Batutulis story: Retracing Sunda's cultural heritage

Batutulis story: Retracing Sunda's cultural heritage

Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In 1533, the king of the Sunda kingdom, Surawisesa Jayaperkosa,
erected a monument marking the 12th anniversary of his father's
death in an elaborate sraddha ceremony, which is a Hindu
tradition.

Almost 470 years later, Minister of Religious Affairs Said
Agiel Munawar dug around the monument and under the inscribed
stone in the misguided belief that a treasure could be found
there, which would be enough to repay the country's US$130
billion in domestic and foreign debts, so he said.

Outrage, ridicule and contempt followed the minister's actions
-- which he said were based on a tip from a "wise man" -- from
the President, the Sundanese community, the archaeological
community and the general public.

But what exactly is this monument that everybody is talking
about, and why all the fuss about a stone?

The monument may not be much to look at: It is just a slab of
stone inscribed with nine lines of Kawi script in the ancient
Sundanese language, but its meaning and role in Sundanese culture
and history go beyond measure.

Located in a village in Bogor, West Java, which bears the same
name as the monument, the Batutulis inscription tells of the
great deeds of King Sri Baduga Maharaja Ratu Haji of the Sunda
kingdom, whose capital was called Pakuan Pajajaran.

The king, who reigned from 1482 to 1521, was said to have
ordered a moat to be built around his capital to protect it from
invading Islamic kingdoms. He also had built a network of roads
made of rocks for easier traveling, and he established a
protected forested area.

Sri Baduga, also known as King Siliwangi, also ordered the
construction of hills -- believed now to be the Badigul hills of
Rancamaya, West Java -- to represent the sacred Gede Mountain,
and a lake to represent the sacred Lake Warna (Telaga Warna), for
the Hindu religious ceremonies of his people.

"I suppose he thought that to worship the gods, it would be
easier for his people if he replicated the sacred mountain and
lake closer to his capital, rather than going to far-away Mount
Gede and then to Telaga Warna," a senior archaeologist from the
University of Indonesia, Ayatrohaedi, said.

Apart from the king's deeds, the inscription also mentions two
of the king's ancestors, his father King Dewa Niskala, who
reigned from 1475 to 1482, and his grandfather King Wastu
Kancana, who sat on the throne from 1371 to 1475.

"It is very important to uncover the complete history of the
Sunda kingdom," another University of Indonesia senior
archaeologist, Hasan Djafar, explained.

The Sunda kingdom's history goes back to at least the 10th
century, according to the Kebon Kopi inscription dated 932 A.D.,
Hasan said, adding that the kingdom's capital was often moved
according to the whims of the king, including to Cirebon and
Kawali in Ciamis.

Sri Baduga was the sixth king to have reigned at Pakuan
Pajajaran, which was established in 1340 by King Ragamulya, his
great-great grandfather.

King Ragamulya's son and Sri Baduga's great grandfather,
Linggabuana, died in the famous Bubat war in 1357 against the
Majapahit King Hayam Wuruk.

"Linggabuana refused to give away his daughter to the Javanese
king, and according to the Sundanese, he upheld the people's
dignity by doing so, that's why he was called Prabu Wangi and all
kings after him Siliwangi (he that replaces Prabu Wangi),"
Ayatrohaedi, who is also Sundanese, said.

At the peak of its power, the Sunda kingdom had six major
seaports along the north coast of West Java, the most important
of which was Sunda Kalapa, which in later times developed into
Jakarta.

Ayatrohaedi said that after Sri Baduga's death, the later
kings faced the threat of Islamic kingdoms' expansions, such as
that from Banten.

"That's one of the reasons why a treasure is so unreasonable.
The kings couldn't possibly have had enough time to bury any
because they were constantly under fire," he said.

Under this threat, Sri Baduga's son Surawisesa (1521-1535)
signed an agreement with the Portuguese, who by then had captured
Malaka, to establish a godown and fort at Sunda Kalapa in return
for protection against the Islamic army. The agreement was
commemorated with a stone monument -- the padrao -- dated 1522.

Unfortunately, before the Portuguese could initiate the
agreement, the port was taken over by Muslim leader Fatahillah in
1527.

The kingdom finally declined after 1576 during the reign of
Ragamula Surya Kancana, due to Islamic influence.

The area around the Batutulis inscription is believed to be
the location of Pakuan Pajajaran, the capital of the Sunda
kingdom, where at least five keraton (palaces) existed.

Hasan said that according to reports by the Dutch East India
Company (VOC), the inscribed stone was known to the Dutch since
at least 1687, and that besides the Batutulis inscribed stone,
ruins of the former city wall, city gate, statues and various
ancient buildings could also be found in the area.

In fact, Pakuan Pajajaran was believed to have stretched from
the Cisadane River in the south to the Ciliwung River in the
north, an area much larger than the present five-meter-by-five-
meter boundary of the Batutulis site.

"Nobody should be allowed to dig in that area at all, because
according to law, the site is a location that contains or is
presumed to contain items of cultural heritage, together with the
surroundings, which require safeguarding," Hasan, also a
Sundanese, said.

Both Hasan and Ayatrohaedi plan to make an archaeological
research proposal to the government to find out the extent of
Pakuan Pajajaran, which would include a surface survey, satellite
imaging and excavations.

"Our heritage is very important to us, and even if he (Said
Agiel) did find treasure, he would not be allowed to sell it, not
the heritage of our ancestors," Ayatrohaedi said.

Law No. 5/1992 concerning Items of Cultural Property

Article 26: Whosoever intentionally damages or destroys items of
cultural property or the site together with the immediate
surroundings in which such property is located, or brings, moves,
takes away, or changes the shape, form and/or color, restores, or
dismantles part of the items of cultural property or valuable
items without the permission of the government shall be subject
to a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or a maximum fine of Rp
100 million.