to pass over this bridge. In fact, nearby villagers often make their way to the highest point of the bridge in the evenings to take in the mesmerising view of the sunset against the rippling Kedah River and the vast expanse of sea.