LEGENDA BANYU WANGI

Pada suatu hari Nyai Pandanwungu datang ke Kerajaan Karang Sewu. Ia menemui Raja Sindureja dan sang Permaisuri yang bernama Kencanawati. Ia meminta Sang Raja agar mengutus seseorang untuk memetik Bunga Kendaga Buana di puncak Gunung Ijen. Nyai Pandanwungu mengatakan bahwa bunga tersebut sangat berkhasiat untuk meremajakan kecantikan abadi pada wajah yang meminum air tersebut khususnya ditujukan kepada Permaisuri. Selain itu ia juga mengusulkan anak tirinya yaitu Patih Sidapaksa untuk melaksanakan tugas tersebut. Hal itu ditujukan untuk menguji kesetiaan sang patih. Mendengar cerita Nyai Pandanwungu akhirnya Prabu Sindureja menyetujui hal tersebut. Dalam hati Nyai Pandanwungu sangat gembira ia dapat segera melaksanakan rencana jahatnya.

Setelah itu, Patih Sidapaksa dipanggil untuk menghadap. Padahal ia baru selesai melaksanakan tugas penting. Dan sekarang dalam masa istirahat. Untuk menunjukan kesetiaannya kepada Sang Prabu, ia segera berangkat. Disana ia diberi tugas tersebut. Betapa sedih hatinya karena ia harus melaksanakan tugas penting disaat istrinya yang bernama Ni Kembang Arun sangat membutuhkannya. Dikarenakan ia sedang hamil. Mendengar perkataan suaminya hati Ni Kembang Arun sangat sedih. Ia harus menerima dua hal berat yaitu ditinggal suaminya dan berhadapan dengan mertuanya yang selalu jahat dan merendahkan dirinya. Tetapi Ni Pandan Arun tidak mengatakan apapun, ia akan menyetujui keputusan apapun yang diambil oleh suaminya.

Maka berangkatlah Patih Sidapaksa menuju puncak Gunung Ijen. Sebelum ia berangkat, iatelah diberitahu oleh ibu tirinya agar ia jangan pernah kembali sebelum mendapatkan Bunga Kendaga Buana. Karena inti dari tugas ini adalah menguji kesetiaanmu kepada kerajaan ini. Kini sang patih telah menempuh perjalanan yang sangat jauh sampai berminggu-minggu, hingga istrinya melahirkan ia belum kembali. Ni Kembang Arun melahirkan bayi laki-laki yang sehat dan tampan seperti ayahnya, yang kelak akan menggantikan posisi ayahnya di kerajaan.

Setelah bayi itu lahir, ibu tiri sang patih berpura-pura baik keada menantunya, seolah-olah ia sangat senang dengan kelahiran cucunya. Pada awalnya Ni Kembang Arun merasa heran dengan perubahan sikap mertuanya. Tetapi karena perilaku Nyai Pandanwungu selalu baik terhadap cucunya Ni Kembang Arun mulai percaya kepada mertuanya.

Ketika Ni Kembang Arun akan mandi, ia menitipkan putranya ke nenek dan bibi emban. Saat yang ditunggu Nyi Pandanwungu telah tiba. Ia segera menyuruh bibi emban untuk pergi, lalu ia membawa cucunya ke tengah hutan belakang rumah. Disana ia menghunuskan pisau ke leher cucunya yang masih suci sambil mengatakan, “keturunan darah Jember itu ! Mampuslah, kau !” Mayat anak Sidapaksa itu dibuang ke kali yang sangat keruh dan berbau busuk. Dan pisau kecil itu dibawa kembali untuk digunakan dalam muslihat yang selanjutnya.

Selesai mandi Ni Kembang Arun mencari anaknya. Ia bertanya kepada bibi emban. Kata bibi emban, “Den Putra tadi bersama neneknya”, lalu mereka mencari bayi tersebut sampai seisi rumah. Namun hasilnya nihil. Ni Kembang Arun pun mulai curiga kepada mertuanya, tetapi tanpa bukti yang jelas ia tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa. Beberapa hari kemudian Nyi Pandanwungu datang ke rumah menantunya. Ia berpura-pura kaget saat menantunya mengatakan bahwa cucunya teah hilang. Kemudian ia memaki menantunya dengan kata-kata yang sangat kasar dan kotor.

Setelah kejadian itu, setiap malam Ni Kembang Arun berdo’a agar kelak ia dapat bertemu kembali dengan anaknya yang sangat ia cintai. Ia menangis tanpa henti. Selain itu, ia tidak mau untuk makan sehingga tubuhnya tinggal sisa kulit dan tulang.

Patih Sidapaksa telah berhasil mendapatkan Bunga Kendaga Buana. Iakini telah sampai di kerajaan. Betapa senangnya hati Sang Prabu dan Permaisuri, karena sang Patih dapat melaksanakan tugas sesuai dengan keinginan mereka. Mendengar kabar tersebut Ni Kembang Arun sangat bahagia. Ia akan bertemu kembali dengan suaminya yang sangat ia cintai. Mengetahui kabar yang sama, Nyai Pandanwungu segera menyusun siasat. Ia menunggu anaknya di perempatan yang akan dilalui anaknya. Patih Sidapaksa melewati tempat tersebut sesuai apa yang diperkirakan Nyi Pandanwungu. Ia segera menghentikan langkah kudanya ketika melihat ibunya berada di tengah jalan. Lalu Nyi Pandanwungu menceritakan semua cerita bohong kepada anaknya. Kalau istrinya telah berselingkuh selama Sidapaksa pergi dan ia juga telah membunuh anakmu. Buktinya lihat saja di bawah bantal pasti ada pisau kecil yang berlumuran darah kering. Seandainya ia menangis itu hanya pura-pura untuk menutupi perbuatan bejadnya saja. Dipacunya kuda dengan kencang, sedang Nyi Pandanwungu bergembira melihat peristiwa itu.

Sesampainya di rumah Sidapaksa sangat marah. Ia lalu menyeret istrinya keluar rumah dan memaki istrinya dengan kata-kata yang kasar. Ia terus memaki tanpa memperdulikan apa yang dikatakan istrinya. Ia membawa istrinya ke tepi kali dimana istrinya membuang anaknya sesuai dengan apa yang dikatakan oleh ibunya. Namun Ni Kembang Arun yang tadinya diam saja tiba-tiba menangis, “Oh, Gusti, ternyata Engkau selama ini disini anakku,” kata Ni Kembang Arun. Tiba-tiba muncul bunga berwarna putih yang besar dari kali tersebut. Airnya yang tadinya keruh dan berbau busuk, kini telah berubah jernih dan harum. Dengan sekejap Ni Kembang Arun melompat kedalam air dan hilang begitu saja. Sidapaksa hanya diam saja tak berdaya melihat kejadian itu. Inti bunga tersebut terdapat wajah anaknya. Ia mengatakan bahwa ibunya tidak bersalah melainkan neneknya yang telah membunuh dirinya. Kemudian muncul bunga yang lebih besar lagi dari dalam kali itu. Didalam bunga tersebut terdapat wajah Ni Kembang Arun. Kedua bunga itu hanyut oleh arus sungai dan hilang dalam sekejap mata.

Dengan perasaan galau Patih Sidapaksa meninggalkan tempat tersebut. Dari balik pohon terdapat Nyi Pandanwungu yang sedari tadi mengintip kejadian tadi. Ia segera lari ketakutan karena ia takut akan dibunuh oleh anak tirinya. Tiba-tiba langit menjadi gelap gemuruh bersahut-sahutan. Seketika itu pula tubuh nenek penuh dengki itu tersambar petir, dan abunya ditiup angin yang keras. Seakan-akan bumipun tidak mau menerimanya. Sejak saat itu tempat tersebut diberi nama Banyu Wangi.

Unsur Intrinsik

Tema

Kesetiaan istri terhadap suaminya


Tokoh

Sidapaksa : setia, patuh terhadap orang tua

Nyai Pandanwungu : jahat, iri dan dengki

Ni Kembang Arun : setia, baik hati

Kencanawati : setia


Alur

Maju karena alur dari cerita ini beruntun antara kejadian satu dengan yang lain



Sudut Pandang

Orang ke-3, karena dalam cerita ini pengarang menggunakan nama tokoh/orang dalam menceritakannya. Selain itu pengarang hanya sebagai pengamat.


Setting

Cerita ini terjadi di Kerajaan Karangsewu


Amanat

- Kebenaran akan selalu terungkap walaupun melalui proses yang panjang

- Siapa yang menanam benih kebaikan pasti ia akan menuai hasilnya begitu pula dengan kejahatan

Malin Kundang

Let me tell you the story about a boy and his mother. This boy is a very famous person in my country. No body knows his face but everybody knows his name. The boy was called Malin Kundang. Why Malin Kundang famous? Was he an Indonesian Idol? We’ll find out here.

The story began when Malin Kundang was a boy. He lived with his mother. He didn’t have father anymore. Some people said he’s dead and some people said he left for sailing and never came back. And because the father did not around, the mother had to work for the family. Sadly for the mother, even though she worked hard, still could not make worth living for her son. They still lived poorly and her health was not great either. Malin kundang realized their condition. He was sad. He could not let his mother worked hard in sickness so he asked permission from her to go abroad.

“Where are you going, Malin?” his mother asked.

