By Anne Das
For those who missed out on the first print, there is good news. S. Sundralingam’s Ipoh Heritage Walk: A Journey to the Bygone Era is now available in its second print.
The book gives readers another chance to own a small piece of Ipoh’s heritage, told through the eyes of one of Perak’s familiar heritage guides.
For more than three decades, Sundralingam stood in classrooms shaping young minds. After retiring from teaching, he simply continued doing what he had always enjoyed most. Sharing stories.
Today, many in the Perak community know him as the friendly face behind the region’s heritage walks. A former English and History teacher, Sundralingam began conducting heritage walks in 2010 while serving as secretary of the Perak Heritage Society.
A certified heritage guide and history enthusiast, Sundralingam is best known for his Ipoh Heritage Walks, but his work has also taken him to other historic places in Perak, including Papan and Batu Gajah.
Those who have joined his walks will know that he has a natural gift for storytelling.
A building that many people pass without a second glance can suddenly become a doorway into the past. Through his stories, Ipoh’s railway station, old government buildings, schools, clock towers and public spaces begin to reveal the people, industries and events that shaped the city.
The book is not written as a heavy academic history book. Instead, it reads like a companion to a heritage walk, offering short notes, historical glimpses and accessible details on some of Ipoh’s familiar landmarks.
It is a small but meaningful community keepsake, especially at a time when many of Ipoh’s old buildings and stories risk being forgotten.
For residents, it offers a chance to reconnect with familiar places. For visitors, it is a simple doorway into the city’s past. For younger readers, it is a reminder that Ipoh’s history is not found only in textbooks. It is all around us.
The book also reflects a wider truth about heritage. Heritage is public memory. It is about preserving buildings and safeguarding the stories that give a place its character.
In an age where old towns are changing quickly, Sundralingam’s walks and book encourage the community to pause, look around and value the places that make Ipoh distinctive.
In many ways, Ipoh Heritage Walk: A Journey to the Bygone Era follows the same spirit as his walks. Sometimes, all it takes is a short walk and a good story to see a familiar place with new eyes.
For enquiries on his walks or to obtain a book, readers may contact Mr. Sundralingam at 012-505 7654.
