~Advertorial -- Sept 19

~Advertorial -- Sept 19

The glory of Kutai dates back to 4th century

Kutai is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited areas of
Indonesia. History reveals that a Hindu Kutai kingdom existed in
the fourth century, more than 500 years before the magnificent
Borobudur Temple in Central Java was built.

In the fourth century, historical records in India referred
to Kutai as Quetaire, meaning forest. While in the ninth century,
China reported a trade mission to Kho They, which means Big
Kingdom or Big City. It is believed that Kho They was a
reference to Kutai.

The close ties between Kutai and India were confirmed with the
discovery of archeological artifacts in Kutai in the form of
Yupa, or Hindu-Indian stone monuments, with inscriptions written
in Sanskrit. Later, ceramics from the Tang, Ming and Ching
dynasties of China were also discovered.

The Kutai Kingdom was located in Muara Kaman, Martapura, at
the upper end of the Mahakam River, and was also called the
Kingdom of Kutai Mulawarman, or Kutai Martapura, or Kutai
Martadipura.

Another Kutai Kingdom was believed to have been established in
the 13th century in a village called Old Kutai at the lower
course of the river, and was called Kutai Kartanegara. Old Kutai
used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Kutai Kartanegara, but
in the later development it was moved to Tenggarong, which is now
the capital of Kutai Kartanegara Regency.

The record of this Kutai Kingdom was first mentioned in the
book Negara Kertagama, written by Mpu Prapanca in 1365 for King
Hayam Wuruk of the Majapahit Kingdom. Kutai was referred to as
Tunjung Kute. It is not clear whether Kutai was an independent
kingdom or under the power of the Majapahit, which at that time
ruled various parts of the archipelago.

There are several theories about the establishment of Kutai
Kartanegara. One says that it was set up by a local tribal chief,
while another says it was established by a Hindu-Javanese
official from South Kalimantan.

A legend told among the Kutai people says that the kingdom was
established by Aji Bhatara Agung Dewa Sakti. It was the gods
themselves who brought him to earth when he was still a baby boy.
The baby was put in a golden ball and handed over to a village
head. Meanwhile, another village head found a baby girl floating
among the foam of the Mahakam River. The girl, Putri Karang
Melenu, later became Aji Bhatara's wife. One day, when he was
traveling, Putri Karang felt so lonely she jumped into the river.
The king was so sad that he also threw himself into the water.

Their child, Aji Bhatara Agung Paduka Nira, became the second
king and was married to Putri Paduka Suri. According to legend,
when she was still a baby, she was found among the bamboo by a
local public figure, who adopted her as his own child.

Islam began to enter the kingdom when it was ruled by the
sixth king, Pangeran Aji Mahkota Mulia (1525-1600). The religion
spread quickly and brought a change in the administration. In the
18th century, the kingdom became a sultanate and was ruled by a
sultan, who no longer held absolute power.

After the Dutch colonial government left and Indonesia gained
its independence, the power of the sultan began to fade.

In the 1960s, Sultan Aji Muhammad Parikesit, the 19th king of
Kutai, who was the recipient of a prestigious award from Queen
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, was detained by the authorities
during the Sukarno era.

The sultanate was abolished and the splendid keraton, built by
Parikesit in 1936, was turned into a museum, now called Museum
Mulawarman. The West European-style keraton was designed by Dutch
architects and resembles Bogor Palace in Bogor, West Java.

Years went by. In 1999 Kutai regency obtained autonomy from
the central government and later its regent, Syaukani HR,
allocated Rp 11.7 billion to restore the sultanate. A new keraton
was built and last year Adji Mohamad Salehoeddin II, now 84 years
old, was inaugurated as the sultan.

Last year, during the Erau Festival and Keraton Festival, the
sultan officially named his son, Adji Muhamad Arifin, 52, as the
crown prince and gave him the title of Adji Pangeran Dipati
Soerja Diningrat.

Syaukani, who is also the rector of Kutai Kartanegara
University, wrote in his book, Kerajaan Kutai Kartanegara
(Kingdom of Kutai Kartanegara), that the idea to rebuild the
keraton had nothing to do with feudalism.

"We want to restore the pride of Kutai as the cultural center
of the oldest administration in the country. It is also to fix
the broken chain of the history of Kutai Kartanegara, so that our
children will be able to follow the history from one generation
to another generation," he said.

He also said the sultanate should be restored to conserve the
keraton culture, which is on the brink of extinction. And, of
course, to attract tourists.