Melaka puts you in a time warp, at once intensely fascinating you with its rich heritage and history and then transporting you back to the wonders of present-day civilization

As you drift on the Melaka river, the thought suddenly floats into your mind that Melaka is actually two different cities. By night and by day. Not in a very schizophrenic state of being, where a place is still struggling to adopt an identity of its own, but in a peaceful transformation of being an intensely fascinating city echoing stories from the past in the daylight, to a peaceful, modern city which has retained its calm demeanour even amidst high-rises and the madness that comes with being a touristy city. And the shedding of one identity and donning another comes naturally, as the sun goes down and the yellow and red lights go up, illuminating all places of historical importance and otherwise. After disembarking, we stroll along the riverside and reach a point where a six-piece band is set up against the banks, entertaining passers-by with their singing and music.

We sit down for a bit. The vocalist comes up to us and asks me where I am from. When I say India, his eyes light up and he instantly begins a nasal Anglicised rendition of Mere Mann Ki Ganga. He encourages me to sing the flirtatious, childish female vocal bits, and even though I croak into the microphone, he appears truly pleased. And such is the warmth of Melaka, one of the treasures of Malaysia, which many Indians bypass to see the clichéd delights in Kuala Lumpur, Genting and Langkawi. It’s not like Melaka’s been kept as a secret from the rest of the world. It’s just that you need a certain mentality to be able to appreciate the beauty of this place fully. So if you prefer loading your bags with cheap Malaysian shopping, you’d rather head to KL, and if there are impatient kiddies in tow, you’d rather hit off at Genting.