Ampel, destination for tourism, prayer

Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

All of a sudden, several men aged around 26, sitting at the entrance to Jl. Nyamplungan, Ampel, Surabaya, got up and approached The Jakarta Post.

In a slightly angry tone, the men, pointing to the warning sign put up at the entrance of the road, told a journalist to get off his motorcycle.

"Don't ride when you enter this area," one of them said, in a rather angry and loud voice.

The sign had been erected at the entrance of the road, which is wide enough for only one automobile, to ensure that every guest to the area complies with it. None of the residents of the area know how long the motorcycling prohibition has existed.

Mohammad Anis, a senior journalist in Surabaya and a villager, said the prohibition had been in force long before he moved to the area.

There are several stories about why the prohibition was introduced. According to one, some kind of prohibition was first introduced in the 1800s when the first immigrants from Hadramaut, Yemen, settled in the village.

There is another story, however, saying that the regulation was put in effect to show respect for the grave of Sunan Ampel, a pious Muslim leader who helped spread Islam through parts of Java, whose grave is located not far from Nyamplungan village, Surabaya.

"God only knows when this prohibition was first introduced. The point, however, is that the people from Hadramaut do not like noise," said Anis, who is now in his 50s and has written a book about an overland haj pilgrimage journey, including a visit to Yemen for six months in 1990.

As other migrants have settled in this village of people of Hadramaut origin in Ampel, he noted, the prohibition was often ignored. People passing through the village often sped through on their motorcycles, making a loud revving sound.

That was why anyone riding a motorcycle into town and wishing to enter the village would be given warnings.

Pickpockets and vendors

Abdillah Abdulkadir Alaydrus, a sarong vendor from Ampel, regretted the fact that migrants of non-Hadramaut origin often ignored the prohibition. There was an impression, he said, that the area, known as the Arabian village, was no longer safe because many pickpockets lurked there.

Their victims were not local people, but outsiders who come to for devotional visits to the grave of Sunan Ampel.

"The presence of these pickpockets has tarnished the religious image of the village. Many outsiders complain about things being stolen from them while praying in the graveyard of Sunan Ampel," he said.

Another regrettable thing for Abdillah is the fact that the village has now become dirty because of the litter left by sidewalk vendors.

The cleanliness and security of this place were supposed to be well maintained, because in 2004 it was named by the Surabaya municipal administration as one of the area's religious tourism attractions.

"Unfortunately, the local administration has yet to pay proper attention to these two matters. Many tourists, particularly foreigners from Europe or Asian countries, complain of the lack of cleanliness here," said Abdillah.

Tourists believe that they can receive a blessing by visiting the grave.

It is also for this reason that government officials and politicians often visit, including candidates competing in elections as the Surabaya municipality head did in the recent elections.

Likewise, before the previous presidential election, several presidential candidates, like Wiranto and Megawati Soekarnoputri, also went there.

Rahmatullah of Sumenep, Madura, said that as he and his wife had been blessed with a child after making a visit, he prayed there every week. He added that his brothers also went there to pray before taking university entrance exams or going to job interviews.

If one visits Ampel, they will not only see the Sunan Ampel grave but also enjoy the sight of several old buildings in Javanese architectural style, most of whose occupants are descendants of immigrants from Hadramaut.

The buildings have similarities to those in Sana'a and Saiyun, two Yemeni cities from which Hadramaut immigrants, often with family names like Al Attas, Al Jufri, Baraja, Bawazier, Al Habsyi, Al Katiri and Assegaf, originated.

The main difference is that these people do not wear khutrokh, tight turbans usually worn by Yemenis.

If you visit Ampel, you can buy cloth, dates and everything you will need for Islamic ritual prayers. These are obtainable in Ampel and more inexpensive than they are in Saudi Arabia.

No wonder many haj pilgrims go to Ampel to buy souvenirs for their relatives upon their return from Saudi Arabia.