“I am going to sail, mother. Like our neighbor, he sails and sells many things abroad. Then he comes back with a lot of money. Do you see things he brought?” Malin said excited. “I can be rich too. And you don’t have to work anymore. Please mother, give me permission to sail. It’ll only need couple years then I’ll come back here.” Malin hold his mother’s hand, begged her for permission.

His mother could not say no to her loved child. She knew Malin wanted it so much. When she said yes, he was pranced all over the room.

Malin left by merchant ship belonged to his wealthy merchant neighbor. He worked as one of the ship’s crew. It was very great. He loved the sailing. They sailed from one island to another, met strange people, heard strange languages, experienced adventures and sold things. During the time, he learned about trading from his merchant. Malin was a smart boy. He understood quickly. But the lessons finished when they met pirates at the sea.

The pirates attacked the merchant ship. When they closed enough, they jumped to merchant ship with weapons in their hands. The merchant’s crew tried to fight back but the pirates were too strong. Just in sort time, the merchant’s crew was defeated. They killed all the men and took the goods along with them, then burned the ship and sink it down.

Oh no. Was Malin killed too?

Don’t worry, the story doesn’t finish yet. Our celebrity lived. He hid in a place or pretended dead, I’m not really sure. The pirates thought no one lived and then they left the crime place. Malin hang on a piece of wood, tried to save his life. For couple days he was floating in the sea. His head was getting dizzy. He was cold and tired. His hands could not hold his body anymore. His vision started blurry and then he passed out.

Was he dead? Shark ate him?

No no. The man was not dead easily. He survived. He got cast away at a beach. He was unconscious when the local villagers found him. Soon he stayed with them, made friends with them and then married with one of their daughter. Malin’s wife came from the wealthy family and had a high status in the social community. Apparently that made him shame to admit that he was poor and he was nobody in the social community. So he lied to his wife and her family. He lied about who he was. He said he was alone and no parents.

Malin then started to sail again. With helps from his wife, he traded goods like his merchant used to do. After couple years, he succeed to build his trades business. He had few merchant ships with hundreds crews. He was rich. His dream came true.

One day, Malin sailed to his hometown. With his big ship, he tied up to the dock. He brought lots of goods to sell. Everybody in the dock was fascinated with his ship and his goods. Malin - the new wealthy merchant - suddenly became famous. Everybody talked about him and then the talks were heard to an old woman’s ears.

“Is it true what you say?” the old woman asked the story teller.

“Yes. It’s true.”

“Who was the merchant’s name?” she asked again.

“It’s Malin, ma’am. Malin Kundang.”

The woman was surprised. The words were just said charged her body with full of energy.
“That’s my son.” She yelled. The woman hurried to the dock. She wanted to meet his son that she missed so much. The day that she waited for long time had come. The day where her son would come home. God answered her pray. She met her son again.

At the dock, the woman’s head turned around. Her eyes were looking for a face of her son. When she saw two persons at the ship, she got stood. She saw her son with a beautiful woman. She called Malin but he did not hear. She called him louder and tried to get to the ship. But then two guards blocked her way.

“Who are you? “ One of the guards asked.

“I’m Malin’s mother” the old woman said.

Malin heard the noise. He came closer.

“What is going on?” he asked .

“This old lady said she is your mother, sir.” The guard explained.

When he saw the old woman, he got surprised. He recognized the old woman as his mother. She was older then he remembered. Her hair turned grey, her skin was wrinkle and her cloth was dirty and torn. Compare to him, it’s like sky and earth. She looked like beggar.

And now look what money can do to you.

“She’s not my mother” Malin said and turned his face from her.

“I’m your mother, Malin. Don’t you remember me?” she said. Her tear started to float in her eyes.

“No. you are not my mother. I don’t have beggar mother.” Malin yelled to her.

“Go away and don’t come back.” he evicted the old woman.

“You are rebellious son, Malin. You are shame to admit your own mother because I’m dirty and poor. You are blinded by your wealth.” her mother cried, hurt and angry. “I cursed you into a stone. Let God be my witness” .

Suddenly, the sky turned to dark and sound of thunder cracked everyone ears. The sea billowed. The big waves came from the sea and threw Malin’s ship and his people to the ground and crashed it.

Malin got shocked. He realized his sin to his mother. “I’m sorry mother.” he kowtowed, begged her for forgiveness. But everything was too late. God didn’t give second change to Malin. He and the pieces of his ship turned into stones. That’s the power of mother’s words. Very powerful. Trust me. I’ve been there. So be careful when you had fight with your mother, you could be the next stone.

By the way, you can see the famous Malin Kundang and the pieces of his ship rock at Aia Manih beach, south Padang, West Sumatra.

Source: http://xastory.blogspot.com/

Lutung Kasarung

In a kingdom of heaven, Guruminda son of Sunan Ambu plunged in thought. He was thinking about his mother. The thought drove him crazy. He thought her not as a mother but as a woman. That was very brash. He was shy to his mother because of the thought. He could not imagine his mother’s anger if she knew about it.

But a mother always has a sharp feeling about her children. That’s why you cannot tell lie to your mother because she always knows.

That is why Sunan Ambu knew her son’s problem. So she ordered Guruminda to come. “Guruminda, I know what in your mind and I know it’s wrong. So I’ve been thinking that you have to go to earth to have some lessons. And you will go down there as a monkey.”

Guruminda stood up, his lips sealed. He accepted the order as a punishment because of his effrontery. He was transformed as a black long tailed monkey called Lutung Kasarung, went to the earth and lived in a forest.

Meanwhile in the kingdom of Pasir Batang, in the earth, King Tapa Agung felt the time had come to put his crown to his heir but he could not decide the person. King Tapa Agung had seven daughters and no son. The oldest was Princes Purbararang. The crown should be hers because she was the oldest but King Tapa Agung felt hard to give the crown to her. People knew Princess Purbararang as an arrogant princess. She never cared about her people. On the other hand, her youngest sister, Princess Purbasari was a dear for all her folks.

King Tapa Agung did penance to get divine inspiration from his Gods. So after a while, king Tapa Agung decided to give the crown to Princess Purbasari. Princess Purbararang was very disappointed with king’s decision. She had a plan to evict Purbasari. She could not stand see other person held a power.

Princess Purbararang visited a witch and asked her for a poison. The witched gave her a small bottle of a poison. Princess Purbararang went home with a poison in her hand.

In the night, when Purbasari slept, Purbararang walked slowly into Purbasari’s room. She sprayed the poison to Purbasari’s body. In a second, the beautiful Purbasari turned to be the ugly black Purbasari. People could not recognize her face again. Purbasari was evicted from her palace. Purbararang then became a queen of Pasir Batang kingdom.

People were afraid of Purbasari’s look so she isolated herself in the forest. A kingdom advisor, Batara Lengser, built a simple house in the forest for Purbasari. He asked Purbasari to be patient facing a life test.

Since Purbararang ruled Pasir Batang, she became more arrogant. She always gave punishment to people if they did not make her happy. People were afraid of her. There was also no hope from her fiancé, prince Indrajaya. He did not care what Purbararang did. All he cared was dressed up.

One day, Purbararang held a ceremony. She ordered a man to get a fresh animal. He had to get it or his head would replace the animal head. The man went hunting. After couple of hours, he met a black long tail monkey. The monkey jumped from one tree to other tree. He was surprised saw the unusual monkey. He chased the monkey and tied it with a rope. He brought the monkey to the palace as a ritual offering. He tied the monkey in the middle of field where the ceremony was held. When queen Purbararang entered the field with Batara Lengser, the monkey struggled, released his tied and jumped all over the place, hit the soldiers with their spears and almost injured the queen. The monkey became so wild and unable to be approached. When Batara Lengser tried to approach the monkey, suddenly the monkey became quite. The monkey obeyed Batara Lengser.

Queen Purbararang then had an idea for the monkey. She ordered Batara Lengser to give the monkey to Purbasari. She thought the wild monkey could hurt and killed Purbasari. So Purbararang didn’t have to worry anymore about her crown.

Batara Lengser brought the monkey to Purbasari. He ordered the monkey not to hurt Purbasari. The monkey nodded his head like a person who understand the order.

In the forest, at Purbasari place, she and the monkey became friends. The monkey known as
Lutung Kasarung always made Purbasari laughed. They played together. She also made friend with animals around her house.

One day, Lutung Kasarung did penance. He asked his mother to help him built a bathing place for Purbasari. His mother then sent some of her man to build a bathing place near Purbasari’s house. The bathing place was beautiful. The shower was made from gold and the floor was made from marble. The water flew from the clear waterfall. Sunan Ambu also ordered her tailor to make a cloth from clouds and rainbow for Purbasari.

When Purbasari entered the bathing place, her eyes opened wide. She amazed the architecture of the shower. The walls and the floors were so glossy. The bathing tub was very wide like a natural pool and the water was so clear.

“How this happened, Lutung?” Purbasari asked.

“You are a kindhearted person, Purbasari. That’s why heaven loves you,” Lutung said. “Now, take a bath and wear this cloth “Lutung said to Purbasari while its hand gave her the cloud cloth.

