Do-it-yourself tourism in Trowulan

Do-it-yourself tourism in Trowulan

If you've been bumped in Borobudur, pressured at Prambanan and
fleeced at both, don't despair. There's one place left where the
splendid history of Java can be savored in solitude. The Jakarta
Post contributor Duncan Graham reports from Trowulan.

The problem with this story is that it's giving away secrets;
fortunately readers of The Jakarta Post are discerning. I know
you'll treat this information as exclusive and will only pass it
on to the right people.

Trowulan is a little village about an hour's drive from
Surabaya. It's now of no economic or administrative importance
but it was once the capital of the mighty kingdom of Majapahit
whose power is said to have extended beyond the present
boundaries of Indonesia.

Although this Hindu-Buddhist golden age lasted for almost
1,000 years, the apogee was probably during the 14th century
reign of Hayum Wuruk. However the architect of the might of
Majapahit was his Machiavellian prime minister, Gajah Mada. His
specialities were palace intrigues, regicide and military ambush
mixed with diplomacy and manipulation -- all essential
ingredients for success.

Volcanic explosions, family feuds, internecine brawls, the
coming of Islam, disastrous wars and plain lousy management after
Gajah Mada's death all contributed to the kingdom's downfall.
The survivors fled to Bali and by 1520 the Big M was no more. A
century later when the Dutch arrived most Javanese were Muslims.

Fast-forward to the early 19th century and the brief British
rule of the more refined Stamford Raffles. His interest in
history and culture helped uncover many of the lost treasures
smothered by ash and overgrown by jungle.
Some, like Borobudur, have since been grossly trampled into
commercial submission. So far Trowulan has escaped that curse.

Tourism 'infrastructure' absent

But there are downsides; no hawkers harassing you with glossy
publications -- but no English texts to explain the past. No
hustlers with kitsch trinkets -- but no minibuses with AC to take
you hither and yon. The infrastructure of the hospitality
industry is absent; Trowulan is strictly "do-it-yourself"
tourism.

That's really no problem. Here are some tips: Base yourself
in Surabaya where the hotels are plentiful and excellent value,
particularly during weekdays. (Up to half the price of Jakarta
and the service is better -- but don't spread it around.) There
are no hotels in Trowulan and those in nearby Mojokerto are
mainly for commercial travellers.

A good-quality hire car with AC and driver will cost about Rp
250,000 for a 12-hour day, or you can use public transport which
is more fun, cheap and certainly fast. (It's also scary, but keep
that to yourself.)

Arrive in Trowulan around 7 am and hire a becak. You have to
bargain but rip-offs are rare; budget Rp 25,000 plus meals for a
half day. The major sites are scattered with an average gap of
three kilometers between "tourism objects" as the clumsy official
guides say.

There are 16 attractions. The land is level and the silent
ride along shady lanes flanked by fields of corn is pure delight.
By car there's no chance to catch the smells of fresh produce and
feel the early morning breeze; by the time you've spotted a
warung serving thick Javanese coffee your vehicle has whizzed on.

Where to start? The choice is yours. There's the robust and
well-weathered Candi Brahu which may hold the cremated remains of
a Brawijaya king or kings, or the marvelously slender red-brick
Candi Bajang Ratu. Built around 1350 this is a professionally
preserved winged gateway standing 16 meters high and in a lovely
landscaped setting.

Just down the road is the sadly named Candi Tikus or Rat
Temple. This has little to do with rodents other than the fact
that the site was discovered when a rats' nest was excavated.
This was once a ritual bathing place and it has been competently
restored.

The people who built Trowulan were skilled hydraulic engineers
who constructed dams and canals to control floods and deliver
water through terracotta pipes during droughts. Opposite the
museum is a 6.5-hectare artificial lake; the legend claims the
kings of Majapahit entertained royal visitors here and when the
meals -- served on plates of gold -- were finished
the dishes were tossed overboard.

Understandably, this gesture mightily impressed the visitors.
("You'll never guess what! That Majapahit mob are so-o-o rich
they can't even be bothered to do the dishes! Better not get on
their wrong side.") Once the guests had left to spread the
awesome word divers were hired to recover the well-rinsed plates.

The museum (entrance fee Rp 2,500 at Trowulan -- US$ 10, or
about Rp 100,000 at Borobudur) is worth a couple of hours and the
friendly guides are proud of their collection even if its
provenance is not always clear.

Terracotta-era technology

If you can't speak Indonesian recruit an English-language
student to act as interpreter. There's no harga bule (foreign
visitor surcharge), no touts or souvenir sellers to mar the
experience and the inevitable busloads of school kids are never
the suffocating size of those encountered around Yogya.

One of the many joys of Trowulan is to wonder at the advanced
metal, wood, stone and ceramic technology of the age, sometimes
called the terracotta era. In the fields nearby hand-made bricks
are still being produced using the technology of 800 years ago.
To lay these with precision required a thorough understanding of
mathematics, physics and measurement.

The cattle plodding the padi still ring their presence with
bells designed by the Majapahit. The riders of local ponies push
their feet into the same style of stirrups found on the museum
shelves. These artifacts sit alongside clay piggy banks and
water pots identical to those in the town market. Also for sale
in the town are bronze handicrafts -- another skill from the
past.

The word candi is widely used and usually translated as
"temple"; in fact, it's now a label for almost any historical
site. Some, like Gentong, are still being excavated; their
original purpose is not always clear. Although the houses of
common people made of wood and bamboo have not survived, the
museum has ancient clay models of these structures along with
figurines of the folk.

Some features are clearly Arab and Chinese, indicating a
multicultural society. The few remaining original sculptures of
Gajah Mada show a plump-lipped, round-faced fearsome figure. To
the outsider he bears little resemblance to modern Javanese, but
to the friendly locals he's one of them, and a national hero.

Whether these are factual portraits or artists' flattery will
never be known; what is for certain is that this brilliant
politician united the many islands of the archipelago through
force or treaty to create a major power equal, some claim, to the
Roman Empire.

The seat of this grand epoch is still accessible and unspoilt
-- at Trowulan.