Klaten serves up drinks and fishing on the veranda

Klaten serves up drinks and fishing on the veranda

By Ridlo Aryanto

KLATEN, Central Java (JP): It is not uncommon for people to
drop a line in a river or a lake to dispel fatigue or stress but
it is unusual to angle in a pond from the veranda of a house,
savoring keroncong music and enjoying a fresh glass of soda milk.
It is also all the more impressive because of the beautiful
surroundings and peaceful rural Javanese atmosphere.

You can enjoy this kind of experience as a tourist in the
village of Janti in Polanharjo sub-district, Klaten regency,
Central Java.

"I feel as if I were angling in a pond in my own house. Our
children have even likened this experience to camping in their
grandmother's house," said Mustafa, a post office employee from
Singapore. Mustafa, his wife and two children enjoy chatting to
one another while pleasantly absorbed in angling from the veranda
of a house belonging to Partowiyono, 65, a local resident
offering angling facilities at his house.

If a visitor to Mbah Parto's fishpond is not any good at
angling or is not patient enough to wait for a catch, he can
simply order a dish of fried lele (freshwater catfish) or grilled
gurami (gouramie osphronemus) with rice and vegetables as a side-
dish, priced between Rp 5,000 and Rp 25,000 per person.

So one Sunday morning, while waiting for a catfish or a nila
fish to eat the bait, Mustafa savored his iced soda milk. His
wife and two daughters were helping the hostess prepare grilled
gurami for their lunch.

"My family and I have come here twice. Don't be surprised to
learn that Silk Air, a Singaporean airline, has recommended Janti
since 1995, as part of an official tour package in Central Java
beside Solo (Surakarta) Palace and Prambanan Temple. We took up
the offer in 1996 and were happy with the tour. Now we are back
here as our children are currently on their school holidays. I
believe this is the most attractive and peaceful village in
Asia," said Mustafa in his distinct Melayu accent.

While getting ready to enjoy the grilled gurami, he added that
he and 25 other families from Singapore had come to Janti to do
some angling and would return to Solo in the afternoon, as
scheduled by Silk Air.

What Mustafa said was quite surprising. How can an
international airline learn of the existence of this unusual
village in the heart of Central Java? Even on the map of Central
Java, Janti is difficult to locate as it is a small village with
a population of only 650 families some 17 kilometers to the
north-west of Solo.

Janti is quite easy to reach. You can take a minibus plying
the Solo - Delanggu - Janti - Polanharjo route that makes a stop
at this village. If you start from Tirtonadi bus station in Solo,
you will have to pay a fare of Rp 1,000. If you want to drive to
this village, first go some 12 km to the west of Solo taking the
route leading to Yogyakarta and you will find a gateway marking
the border between Delanggu and Polanharjo sub-districts. Here
turn right to the north and after driving some two kilometers you
will find Janti.

Tourist village

However, if you are after adventure, you can just take an
andong, a four-wheeled carriage drawn by two horses. You can get
into the carriage at the side of the Yogya-Solo highway and the
andong will take you straight to Janti. The fare? Only Rp 5,000
per person.

There is an interesting story about how Janti became a tourist
village. "At first it was a barren village. Many of the
villagers, especially the men, preferred to migrate to Jakarta
for a living. However, the village boasts many springs," said
Slamet Suroyo, the village head.

Owing to the presence of many springs, the fishery service of
Klaten district, making use of two of the springs in the village,
constructed a nila (tilapia nilotica) fish breeding unit in 1985.

"There was an abundance of nila fish fry but few were
interested in buying. Even if some people wanted to breed nila,
the fish harvest would have been difficult to sell," Slamet
recalled.

Luckily, there was a creative local councillor called Untung.
He offered the nila fish fry free to any villagers wishing to run
a fishpond angling business in Janti. The offer was taken up by
Mbah Partowiyono and four other villagers. In 1992 the nila fish
in the fishponds were already big and despite the absence of any
promotion and advertising, outsiders started to come to this
village to catch nila fish.

The enjoyment of catching nila fish in fishponds spread
through word of mouth. More and more people came to Janti to
angle or to just enjoy the deliciously grilled catfish and savor
the Javanese tunes.

Mbah Parto's business grew and many other Janti villagers
followed his footsteps. Today, at least 400 families in this
village have an angling pond in their yard or veranda. They also
provide various additional facilities at the angling sites,
offering activities ranging from video games to karaoke. Later, a
group of unemployed people from Jakarta developed the angling
business and in 1997 the regent of Klaten, Suharjono, declared
Janti a tourist village.

In 1998 Minister of Population/chief of the National Family
Planning Coordination Board, Haryono Suyono, declared the
commencement of Bangga Suka Desa village program in Janti. This
event was widely covered in the media and acted as free promotion
for the village. Since then, more and more people from Jakarta,
Surabaya and other countries have come to this village to angle,
Parto said.

Today, he went on, no more Janti villagers migrate to Jakarta
for a living, working in factories or as domestic maids.

"Many of them own angling ponds or supply fresh fish for the
hundreds of angling ponds owners in this village. Thanks to this
creative undertaking, they now have the money to buy motorcycles
and even automobiles," he said.

If you hope to savor a nice rural atmosphere while angling or
enjoying the delicious grilled catfish or gurami, simply come to
Janti. Bring along your family or those dearest to you and leave
the place with indelible memories.