“It’s so soft and beautiful” Purbasari stroke the cloth. Purbasari got into the bathing tub. The water made her black body cleaned. Her skin became soft again and it made her more beautiful then ever. When she wore the cloth, she felt so light. Purbasari looked beautiful. Lutung spellbound. Purbasari was looked different than he knew. She captivated.

The news about a beautiful bathing place in the middle of forest was heard into the palace. Queen Purbararang thought there were people from Pasir Batang built the bathing place for Purbasari. Queen Purbararang was very angry. She needed reason to kill Purbasari. Then she made a contest for Purbasari. She challenged Purbasari to make a huma, a clear land for cultivation. It had to finish before the sunrise. If Purbasari failed, she would die by hanging.

When Batara Lengser went to Purbasari’s place to tell her about the contest, Queen Purbararang ordered hundreds of her soldiers to clear land near Purbasari’s place for cultivation. She thought Purbasari and her men would not be able to finish it before the sunrise.

Purbasari was confused how to clear the land in one night. She did not have men to do that. Lutung Kasarung then helped her. He asked his mother in the heaven to send him soldiers to clear the land. Sunan Ambu sent her soldiers to earth to help Purbasari.

The next day, after the sunrise, Purbararang, prince Indrajaya and her men went to the forest. She was surprised saw a huma next to hers. There were Batara Lengser and Lutung Kasarung standing there.

Purbararang was angry and disappointed. She still challenged Purbasari to contest their beauty. Purbararang thought Purbasari was still a black ugly girl. She ordered Purbasari to come out from her house. Purbasari then came out from the house. She turned to be a beautiful girl. She was more beautiful then Purbararang. There was no dirt in her skin. Purbararang was shocked but she still had plan. She challenged Purbasari’s fiance.

“People, I challenge Purbasari’s fiancé to fight with my fiancé, prince Indrajaya. Where is your fiancé, Purbasari ?” asked Purbararang. Prince Indrajaya came forward and smiled mocking Purbasari. Purbasari turned her head to Lutung Kasarung.

“A monkey, Purbasari?” asked Purbararang laughing.
Lutung Kasarung came forward and sat with legs crossed in the ground. His put his hands together in front his chest. Then Lutung Kasarung transformed into a handsome youngman. He turned to be Guruminda. People were shocked, especially prince Indrajaya. His face became pale. He was afraid to fight with Guruminda. Then he put his hands together and hung his head, asked mercy for him.

Purbararang lost her contest. She gave her crown to Purbasari. Purbasari and Guruminda rode to the palace. They ruled the Pasir Batang kingdom. Citizens were happy. They lived safe and wealthy. Purbararang and her fiancé were punished for they did.



Source: http://xastory.blogspot.com/

Timun Mas ( Golden Cucumber )

The story began when a lonely old couple met a stupid ugly giant. The couple had no child but they were dying to have one. The giant said he could help them but with a term. So these God’s creatures made an agreement. The giant gave them a magic cucumber seed to grow a child and when the child grew up, they had to give the child up.

The magic seed was planted in the yard. In weeks, a big cucumber came out of it. They took the cucumber to their house and sliced it. There was a baby girl in it. They were very surprise and happy. Finally, they had a child. The baby girl was named Timun Mas (Golden Cucumber). Timun Mas became a nice girl. She loved her stepparents and always obeyed them. She took care of them and never hurt them. Her stepparents loved her more and more.

In short years, Timun Mas became a young girl. The day to give her up to the giant was getting closer. The couple was worried. They could not fulfill their promise to the giant. They loved Timun Mas too much to give her up. Therefore, they were looking for a way to break the promise.

In the afternoon, the giant came to their house. He wanted to take Timun Mas as their agreement. The old couple saw the giant coming. They told Timun Mas to run away.

“Why I have to run away?” Timun Mas asked.

“Because the giant wants to eat you,” answered her stepparents. Timun Mas looked pale. She was afraid to be eaten by the giant. Her stepparents gave her cucumber seed, needles, salt and fermented shrimp paste. “Use these for your protection,” they said. Timun Mas went out from the kitchen door. Her stepparents went to front to meet the giant.

“Where is Timun Mas? I come here to take her,” the giant asked in his loud voice.

“She was not here,” the old couple answered with frightened tremble.

“Where is she?” he asked again.

“She left”

“Are you trying to cut our agreement?” the giant asked angrily.

The old couple got more trembles. “We couldn’t give her. We loved her too much”.

The giant eyes were wider. He was very angry. He chased Timun Mas. Timun Mas saw the giant. She spread the cucumber seed. Suddenly, there were large cucumbers between them. Timun Mas run faster. The blocked cucumbers did not hold the giant. He could smash the cucumbers easily. Then he chased her again. When he was getting closer, Timun Mas spread the needles. Suddenly, there were bamboo trees growing from the land. The giant run the blockade. His body was wounded because of the trees were sharp. However, the giant would not give up. He was still chasing Timun Mas. Timun Mas run again. And when he almost got her, she spread the salt. Suddenly, the land became an ocean. The giant tried to swim. Although he almost drowned, he was still chasing Timun Mas. Then Timun Mas spread her last weapon –the fermented shrimp paste- and suddenly the ocean became a mud ocean. The mud sucked the giant until his head. Then he never showed up again.

Timun Mas then went home. Her stepparents were very happy to see their daughter home.

This story was not very good for children because it teaches you to break your promises, even with an ugly giant. But this story also tells you that parent’s love was very big and makes them to do anything to protect their child even though they were not your birth parents. So read this story just for fun. Ok ?



Source: http://xastory.blogspot.com/

Mount of Tangkuban Perahu

If you go to West Java, Indonesia, in the north of Bandung city, you will see a mountain that reminds you with a boat that turned up side down. The mountain called Mount Tangkuban Perahu. It has a very famous story.

It began when King Sungging Purbangkara went for hunting in the jungle with his men. He could not hold his bladder control and urinated under the coconut tree. His urine was accidentally accommodated in a piece of coconut shell.

Just a few meters from the place, a female pig was looking for water to drink. When she saw king’s urine in the coconut shell, she drank it. Apparently, the pig was not just a pig. She was reincarnation of a goddess called Wayungyang that being accursed. Then something magic was happened. The pig got pregnant. I know, it’s weird. That’s why I said “magic”. In tales, everything can happen, you know.

Therefore, after couple of months, Wayungyang gave birth to a baby girl. The baby was a human. Feeling could not foster the baby, she took her to place where King Sungging Purbangkara used to hunt.

When she heard the sound of horse’s trot, she put the baby in the grass, covered her with a blanket and moved back slowly. The baby was crying when the troops was getting closer. When they saw a baby in the grass, they slowed down. Then the King got down from his horse. He took the baby. His eyes were looking around to find person who put this baby. However, neither he nor his men knew whose the baby was.

King Sungging Purbangkara decided to adopt the baby. He took the baby to palace and named her Dayang Sumbi. Dayang Sumbi grew up in to a beautiful girl. She was very good in embroidery and weaving. Her beauty and skills were known through neighboring kingdom. Many kings from another kingdom asked her to be their wife. They fought each other for her. The king then isolated his daughter to forest. He built a house and a weaving stage for her.
One day, Dayang Sumbi was weaving. Accidentally, she dropped teropong (tool for thread made by bamboo). The teropong was rolling around then falling from stage. Dayang Sumbi tried to pick the teropong but her hand could not reach it. She looked around for help but there was no one there. Then she said, “If there’s a man can help me, I will take him to be my husband and if a woman, I will take her to be my sister.”

That time, she didn’t know there was a dog under the stage. The dog picked the teropong and gave it to Dayang Sumbi. Dayang Sumbi was shocked. She remembered her words. She could not cancel the words. And since the dog was male, so Dayang Sumbi had to marry the dog. Well, an honor person has to keep his/her words, right?

The dog then called Tumang. Tumang and Dayang Sumbi had a son called Sangkuriang. Don’t ask me how that happened. Sangkuriang grew up to be a smart and cheerful kid. The kid liked hunting. He and Tumang always went for hunting. They went for couple of days and got home with deer or pig meat in his hands.

In one morning, like always, Sangkuriang and Tumang went for hunting. When he saw a pig, he ordered Tumang to chase the pig. Tumang knew the pig was Wayungyang. He got scared so he was just circling around Sangkuriang’s feet and made him felt. When he got up, the pig was already gone. Sangkuriang was very angry. Tumang made him lost his meat target. So he stretched his arch and pointed it to Tumang. Sangkuriang killed Tumang. When he realized what he did, it was too late to feel sorry. Tumang was already dead. Sangkuriang then disemboweled Tumang and took its heart. He wrapped it with banana leave and put it inside his bag. He buried Tumang then he got home.

In the house, he gave the heart to his mother. He said it was a deer heart. Dayang Sumbi cooked the heart and served it with hot rice. They then ate together. When Dayang Sumbi did not see Tumang, she asked his son “where is Tumang?”

His son did not answer anything. He just stood up and kept silent his mouth. Dayang Sumbi felt something was wrong. Her eyes looked his son sharply then asked him carefully “whose heart is that?” Her hand pointed to the food that she cooked.

Sangkuriang looked his mother and said frightened “it’s Tumang’s heart”. Suddenly her legs became so week and could not hold her body. Dayang Sumbi was shocked and furious. She griped a ladle and hit Sangkuriang with it. Sangkuriang’s head was bleeding. He was afraid with his mother. He ran to the forest. He ran and ran and did not stop until his leg got stack on a root. Sangkuriang lost his balance and felt to the ground. His head hit the ground and made him fade out.

