Indonesian Tycoon Ong Hok Liong's Pilgrimage to Mount Kawi and the Birth of a Cigarette Empire

Jakarta - Mount Kawi in Malang Regency, East Java, has long been known as a pilgrimage destination believed by some to bring good fortune, particularly in business. One entrepreneur who regularly visited the site was Ong Hok Liong, the founder of the Bentoel cigarette company, who later became a millionaire.

Historian George Quinn recounts the story in his 2021 book, Wali Berandal Tanah Jawa. Ong frequently visited Mount Kawi to seek blessings from the graves of Eyang Jugo and Iman Soedjono for his business success.

One of his most famous visits occurred around 1954. At the time, Ong owned a cigarette factory named Strootjes-Fabriek Ong Hok Liong, which was struggling to gain traction. During his pilgrimage, he fell asleep near the tomb and dreamt of a pile of ubi talas, or taro root.

Upon waking, he asked the tomb custodian for an interpretation. The custodian suggested the dream was a sign from Eyang Jugo that Ong should change the name of his factory and cigarette brand. Following this advice, Ong renamed his business Bentoel, the local term for taro.

Whether by coincidence or fate, the decision marked a turning point. Sales surged, and the company expanded rapidly, employing around 3,000 workers before 1960 and becoming one of Indonesia’s largest cigarette producers. “In a country where, then and now, a large portion of the male population is addicted to cigarettes, Bentoel brought enormous wealth to Ong Hok Liong. By the time he died in 1967, Ong was a multi-millionaire,” Quinn wrote.

After Ong’s passing, the business was continued by his children, including Budhiwijaya Kusumanegara, who served as president director. The company continued to grow until it was eventually acquired by British American Tobacco in 2009. Regardless of the story’s veracity, Ong’s success has cemented Mount Kawi’s reputation as a place of luck, and it continues to attract pilgrims seeking smooth business and good fortune.