Mandi Tengair (A Day at the Dam)

A dam was built across the only river in Senaling, located at Batu 46. This is for irrigation purposes for the planting of rice. A water catchment area is created, to ensure that the padi fields have ample water when it is needed and water is held back during padi ripening period. It is a long walk from home and we have to pass through the padi fields owned by Haji Maarof, who is not very pleased for us to pass through, especially during replanting and growing of the padi in his fields.

The whole gang will creep slowly through Haji Maarof's house, into his padi fields to the dam. Bathing naked we enjoyed ourselves, sometimes forgetting to come home for lunch. Being small boys and not knowing how to swim, we only swim at the falls of the dam. The water area before the dam which is very deep is for the 'big boys' only. We play where the water falls created by the dam as it is only 2 feet deep. Before or after school, we frequent the dam for a nice cool swim and having a marvellous time. When it rains, the water was all muddy and murky. For a swim and fun with the gang, who cares if it is muddy or murky.

When we walked home after the swim, the thin layer of mud would stick and dried on our bodies and we looked whitish with the mud. When asked arriving home, there was no way denying we went for a swim at that 'dangerous place'. The dried thin film of mud on our bodies give us away. The dame was considered a dangerous place as on a few occasion, people died, stuck in the mud in the water area before the dam. When we knew of that, we never went back! We had our sanctuary. The dam still stands until today.

I have no idea where the word 'tengair' came from nor do I know on what base word does it come from.