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.