When Sangkuriang woke up, he did not recognize his surrounding. He could not even remember his name or his house. Apparently, the hitting was very hard and made him lost his memory. Sangkuriang then continued walking with a confused mind.

Dayang Sumbi regretted for evicting her son. She hoped Sangkuriang would come home. But he never came home. Dayang Sumbi prayed to Gods. She did penance and only ate leaves for years. And that made her face looked always young and beautiful.

One day there was a man passed by at Dayang Sumbi’s house. When he saw a beautiful woman came out from the house, he could not take his eyes of her. He felt in love with Dayang Sumbi in his first sight. Dayang Sumbi felt familiar with the man’s face but she could not remember whose face was.

The next day, the man came to Dayang Sumbi’s house again. Also the next day, and the day after. He always had reasons to visit her. One day, he could not hold his willing to marry Dayang Sumbi. Dayang Sumbi who also had feeling for him agreed to marry him.

One day Dayang Sumbi accidentally saw a scar on the man’s head. She looked surprised knowing the scar was alike her son’s scar. She asked her fiance “who are you? How did you get that scar?”

“I don’t remember my real name. I also don’t remember how I got this scar. I guessed it happened when I was a child. All I remember I was in the middle of jungle, my head was bleeding and then I met a company of thieves and their leader adopted me as his son. Why?” the man asked.

Dayang Sumbi was surprised. Her eyes opened wide. She felt like got a shock from thousands volt of electricity. “You are my son. You are Sangkuriang.” She said tremble.

“That’s rubbish. You are too young to be my mother” the man did not believe.

“I looked young because my food and my penance. I’m the person who made that scar. I hit you with a ladle because you killed Tumang, your father” Dayang Sumbi explanted.

“That’s a lie. I don’t believe you. You said it because you don’t want to marry me” the man argued. “You will marry me, Dayang Sumbi” the man said with an angry and threaten face.

Dayang Sumbi couldn’t argue anymore. She was afraid with him but she couldn’t marry her own son. Her brain looked for a way to cancel the marriage. She said to the man “alright, I will marry you. But I have conditions for you”.

“What are they?” the man asked.

“I want you to dam up Citarum River and build a lake. Also, build a boat for me. All of them have to finish in one night before the rooster crowed in the morning” Dayang Sumbi gave her conditions.

“Alright.” Sangkuriang accepted the challenges. He then gathered all his genie friends, asked them for a help to dam up the river. Their number was hundreds. They worked hard to dam the river, some of them made boat. And before sunrise, the work was almost done.

Sangkuriang was glad to see his friends work. He smiled remembering Dayang Sumbi was going to be his wife in a few hours.

Dayang Sumbi watched the work from a distance. She was panic knowing the boat was almost done. She was looking for an idea to fail it.

She thought about an idea. She stretched a white cloth and waved it around the roosters. The roosters thought it was a sunrise. They started to crow. When the villagers heard the crow, they thought morning had come. They went to their barn and started to pound the rice. The crow and the pounding of rice came one to another. The voice was so noise. Sangkuriang and his genie friends heard the noise, they also thought the morning had arrived. His genie friends left the place. Sangkuriang was very disappointed. The work just need a little more. Sangkuriang was angry. He kicked the boat. The boat flung and turned up side down. Then the boat became a mountain. That’s why the mountain is called Tangkuban Perahu.



Source: http://xastory.blogspot.com

Bawang Merah dan Bawang Putih (Red Onion and Garlic)

Do know Cinderella story? Indonesia also has Cinderella story, only this story does not end up happily ever after with a handsome prince, although there is a version of that. This version ends with no handsome prince but still happy.

The story started in a big house where a mother and two beautiful girls lived. There was no man in that house because he was already dead. He left two beautiful girls from different mothers. First mother was dead and left him a beautiful little girl called Bawang Putih. Then after she became young girl, her father left her with a stepmother and a stepsister called Bawang Merah. It was a bad luck for Bawang Putih because her stepsister and her stepmother were not kind of person who liked her.

Bawang Putih was a maid in her own house. She did all the houseworks. She cleaned, washed and cooked. Her stepmother and her stepsister were the queens in the house.

In one usual day, Bawang Putih went to the river to wash her stepmother’s clothes. She accidentally washed away her mother’s shawl. That would be a problem because the shawl was her favorite. When her stepmother knew, she got furious. She kicked Bawang Putih off the street. She would not let Bawang Putih home if she could not find the shawl.

Bawang Putih walked fringing the edge of the river. Her eyes were looking for a piece of yellow shawl stacked on the rocks in the river. However, she did not see anything. Bawang Putih continued walking. She stopped in front of women who washed there. “Did you see a yellow shawl swept away?” Bawang Putih asked them.

“Yes. I saw it. Buto Ijo took it a while ago. Is it yours?” one of them asked Bawang Putih.

“Yes it is. I have to get there then” Bawang Putih said.

“Be careful Bawang Putih. Buto Ijo is crazy,” they warn her.

Buto Ijo was an old woman who lived alone. They said she was a little bit crazy. Her hair was like branches of tree, dirty and stiff. She lost almost her teeth and she liked talking alone. The rumor told Buto Ijo cooked from human bones. It was scary.

Bawang Putih came to Buto Ijo’s house. The house looked dirty and untidy. It is as no one ever lived there. She knocked the door carefully. She heard a walk came to the door. Bawang Putih was a bit afraid. The door was opened, a wrinkle face came from it. Her eyes looked sharply, she seemed did not like to be bothers. “What do you want?” the old woman asked suspicious. She did not smile at all.

“I’m looking for a shawl. It is yellow. The woman in the river said you had taken it. The shawl belongs to my mothers,” Bawang Putih said.

“Yes, I took it. “ Buto Ijo said. “But if you want it you have to stay here for a while and did what I order.”

“What do you want me to do?” Bawang Putih said.

“I want you to clean the house and garden. You also have to cook for me” Buto Ijo gave her conditions.

Bawang Putih agreed. She stayed there for a while, cooked and cleaned the house. Buto Ijo was not that scary like her thought. In fact, Buto Ijo was a nice old woman and funny. She liked her. After couple of days, Buto Ijo gave the shawl to her. Before Bawang Putih left the house, Buto Ijo gave her pumpkin. “These are pumpkin. One of them is yours, Bawang Putih and open it when you get home,” Buto Ijo said. Bawang Putih took the small pumpkin. “Thank you Buto Ijo” she said. Bawang Putih then went home.

In her house, Bawang Merah sliced the pumpkin. She was surprised seeing there was a bunch of jewelry in it. Her stepmother and her stepsister were surprised too. “Where did you get that?” her stepsister asked.

“Buto Ijo gave it to me,” Bawang Putih said. Then she told them the story.

Bawang Merah wanted to get a pumpkin with jewelry in it too. The she went to the river and washed away her shawl in purpose. She followed the shawl and she saw Buto Ijo took it. She went to Buto Ijo’s house and asked her for the shawl. Buto Ijo said if Bawang Merah wanted her shawl she had to stay there for a while and she had to do the housework. It was just as she asked to Bawang Putih. For a pumpkin of jewelry, Bawang Merah agreed to stay there and do the houseworks.

After couple of days, Buto Ijo gave her shawl. Before Bawang Merah left the house, Buto Ijo gave her a pumpkin. Bawang Merah was very happy. Her head was full with images of jewelry. Bawang Merah took the big pumpkin. She ran to her house. She could not wait to slice the pumpkin and get the jewelry out of it.

When she got home, she took the knife and cut the pumpkin. She got surprised seeing snakes came out from it instead of jewelries. She threw the pumpkin and ran out the house.



Source: http://xastory.blogspot.com/

December 24, 2008 Posted by barkahobama |

Java-rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus

Natural spread:
Asia

also like the Indian tank-rhinoceros hears the Java-rhinoceros into the type of the tank-rhinoceroses. All together the Java-rhinoceros is the tank-rhinoceros very similarly, only it remains somewhat smaller normally and also somewhat easier. Likewise, its horn is even smaller than this of the tank-rhinoceros. And finally the shoulder-pleat flows together over both shoulder-leaves on the back.

Way of life We know even less than over the other rhinoceroses about the way of life of the Java-rhinoceros. It lives in the tropical mountain-forests, always near water-places and Schlammsuhlen, as a loner. Not rarely, we find it also of flowing waters and even in coast-proximity. The males wander around in its spread-area around, while the females, like which defended the tank-rhinoceroses, in solid, residential-areas lives. To the places of the eating, the animals often hike far on left and constantly again-used paths. At its feed-places, they take foliage mainly to itself.

In contrast to the tank-rhinoceroses, Java-rhinoceroses don’t know any territorial-markings. Merely the males splash urine against bushes and trees. However, these brown-red ones until orange urine-brands don’t possess the value of an area-marking but don’t document merely different males the presence of a bull and works repulsively on the other sex-comrades. The animals either place its dung into brooks also from or on extended, common “dung-fields.” According to the season, the rhinoceroses visit other wallows and bath-places. Not rarely, one finds the well swimming animals also in estuaries and Meeresbuchten.

