Javanese sacred places
Encyclopedia
Javanese Sacred Places are locations on the Island of Java, Indonesia that have significance from either village level through to national level as sacred
, and in most cases deserve visitation--usually within the context of ziarah regardless of the ethnicity or religion
of the visitor. The dominant form for many places is a grave
, or a place associated with persons considered to have special attributes in the past--like Wali Sanga
or Royalty
.
In some areas in Java, the tell-tale sign that a place has been ascribed sacred or special, is either traces of burnt incense (kemenyan) or flower petals.
and Indonesian
for these places are:
Other terms that might be used
Although there is no necessary set pattern, and each individuals pilgrimage is a very personal one, even if travelling with a group--there can be a roughly three tiered hierarchy of Javanese Sacred Places.
or Islamic Saints of Java), or of more recent dates--national heroes of the last 100 years or so, and leaders and 'special people'.
Some examples:
Natural sites - such as trees, rock outcrops, and springs carry significant folklore
, some of which is collected and published.
that sees roads blocked by eager pilgrims clogging the transport networks of Java.
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
, and in most cases deserve visitation--usually within the context of ziarah regardless of the ethnicity or religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
of the visitor. The dominant form for many places is a grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
, or a place associated with persons considered to have special attributes in the past--like Wali Sanga
Wali Sanga
The Wali Sanga are revered saints of Islam in Indonesia, especially on the island of Java, because of their historic role in the Spread of Islam in Indonesia. The word wali is Arabic for "trusted one" or "friend of God" , while the word songo is Javanese for the number nine...
or Royalty
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
.
Form
The tendency has been for graves to equate to sacred places, but the full range can include (and this list is not exhaustive)- Caves (GoaGoaGoa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
or Gua) - Trees, or a group of trees (Pohon or Hutan)
- Springs
- Rock OutcropOutcropAn outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
s - Remains of old buildings/structures
- Man made fixed structures - buildings, and ruins
- Kraton structures are considered sacred
- Places of rest of Islamic saints or legendary characters
In some areas in Java, the tell-tale sign that a place has been ascribed sacred or special, is either traces of burnt incense (kemenyan) or flower petals.
Terminology
Common expressions in JavaneseJavanese language
Javanese language is the language of the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia. In addition, there are also some pockets of Javanese speakers in the northern coast of western Java...
and Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
for these places are:
- Pundhen short for pepundhen
- Tempat Keramat
- Tempat Ziarah
Other terms that might be used
- petilasan - traces - of ancestors.
Although there is no necessary set pattern, and each individuals pilgrimage is a very personal one, even if travelling with a group--there can be a roughly three tiered hierarchy of Javanese Sacred Places.
National
The graves of national and regional heroes and significant people--either of distant historic nature (the graves of the Wali SangaWali Sanga
The Wali Sanga are revered saints of Islam in Indonesia, especially on the island of Java, because of their historic role in the Spread of Islam in Indonesia. The word wali is Arabic for "trusted one" or "friend of God" , while the word songo is Javanese for the number nine...
or Islamic Saints of Java), or of more recent dates--national heroes of the last 100 years or so, and leaders and 'special people'.
Some examples:
- The graves of the WaliWaliWalī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
, Sunan KalijagaSunan KalijagaSunan Kalijaga , born as Raden Mas Said son of a Regent of Tuban in East Java, Indonesia, was one of the "nine saints" of Islam . Initially a grass salesman, the "Kalijaga" title was derived from an orchard known as "Kalijaga" in Cirebon. Other accounts suggest the name derives from his hobby of... - The grave of Sultan AgungSultan Agung of MataramSultan Agung of Mataram or Sultan Agung Anyokrokusumo or Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo was the Sultan of Mataram from 1613-1645...
at ImogiriImogiriImogiri is a royal graveyard complex in Yogyakarta, in south-central Java, Indonesia, as well as a modern village located near the graveyard in Bantul regency. Imogiri is a traditional resting place for the royalty of central Java, including many rulers of the Sultanate of Mataram and of the... - The grave of SukarnoSukarnoSukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
in BlitarBlitarBlitar is a city which is the capital of a regency with the same name in East Java, Indonesia, about 73 kilometers from Malang and 167 kilometers from Surabaya. The area lies within longitude 111° 40' - 112° 09' East and its latitude is 8° 06' South... - National Heroes cemetery in KalibataKalibataKalibata is a kelurahan , part of Pancoran which is itself a subdistrict of South Jakarta, Indonesia.-Cemetery:...
, JakartaJakartaJakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... - BorobudurBorobudurBorobudur, or Barabudur, is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument near 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...
Regional
The graves and sites related to regionally significant figures who might be ethnically or regionally specific, rather than of national significance.- Graves of local officials
- Graves of local families related to the Palaces, such as YogyakartaYogyakarta (city)Yogyakarta is a city in the Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. It is renowned as a centre of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry, and puppet shows. Yogyakarta was the Indonesian capital during the Indonesian National Revolution from 1945 to...
, SurakartaSurakartaSurakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
Local
The graves relating specifically to an individual--one's parents' graves, or grandparents' graves. Also sites within the localities of one's birth, or the graves of one's parents.Natural sites - such as trees, rock outcrops, and springs carry significant folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, some of which is collected and published.
The Networks
Considering the population of Java, and the potential to have a wide variation of the significances and networks of places that might be important to an individual, it is possible to think of Java as having a vast network of places that are situated within a complex array of visitations at the time of Idul FitriEid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
that sees roads blocked by eager pilgrims clogging the transport networks of Java.