Demak: A Javanese town of Islamic saints

Demak: A Javanese town of Islamic saints

By Wahyuni Kamah

DEMAK, Central Java (JP): Traveling by public bus to Demak
from Semarang, the capital of Central Java, you will pass along
the only highway along the coast of north Java -- popularly known
as Jalur Pantai Utara Jawa, or Pantura.

For the 22 kilometers from Semarang to Demak, the highway is
busy with trucks carrying cargo, intercity buses and cars. The
typical view as you drive along Pantura highway is of houses and
vendors' stands on each side of the road. You can either take an
air-conditioned bus plying the Semarang-Surabaya route, or an
economy-class bus for Rp 1,400 one way. The bus drivers generally
exceed the speed limit, but most of the passengers do not seem to
mind.

A sign proclaiming Demak Kota Wali, which means Demak City of
Saints, greets you at the entrance of this small town. Demak is
noted for the Wali Songo -- the nine Islamic saints who together
were largely responsible for spreading Islam throughout Java.

After arriving at the small and uncrowded bus terminal, I
decided to visit the famous Great Demak Mosque -- believed to be
the first mosque in Java -- which is near the town square and
only a few meters from the bus terminal. Although only a short
walk from the terminal, the hot midday sun convinced me it was
better to take a becak (pedicab), the town's main mode of
transportation.

The front of the mosque is very simple looking. The serambi
(roofed porch) reminded me of Javanese architecture, with its
unique three-tiered roof. There is a tower by the gate, the
appearance of which indicates it was built after the mosque was
constructed. Most of the ground of the courtyard is covered by
concrete blocks, with a few trees in between.

The porch of the mosque is the ideal place to relax on a hot
day, and there are always lots of people taking advantage of this
cool spot. The serambi, which was constructed during the period
of the second sultanate of Demak, is supported by eight
meticulously carved wooden pillars. It is said that the pillars
were a gift from the last king of Majapahit, Brawijaya V, to his
son, the sultan of Demak. Two large drums and two kentongan
(gong) are situated on the porch. A number of ceramic plates have
been placed in the wall.

Founded by Babad Demak in 1477, the main feature of the mosque
is the 31-meter-long by 31-meter-wide main room, which has wooden
doors that have been painted green.

You are not allowed to take photographs inside the mosque and,
like in other mosques, women must dress properly and cover their
heads. Inside the mosque men and women use separate areas to
pray, and the areas are divided by a curtain. While some men were
praying and reciting the Koran, I spoke with a woman who had
traveled a long way to pray here. She said she wanted to seek
blessings by praying in the Great Demak Mosque.

Pillars

The historical and legendary part of the mosque are the four
wooden pillars, called the soko guru, that support the wooden
roof of the mosque. These pillars are named after the Walis who
participated in the construction of the mosque: Sunan Ampel,
Sunan Bonang, Sunan Gunungjati and Sunan Kalijaga.

It is said that one of the pillars was made of tatal, or
pieces of wood held together by metal bands. This would have been
the work of Sunan Kalijaga, who was known as soko guru tatal. It
was believed he used his metaphysical powers to make tatal.

The original four soko guru were replaced with replica's in
1983 and now reside in a museum in the mosque compound.

One of the Walis, Sunan Kalijaga, was also famous for
correcting the direction of the kiblat (the direction of Mecca)
of the mosque, which is usually marked by a mihrab (niche in a
mosque wall facing Mecca).

Islamic power

The mosque was the symbol of Islamic power and a place where
the Walis discussed many subjects.

Indonesia's most distinguished ulema, Prof. Hamka, once said
that Wali Songo's legacy was the philosophical and symbolic way
in which the mosque was created. This was first revealed when the
mosque was renovated in 1507.

"The five doors of the mosque symbolize the five pillars of
Islam, the six windows symbolize the six pillars of Iman (faith)
and the three-tiered roof symbolizes Islam (the lower), Iman (the
middle) and Ihsan (good deeds, at the top)," said the museum
guide, Solihin.

The very top of the mosque is called the mastaka. It
symbolizes the makrifat, or esoteric knowledge of God. The year
the mosque was constructed is revealed in a picture on its
mihrab. The picture was made according to the Javanese calendar,
and it shows the year of construction as 1479.

People come to the mosque compound not only to pray, but also
to visit the graves of the first king of the Islamic kingdom in
Java, Raden Patah, and his followers. The graves are situated at
the rear of the mosque. Raden Patah, the son of Brawijaya V, king
of the Buddhist Majapahit kingdom, together with a princess from
Campa, a kingdom in Southeast Asia, founded Demak as the center
of the Islamic kingdom in Java. This was in the beginning of the
16th century, at the same time Raden Patah became the first
sultan of Demak.

In its golden period, the sphere of influence of the sultanate
of Demak reached as far as Banjar, Kalimantan. The sultanate also
ceaselessly fought against the colonial Portuguese.

The collection in the small museum also includes photos and
objects passed down from Sunan Kalijaga, the mosque's cofounder.
The most memorable object in the collection is a drum, known as
bedug Sunan Kalijaga. Kalijaga introduced the bedug as a way to
summon people to pray, who would come to the mosque when they
heard the sound of the drum.

Solihin said the mosque compound is visited by about 2,000
people every day, except for during the fasting month of
Ramadhan.

Most people making the journey to Demak come on tour packages.
Besides visiting the mosque, they also visit the grave of Sunan
Kalijaga in Kadilangu. Demak residents have named the grave Makam
Kadilangu, and it is located about two kilometers from the
mosque.

After the Ashar prayer, throngs of local women come to the
mosque. In a few minutes, the empty serambi is again filled with
women who have come to recite the Koran together or just to
listen. The mosque is never empty.