Endangering Through the many-layered influence of the human being, the Java-rhinoceros is acutely threatened by the extinction. The entire continuance is estimated at only 60 animals. It was therefore subordinated the protection by the Washingtoner Artenschutzübereinkommen.

Putu Wijaya

Born: April 11, 1944

Gender: male

Place of birth: Puri Anom, Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia

Genre: Poetry, Literature & Fiction

Influences: poetry, surrealism, theatre

Putu Wijaya, whose real name is I Gusti Ngurah Putu Wijaya, is an Indonesian author who was born in Bali on 11 April 1944. He was the youngest of eight siblings (three of them from a different father). He lived in a large housing complex with around 200 people who were all members of the same extended family, and were accustomed to reading. His father, I Gusti Ngurah Raka, was hoping for Putu to become a doctor, but Puti was weak in the natural sciences. He liked history, language and geography.

Putu Wijaya has already written around 30 novels, 40 dramas, about a hundred short stories, and thousands of essays, free articles and drama criticisms. He has also produced film and soap-opera scripts. He led the Teater Mandiri theatre since 197…more [close] Putu Wijaya, whose real name is I Gusti Ngurah Putu Wijaya, is an Indonesian author who was born in Bali on 11 April 1944. He was the youngest of eight siblings (three of them from a different father). He lived in a large housing complex with around 200 people who were all members of the same extended family, and were accustomed to reading. His father, I Gusti Ngurah Raka, was hoping for Putu to become a doctor, but Puti was weak in the natural sciences. He liked history, language and geography.

Putu Wijaya has already written around 30 novels, 40 dramas, about a hundred short stories, and thousands of essays, free articles and drama criticisms. He has also produced film and soap-opera scripts. He led the Teater Mandiri theatre since 1971, and has received numerous prices for literary works and soap-opera scripts.

He’s short stories often appear in the columns of the daily newspapers Kompas and Sinar Harapan. His novels are often published in the magazines Kartini, Femina and Horison. As a script writer, he has two times won the Citra prize at the Indonesian Film Festival, for the movies Perawan Desa (1980) and Kembang Kertas (1985).

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Ahmad Tohari

born: June 13, 1948

Gender: male

Place of birth: Indonesia

Genre: Literature & Fiction


Ahmad Tohari is Indonesia well-knowned writer who can picture a typical village scenery very well in his writings. He has been everywhere, writings for magazines. He attended Fellowship International Writers Program at Iowa, United State on 1990 and received Southeast Asian Writers Award on 1995.

His famous works are trilogy of Srintil, a traditional dancer (ronggeng) of Paruk Village: “Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk”, “Lintang Kemukus Dini Hari”, and “Jantera Bianglala”
On 2007, he releases again “Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk” in Java-Banyumasan language which is claimed to be the first novel using Java-Banyumasan. Toward his effort, he receives Rancage Award 2007. The book is only printed 1,500 editions and sol

Ahmad Tohari is Indonesia well-knowned writer who can picture a typical village scenery very well in his writings. He has been everywhere, writings for magazines. He attended Fellowship International Writers Program at Iowa, United State on 1990 and received Southeast Asian Writers Award on 1995.

His famous works are trilogy of Srintil, a traditional dancer (ronggeng) of Paruk Village: “Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk”, “Lintang Kemukus Dini Hari”, and “Jantera Bianglala”
On 2007, he releases again “Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk” in Java-Banyumasan language which is claimed to be the first novel using Java-Banyumasan. Toward his effort, he receives Rancage Award 2007. The book is only printed 1,500 editions and sold out directly in the book launch.


Bibliography:
* Kubah (novel, 1980)
* Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk (novel, 1982)
* Lintang Kemukus Dini Hari (novel, 1985)
* Jantera Bianglala (novel, 1986)
* Di Kaki Bukit Cibalak (novel, 1986)
* Senyum Karyamin (short stories, 1989)
* Bekisar Merah (novel, 1993)
* Lingkar Tanah Lingkar Air (novel, 1995)

* Nyanyian Malam (short stories, 2000)

* Belantik (novel, 2001)* Orang Orang Proyek (novel, 2002)
* Rusmi Ingin Pulang (kumpulan cerpen, 2004)

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Kutowujoyo

born: September 18, 1943

died: February 22, 2005

gender: male

place of birth: Indonesia


Kuntowijoyo was born at Sanden, Bantul, Yogyakarta. He graduated from UGM as historian and received his post-graduated at American History by The University of Connecticut in year 1974, and gained his Ph.D. of history from Columbia University in year 1980.

His father was a puppet master (dalang) and he lived under deep religious and art circumstances. He easily fond of art and writings and became a good friend of Arifin C. Noer, Syu’bah Asa, Ikranegara, Chaerul Umam, and Salim Said.

His first work was “Kereta Api yang Berangkat Pagi Hari”.

Y.B. Mangunwijaya

born: May 06, 1929

died: February 10, 1999

gender: male

place of birth: Indonesia


Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya was an architect, writer, Catholic priest, and activist. Romo Mangun (Father Mangun) was public-knowed by his novel “Burung-Burung Manyar” which awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award for South-East Asia Writings on 1996.

Not only fiction genre, Romo Mangun also write non-fiction and architectural works such as “Sastra dan Religiositas” which won The Best Non-Fiction in 1982.

Bibliography:
* Balada Becak, novel, 1985
* Balada dara-dara Mendut, novel, 1993
* Burung-Burung Rantau, novel, 1992
* Burung-Burung Manyar, novel, 1981
* Di Bawah Bayang-Bayang Adikuasa, 1987
* Durga Umayi, novel, 1985
* Esei-esei orang Republik, 1987
* Fisika Bangunan, buku Arsitektur, 1980
* Gereja Diaspora, 199…more

[close] Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya was an architect, writer, Catholic priest, and activist. Romo Mangun (Father Mangun) was public-knowed by his novel “Burung-Burung Manyar” which awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award for South-East Asia Writings on 1996.

Not only fiction genre, Romo Mangun also write non-fiction and architectural works such as “Sastra dan Religiositas” which won The Best Non-Fiction in 1982.

Bibliography:
* Balada Becak, novel, 1985
* Balada dara-dara Mendut, novel, 1993
* Burung-Burung Rantau, novel, 1992
* Burung-Burung Manyar, novel, 1981
* Di Bawah Bayang-Bayang Adikuasa, 1987
* Durga Umayi, novel, 1985
* Esei-esei orang Republik, 1987
* Fisika Bangunan, buku Arsitektur, 1980
* Gereja Diaspora, 1999
* Gerundelan Orang Republik, 1995
* Ikan-Ikan Hiu, Ido, Homa, novel, 1983
* Impian Dari Yogyakarta, 2003
* Kita Lebih Bodoh dari Generasi Soekarno-Hatta, 2000
* Manusia Pascamodern, Semesta, dan Tuhan: renungan filsafat hidup, manusia modern, 1999
* Memuliakan Allah, Mengangkat Manusia, 1999
* Menjadi generasi pasca-Indonesia: kegelisahan Y.B. Mangunwijaya, 1999
* Menuju Indonesia Serba Baru, 1998
* Menuju Republik Indonesia Serikat, 1998
* Merintis RI Yang Manusiawi: Republik yang adil dan beradab, 1999
* Pasca-Indonesia, Pasca-Einstein, 1999
* Pemasyarakatan susastra dipandang dari sudut budaya, 1986
* Pohon-Pohon Sesawi, novel, 1999
* Politik Hati Nurani
* Puntung-Puntung Roro Mendut, 1978
* Putri duyung yang mendamba: renungan filsafat hidup manusia modern
* Ragawidya, 1986
* Romo Rahadi, novel, 1981 (he used alias as Y. Wastu Wijaya)
* Roro Mendut, Genduk Duku, Lusi Lindri, novel trilogi, 1983-1987
* Rumah Bambu, 2000
* Sastra dan Religiositas, 1982
* Saya Ingin Membayar Utang Kepada Rakyat, 1999
* Soeharto dalam Cerpen Indonesia, 2001
* Spiritualitas Baru
* Tentara dan Kaum Bersenjata, 1999
* Tumbal: kumpulan tulisan tentang kebudayaan, perikemanusiaan dan kemasyarakatan, 1994
* Wastu Citra, buku Arsitektur, 1988

Pramoedya Ananta Toer

born: February 06, 1925

died:April 30, 2006

gender: male

place of birth: Indonesia

influences: Gunther Grass, Wertheim



Pramoedya Ananta Toer was an Indonesian author of novels, short stories, essays, polemics, and histories of his homeland and its people. A well-regarded writer in the West, Pramoedya’s outspoken and often politically charged writings faced censorship in his native land during the pre-reformation era. For opposing the policies of both founding president Sukarno, as well as those of its successor, the New Order regime of Suharto, he faced extrajudicial punishment. During the many years in which he suffered imprisonment and house arrest, he became a cause célèbre for advocates of freedom of expression and human rights.

Bibliography:
* Kranji-Bekasi Jatuh (1947)
* Perburuan (The Fugitive) (1950)
* Keluarga Gerilya (1950)
* Bukan Pasarm

Pramoedya Ananta Toer was an Indonesian author of novels, short stories, essays, polemics, and histories of his homeland and its people. A well-regarded writer in the West, Pramoedya’s outspoken and often politically charged writings faced censorship in his native land during the pre-reformation era. For opposing the policies of both founding president Sukarno, as well as those of its successor, the New Order regime of Suharto, he faced extrajudicial punishment. During the many years in which he suffered imprisonment and house arrest, he became a cause célèbre for advocates of freedom of expression and human rights.

Bibliography:
* Kranji-Bekasi Jatuh (1947)
* Perburuan (The Fugitive) (1950)
* Keluarga Gerilya (1950)
* Bukan Pasarmalam (1951)
* Cerita dari Blora (1952)
* Gulat di Jakarta (1953)
* Korupsi (Corruption) (1954)
* Midah - Si Manis Bergigi Emas (1954)
* Cerita Calon Arang (The King, the Witch, and the Priest) (1957)
* Hoakiau di Indonesia (1960)
* Panggil Aku Kartini Saja I & II (1962)
* The Buru Quartet
o Bumi Manusia (This Earth of Mankind) (1980)
o Anak Semua Bangsa (Child of All Nations) (1980)
o Jejak Langkah (Footsteps) (1985)
o Rumah Kaca (House of Glass) (198
* Gadis Pantai (The Girl from the Coast) (1982)
* Nyanyi Sunyi Seorang Bisu (A Mute’s Soliloquy) (1995)
* Arus Balik (1995)
* Arok Dedes (1999)
* Mangir (1999)
* Larasati (2000

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Marco Kartodikromo

born: December 13, 1901

Died: March 18, 1935

Gender: male

place of birth: Indonesia

Influences; Tirto Adhi Soeryo


Marco Kartodikromo was a journalist and also Indonesia independent activist, who makes him several times detained in the colonial era. All his works were created in prison, such as Student Hijo.

He also founder of Inlandsche Journalisten Bond, a journalist group on 1914. He became a student of Tirto Adhi Soeryo, another avant-garda journalist in that era.

He died in exile at Boven Digoel on 1935.

Bibliography:
* Mata Gelap (1914)
* Student Hidjo (191
* Matahariah (1919)
* Rasa Mardika (191 and reprinted 1931
* Sair Rempah-rempah (191
* Sair Sama Rasa Sama Rata (1917)
* Babad Tanah Djawi (1924-1925)

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Seno Gumira Ajidarma

born: June 19, 1958

Gender: male

place of birth; Indonesia

Website: http://sukab.wordpress.com/

Seno Gumira Ajidarma is a writer, photographer, and also a film critic. He writes short stories, novel, even comic book.

He has won numerous national and regional awards as a short-story writer. Also a journalist, he serves as editor of the popular weekly illustrated magazine Jakarta-Jakarta. His piece in this issue is an excerpt from his novel “Jazz, Parfum dan Insiden”, published by Yayasan Bentang Budaya in 1996.

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Ayu Utami

born: November 21, 1968

place of birth; Indonesia


Justina Ayu Utami is an Indonesian writer. She was once a journalist for many national magazine but now her main activity as a writer is on Cultural Journal Kalam and Teater Utan Kayu.

Her first novel “Saman” was appreciated by many writers and critics and awarded The Best Fiction by Dewan Kesenian Jakarta in 1998 and also won the Prince Claus Award 2000 from the Prince Claus Fund.

She published her second novel “Larung” in 2002.

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Nh. Dini

born; January 29, 1936

Gender; female

place of birth; Indonesia


NH Dini (Nurhayati Sri Hardini Siti Nukatin) started writing since 1951. In 1953, her short stories can be found in most of national magazines like Kisah, Mimbar Indonesia, and Siasat. She also writes poems, radio play, and novel.

Bibliography:
* Padang Ilalang di Belakang Rumah
* Dari Parangakik ke Kampuchea
* Sebuah Lorong di Kotaku
* Jepun Negerinya Hiroko
* Langit dan Bumi Sahabat Kami
* Namaku Hiroko
* Tirai Menurun
* Pertemuan Dua Hati
* Sekayu
* Pada Sebuah Kapal
* Kemayoran
* Keberangkatan
* Kuncup Berseri
* Dari Fontenay Ke Magallianes
* La Grande Borne

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Umar Kayam

born: April 30, 1932

Died: March 17, 2002

Gender; male

place of birth: Indonesia

Website: http://www.umarkayam.org


Many predicate have been given to Umar Kayam. He was a writer, lecturer, bigscreen artist. Most of his time was spended as a lecturer at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta.

Bibliography:
* Sri Sumarah (Pustaka Jaya, 1975)
* Para Priyayi (Pustaka Jaya, 1992)
* Jalan Menikung/Para Priyayi 2 (Pustaka Jaya, 2002)


Bibliography:
* Sri Sumarah (Pustaka Jaya, 1975)
* Para Priyayi (Pustaka Jaya, 1992)
* Jalan Menikung/Para Priyayi 2 (Pustaka Jaya, 2002)

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Oka Rusmini

born: July 11, 1967

Gender: female

place of birth: Indonesia


Luh Ayu Oka Rusmini lives in Denpasar Bali, Indonesia. She often send her writings to national newspaper and this year read her poems at Winternachten Poem Festival at Netherland.

Her works describe women in the context of patriarchi culture in traditional society, and these become her characteristic.

Bibliography:
* Tarian Bumi (2000)
* Sagra (2001)
* Kenanga (novel)
* Patiwangi (poems)


Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

Sindhunata

born; May 12, 1952

Gender; male

place of birth: Indonesia

Dr. Gabriel Possenti Sindhunata, SJ, or just simply call him Romo Sindu is an Indonesian Catholic priest, also an editor for local culture magazine “Basis”. He also worked as journalist for national newspaper, especially for commenting football review and culture issues. His famous work was “Anak Bajang Menggiring Angin”.

Bibliography:
* Segelas Beras untuk Berdua, Penerbit Buku Kompas (2006)
* Dari Pulau Buru ke Venesia, Penerbit Buku Kompas (2006)
* Petruk Jadi Guru, Penerbit Buku Kompas (2006)
* Kambing Hitam: Teori Rene Girard (2006)
* Ilmu ngglethek Prabu Minohek(2004)
* Mengasih Maria: 100 tahun Sendangsono (2004) as editor
* Air Kata-kata (2003)
* Jembatan Air Mata: Tragedi Manusia Pengungsi Timor Timur

Dr. Gabriel Possenti Sindhunata, SJ, or just simply call him Romo Sindu is an Indonesian Catholic priest, also an editor for local culture magazine “Basis”. He also worked as journalist for national newspaper, especially for commenting football review and culture issues. His famous work was “Anak Bajang Menggiring Angin”.

Bibliography:
* Segelas Beras untuk Berdua, Penerbit Buku Kompas (2006)
* Dari Pulau Buru ke Venesia, Penerbit Buku Kompas (2006)
* Petruk Jadi Guru, Penerbit Buku Kompas (2006)
* Kambing Hitam: Teori Rene Girard (2006)
* Ilmu ngglethek Prabu Minohek(2004)
* Mengasih Maria: 100 tahun Sendangsono (2004) as editor
* Air Kata-kata (2003)
* Jembatan Air Mata: Tragedi Manusia Pengungsi Timor Timur (2003)
* Bola di balik bulan: Catatan sepak bola Sindhunata (2002)
* Long and Winding Road, East Timor (2001)
* Pendidikan: Kegelisahan Sepanjang Zaman: Pilihan Artikel Basis (2001) - as editor
* Membuka Masa Depan Anak-anak kita: Mencari Kurikulum Pendidikan Abad XXI (2000)
* Menggagas Paradigma Baru Pendidikan: Demokratisasi, Otonomi, Civil Society, Globalisasi (2000) - as editor
* Sumur Kitiran Kencana: Karumpaka ing Sekar Macapat Dening D.F. Sumantri Hadiwiyata (2000)
* Sakitnya Melahirkan Demokrasi (2000)
* Bisikan Daun-daun Sabda (2000)
* Tak Enteni Keplokmu: Tanpa Bunga dan Telegram Duka (2000)
* Bayang-bayang Ratu Adil (1999)
* Menjadi Generasi Pasca-Indonesia: Kegelisahan Y.B. Mangunwijaya (1999) - as editor
* Pergulatan Intelektual dalam Era Kegelisahan: Mengenang Y.B. Mangunwijaya (1999) - as editor
* Cikar Bobrok (199
* Mata Air Bulan (199
* Sayur Lodeh Kehidupan: Teman dalam Kelemahan (199 - as editor
* Sisi Sepasang Sayap: Wajah-wajah Bruder Jesuit (199
* Semar Mencari Raga (1996)
* Aburing kupu-kupu kuning (1995)
* Nderek Sang Dewi ing Ereng-erenging Redi Merapi (1995)
* Hoffen auf den Ratu-Adil: das eschatologische Motiv des “Gerechten Königs” im Bauernprotest auf Java während des 19. und zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts (1992) - disertasi
* Baba Bisa Menjadi Indonesier: Bung Hatta, Liem Koen Hian, dan Sindhunatha, Menyorot Masalah Cina di Indonesia (198
* Anak Bajang Menggiring Angin (1983)
* Bola-Bola Nasib: Catatan Sepak Bola Sindhunata

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

General (Ret.) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) was born in 9 September 1949 is the sixth President of Indonesia (2004 - 2009) after Presidents Sukarno, Suharto, Habibie, Abdurahman Wahid and Megawati.

Education
Bachelor degree from Indonesia’s military academy in 1973.
Joining the Airborne and Ranger Course at Fort Benning United States in 1975.

Masters degree in Management from Webster University in 1991.
PhD in agricultural economics from Insitut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) Bogor Agricultural Institute on 3 October 2004
Participating in Infantry Officer Advanced Course at Fort Benning USA and in the On The Job Training with the 82nd Airborne Division (1981 / 1982)
Joining jungle warfare school in Panama in 1982
Undertaking the Antitank weapons Course in Belgium and Canada in 1983 / 1984
Taking a Battalion Commando Course in Malaysia in 1985
Studying at US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1991

Career
Joining Kostrad and became a platoon Commander in the 330 Airborne Battalion
Mortar platoon commander in 1977
Operations Officer for an Airborne Brigade during 1977-1978
Battalion Commander at Kostrad between 1979-1981
At Army Headquarters for two years 1981-1982
Commander of the Infantry Trainers’ School 1983
Batalion Commander KODAM IX/Udayana Bali between 1986-1988
Indonesia’s Chief Military Observer of United Nation Peacekeeping Force in Bosnia in 1995-96

Image
As reported by BBC, Mr Yudhoyono is probably best known internationally for his leading role in Indonesia’s fight against terrorism in the wake of the Bali bombing in 2002.

His speech on the anniversary of the attack was seen as one of the strongest delivered by any Indonesian leader on an issue which is still politically sensitive.

source: http://fatihsyuhud.com/

Megawati

Diah Permata Megawati Setiawati Soekarnoputri (born January 23, 1947), was (the fifth) President of Indonesia from July 2001 to October 20, 2004. She was the country’s first female President, and the first Indonesian leader born after independence. She is the daughter of Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno.[1]

Megawati entered politics in 1987 as a candidate of the Indonesian Democratic party (PDI) and served in parliament for 10 years. She was elected head of the PDI for a five-year term in 1993 but was removed in 1996, at which time she formed the Indonesia Democratic party of Struggle (PDI-P). Her party won a plurality in the 1999 parliamentary elections, and she ran unsuccessfully for president the same year.[2]

Despite Megawati’s high profile, her bid for the presidency came under fire because of her gender. In the largest Islamic nation in the world-90 percent of Indonesia’s 200 million inhabitants are Muslim-her opponents claimed that she should not be elected because of her gender. Although Islamic law does not prohibit a woman from leading the country, and religion is not seen as having nearly as much clout as politics in the nation, some were trying to stir public sentiment against the concept. Although Megawati was a practicing Muslim, some were suspicious of how much of an adherent she was, due to her wide support from non-Muslims. Other issues included her three marriages and her lack of a formal degree.

Hours before the assembly vote was scheduled in October 1999, the Golkar party humiliated Habibie by replacing him as a presidential candidate with party chair, Akbar Tanjung, the speaker of the parliament. This change did not make a difference, though. In a surprise shift in support, the assembly voted in Wahid, the Muslim leader respected for his teachings on tolerance and self-respect. The vote was 373 for Wahid, 313 for Megawati, and five abstentions. As predicted, there were outbursts of violence, but not nearly as bad as expected. Megawati appeared on television holding Wahid’s hand, and she commented, according to Mydans, “For the unity of the nation I call on the people of Indonesia to accept the results of the election.”[3]

Wahid encountered numerous problems as president of a resurgent democracy, and in mid-2000 he turned the administration of everyday operations over to her. When the parliament voted the following year to remove Wahid from office, she was chosen as president. She subsequently (2004) failed to win election to the office at the polls, losing to former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.[4]

source: http://fatihsyuhud.com/

Hidayat Nur Wahid

Mr Hidayat Nur Wahid is the chairman of the People Consultative Assemby (MPR). He is also a founder of the Justice Party, now known as the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), a new and influential political party that aims to introduce a more progressive form of Islam in Indonesia. Hidayat, president of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) from 2000-2003, represents a party that increased its percentage of votes for the House of Representatives (DPR) by 650 percent in 2004 over 1999. Although considered an Islamist party in 1999 when its platform was based on the state imposing shari’a for all Muslims, the party dropped that plank in 2004 and ran instead on anti-corruption, transparency and public service. Although receiving only seven percent of the votes in 2004, if its rate of growth continues it will likely be a major party in the legislature in 2009 and will be in a position to field a presidential candidate by 2014 or sooner.

Hidayat was trained as a scholar, not a politician. Born in East Java and schooled at the well-known modernist pesantren in Gontor, he went on to the State Islamic Institute in Yogyakarta and the Islamic University of Madinah, Saudi Arabia, where he spent ten years between the ages of 22 and 32 in a doctorate program and on the faculty. Returning to Indonesia, he has in the last decade been a lecturer, author and leader in Islamic studies and organizations.

Immediately after taking his position as the chairman of MPR, he announced he would shun accommodation in a nearby five-star hotel, pointing out that if all legislators did the same it would save the state billions of rupiah. He also announced he will refuse to accept the state-issued official Volvo sedans. A rare character, low profile, a man of his word, he continues to do what best for Indonesia.

Hamengkubuwana X

Hamengkubuwono X (born 2 April 1946) is the hereditary king of the historical Yogyakarta Sultanate in Indonesia, and is currently also the elected governor of the modern Yogyakarta Special Region. He was inaugurated on 3 October 1998.

According to special status granted to the Yogyakarta state when the Republic of Indonesia was formed, the hereditary king is to hold the position of governor of the province. However, this provision was not honored by the Indonesian central government when Hamengkubuwono X ascended the throne in 1988. The then-serving hereditary vice-governor Sri Paku Alam VIII, prince of an enclave within Yogyakarta, was instead elevated to the position of governor.

In 1998 the central government required an election be held for the post of governor, and Hamengkubuwono X was elected by the province’s assembly.

Background

He was educated in law at the Universitas Gajah Mada in Yogyakarta.

Title
From birth up to marriage: Bendoro Raden Mas Herjuno Darpito
After marriage up to appointment as Crown Prince: Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Haryo (KGPH) Mangkubumi
As Crown Prince: KGPAA Hamengku Negara Sudibyo Raja Putra Nalendra Mataram.
As Sultan: Ngarsa Dalem Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Kangjeng Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono Senapati ing Ngalogo Ngabdurrokhman Sayidin Panatagama Khalifatullah ingkang jumeneng kaping X

Ngaben in Bali

Ngaben is the burning corpse ceremony in Bali. Actually for hindunese, hindu is majority religion in one hundred temple island. In Panca Yadya, this ceremony is in order to Pitra Yadnya, it mean this ceremony give honour for ancestor. The essential of this ceremony is make the ancestor soul come back to heaven. The Pedanda say every human have Bayu, Sabda, Idep it will come back to Bahma, Wisnu, Siwa.

Every family actally do this ceremony if one of them died. It is one form honor from son to they parents. If some one will make this ceremony they should have money 15 until 20 million rupiah. This Ceremony usually become big party. There is no cry, because Bali they believe they can’t cry if one of they family died. Because it make soul of the death people can’t go from the earth.

The Pedanda always search good day for Ngaben ceremony. Many day before ritual Ngaben, many people help the family to make luxurious “Bade and Lembu” from wood, color paper and another thing. “Bade and Lembu” it is the place for corpse in Ngaben.

Before Ngaben begin, the family and many people always gether to make the preparation for Ngaben Ceremony. The fist the family ands society wash the corpse , Balinese say it “Nyiramin”. The elder person in the society lead the “Nyiramin” ritual. After that give the corpse Balinese dress like he still live. Before the big ritual begun. Every family give the last honour and they pray for him. They want gthe soul of the corpse get nice place in heaven. After every thing ready, so the corpse put into “ Bade”. After that every one bring him to the ceremony place, they walk with “gamelan”, “Kidung suci”, dan every family walk together with it. White cloth stay In front of “Bade” , it have mean the key of the new way to heaven. Every branching off way the “Bade” will rotate 3 times. At the Ngaben place, the Ngaben Ceremony begin with put the corps into “Lembu”, if it fixed. The ceremony begin. The Ida Pedanda lead the ceremony with pray, and the last burn the “Lembu” until become dust. This dust will throw way in the holy river.

After this ceremony, the family can pray for they ancestor in the temple. It make Balinese strong. Because they always remember and honour with they ancestor. Beside that they believe if the ancestor soul will be reincarnation. It has mean a grandchild is the reincarnation of they parents.

The Magic of the Kraton: Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is well known as a cultural center and plays an important role in both Javanese and Indonesian history and heritage. There are numerous places of interest to be seen in the city and its surroundings. In some ways, one of the saddest and eeriest of Yogyakarta’s sites of interest is the Water Castle, or Taman Sari. Taman Sari translates as “fragrant garden”. Perhaps when this area was first developed as a pleasure park with bathing pools and areas set aside for quiet contemplation it was a complex of fragrant gardens. Today, it seems like a lost world where time and other development has overrun it. Tucked in behind Yogyakarta’s Kraton and seemingly lost amongst a maze of walkways and cramped houses, the Water Castle can come as something of a surprise and even a shock. Approaching it via the nearby bird market, one is immediately struck by the high and extensive ruin of what once must have been the main building of the palace.

In 1812, during the Javanese War and a British attack on Yogyakarta, the area was considerably damaged. Then in 1865, a powerful earthquake added to the damage, which perhaps led to the general neglect of the Water Castle and state of disrepair as Simon Marcus Gower explains.

Quite noteworthy efforts have been made to restore other parts of the former palace to something resembling their former glory. But for the Water Castle, little effort has been made other than to create a stairway for visitors to climb atop of the ruin and look out across the town.

It is from this high vantage point that it is possible to see how the complex has become intertwined and mixed up with the surrounding houses over the decades, and indeed the centuries.

A series of turret-type towers indicate the position of underground walkways. Tall entrance gates hint at the splendor that once must have been.

Beneath the turrets, various complicated and very well (even beautifully) constructed tunnels have led some to speculate that the area was also conceived as a place of retreat; a safe-haven and hideaway during times of war.

We may not know for sure whether those tunnels were once used for such dramatic and serious purposes — walking through them today, sadly, they appear to have become hideaways for school children who huddle together to smoke cigarettes.

Much of the area seems to exist in an air of mystery, intrigue and uncertainty. It is perhaps the fact that much of it is in ruins that we may use our imaginations and try to conjure up what the Sultan and his entourage would have been doing in this complex during its glory days.

It was Sultan Mangkubumi who had the pools, passageways and tunnels built around the middle of the 18th century. It is said the designer for the complex was a Portuguese architect who had been active in Batavia — what is now Jakarta.

The Sultan allegedly had the architect murdered once the work was completed, in an attempt to hide the whereabouts of secret rooms that were created for the Sultan’s pleasure.

Such a story seems fanciful and certainly enhances the air of mystery and intrigue of the place, but there is no doubt there are many rooms and apparent hiding places around the pools. One room that is not hidden, however, is in the tower that overlooks the pools. From here it seems the Sultan would have viewed his wives bathing in the pools below and then given orders for chosen ones to join him.

This tower, along with significant portions of the pool areas and the elaborate entrance gates to the complex, has undergone recent renovation.

Although conservation of the Water Castle is to be applauded, the restoration work has left an odd feeling which perhaps adds to the sense of eeriness of the place.

The tower and the entrance gates have been carefully worked upon but they have been rendered in a pale-cream color that makes them seem pallid, dull and uninteresting. It leaves the area looking white-washed and bleached in the sun.

The tall gateways have considerable carvings and sculpturing within them but all of this is pale-cream too. Large, crowned stone serpents slither down balustrades and should be giving a sense of grandeur and even awe at entering this place but somehow, because of their lack of color, their impact is lessened.

The gateways are large and all around are high walls that suggest the place could have been something of a fortress. It was the Dutch who, in their times here, called it waterkasteel, or Water Castle, and presumably saw it as a powerful, even intimidating place. But today that power and glory seems long gone.

Trying to imagine the Sultan and his entourage at play in the pools of this pleasure park is not so easy today. The pools are empty; in some parts devoid of water save for what appear to be puddles formed from rainfall.

Still, though, one cannot help but wonder and speculate what might once have been. The Water Castle’s ruined state portrays a general sadness and a loss, but the beauty of the labyrinthine underground tunnels and passageways along with the impressive gateways and their sculpturing suggests that what once was here must have really been amazing.

Today it is still quite something, too, but it is an eerie, almost ghostly place of times long gone and souls long departed.

Source: http://www.indonesialogue.com/

Prambanan Temple (Hindu Temple)

The Prambanan temple is the biggest and a most beautiful Hindu temple about 20 minutes from Yogyakarta city. This magnificent Shivaite temple derives its name from the village where it is located. Locally known as the Loro Jongrang temple, or the temple of the “Slender Virgin” it is reputed to be the biggest and most beautiful Hindu Temple in Indonesia.


17 kilometers east of Yogyakarta, the temple is believed to have been built by King Balitung Maha Sambu in the middle of the ninth century


Its parapets are adorned with a bas-reliefs depicting the famous Ramayana story. It has eight shrines, of which the three main ones are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma (all are manifestations of God in Hindu). The main temple of Shiva rises to a high of 130 feet and houses the magnificent statue of Shiva’s consort, Durga.

Prambanan Temple is beautiful temple, in fact, it is a group of temples. The biggest temple dedicated to Shiva (one of manifestation of God) with two other smaller ones, on its right and on its left, dedicated to Brahma and Wisnhu (manifestation of God) respectively. Reliefs decorating the walls of the temple depict the story of Ramayana

Borobudur

Borobudur is a ninth-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.[1] A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). During the journey the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.

Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the fourteenth century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam.[2] Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the then British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3] Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument, and Borobudur is Indonesia’s single most visited tourist attraction.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur

Baturaden

Indonesia is a country renowned for its fabulous and sometimes all too volatile mountains and volcanoes. The mountain known as Slamet in Central Java has been among these renowned and volatile peaks relatively recently and as one travels toward the resort area of Baturaden one is a little in awe of its great width and height.

The mountain looms up ahead — broad, massive and phenomenally powerful looking. Clouds drift by the mid-section of the mountain and as one travels along the road from the nearby town of Purwokerto it is apparent that the road is constantly climbing upward toward the foothills of this great mountain range as Simon Marcus Gower explains further.

Slamet itself soars to a quite staggering height of some 3,432 meters but Baturaden lies only perhaps a third of the way up this great height. But even from this height, sweeping views of the surrounding countryside and towns and villages lying below can be gained.

Baturaden is, then, high up enough on the slopes of Slamet to look back down on lower lying parts but there is plenty to attract the eye within the park and resort area here. There are various hotels and villas that provide accommodation right outside the park area of Baturaden and they are there because the park attracts many visitors.

The park itself has a variety of attractions that may appeal to a range of interests. Entering the park through a dark stone gateway one is immediately struck by its cleanliness and well-kept appearance. Having passed through the gate, the seemingly ever climbing hills come into view.

Moving on into the park one of the first areas that is reached is a stretch of waterfalls and hefty rock formations over which the mountain water tumbles. At a huge outcrop of rock the water drops down a height of between 15 and 20 meters. It is here that local youths try to provide some entertainment and make some money at the same time.

They stand at the top of the waterfall and call out to visitors. In trying to attract attention they then straddle the waterfall and offer to jump down the waterfall for the visitors’ apparent entertainment and once safely in the clear water below, they will swim to collect their small jumping/diving fee from the visitors.
This seems a dangerous way to make a little money as the rocks look jagged and the water hardly seems deep enough for diving.

Not too far away are calmer and safer waters in which to swim. Swimming pools are dotted around the park area and just a short walk across a bridge down from the waterfalls is a small swimming pool.

This pool features the spiraling water booms that are so popular with children and so is typically busy with families crowding around. Perhaps an even more leisurely water pursuit is not too far away from here either.

But to reach Baturaden’s best spots takes some stamina and strength as it is an area of undulating landscapes. Thus, although places are but a stone’s throw away, it may be necessary to climb up slopes or up stairways cut into the hillsides in order to get to them.

But a short climb away from the swimming pool is a small and placid lake. Here two-seater pedal boats can be hired and taken out onto to the water. The waters here though are not entirely placid as they are quite heavily stocked with large fish that will aggressively snap at any snacks thrown their way.

The environment here is, however, very attractive — with slopes covered with fine grass tumbling down to the water and an array of palm trees and colorful plants and shrubs creating a highly exotic surrounding.

Further on up the slopes there is a small zoo, but it somehow seems odd to view nature behind bars when all around there are signs of nature that is free and so much more appealing.
The zoo, though, can be a place of fascination for smaller children.

The more adventurous visitors might set off for more challenging trekking and climbs nearer the great heights of this mountain range but great climbs and strains do not need to be the order of the day when visiting Baturaden. It is possible to keep cool and simply relax here.

The area is sufficiently large so that, even at busy times, quieter spots can be found. One particularly attractive corner of the park is an area of undulating slopes that are generously covered in fine blades of grass and have attractive shade trees.

From an area such as this it is possible to view thickly forested slopes that dramatically sweep down to valleys and troughs in the surrounding countryside. Also, in quieter parts of the park like this, it is possible to rent mats on which to rest and relax and even enjoy a picnic.

One aspect of an area like this that can be a little disturbing, however, is the apparently hollow nature of the ground beneath one’s feet. Should a child go running by it feels as though the weight of that child’s footfalls are more like the weight of a giant’s.

While much of the hillside area that is Baturaden is made up of rocky outcrops — one can imagine volcanic activity blasting into existence — there are also areas of earth that are soft and rather hollow and, so too, much more vulnerable and fragile.

In some ways then Baturaden is an area of contrasts. In parts it is made up of quiet scenic and attractive greenery, in others it is made up of rocky and jagged vistas that reflect the volcanic power of Slamet that looms large above.

There are peaceful parts of Baturaden that allow the visitor to enjoy cooler mountain air and look down on the sweeping views across the surrounding countryside. Yet still, there are the “play” and “entertainment” areas such as swimming pools and side shows where children may be noisily at play.

Whether then it is noisy fun that is being sought or quieter cooling and calmer times, Baturaden seems to be able to accommodate. But it is perhaps the cooling climbs more than anything else that set Baturaden apart. The fresh, clean and cool air offers relief and revitalization.