Kudus -- A lively blend of religious traditions

Kudus -- A lively blend of religious traditions

Jock Paul, Contributor, Kudus, Central Java

Besides making sure that chain-smoking Indonesians get their fix,
the town of Kudus is nurturing one of the richest and most alive
histories in Java.

Kudus, although now famous for clove cigarettes, lies about an
hour east of Semarang, in the middle of the area know as the
cradle of Javanese Islam. The town's rich history, influenced
heavily by a unique blending of Arabic and Hindu influences, is
evident not only in the town's historical buildings but also in
the people's daily lives.

The name of the town -- Kudus is the only town on Java with an
Arabic name, deriving from Al Quds, meaning holy city, the Muslim
name for Jerusalem -- and the fact that Kudus is the resting
place of one of the nine wali, the propagators of Islam in Java,
speak of the Arab influences on Kudus.

Yet probably the town's oldest tradition, which is also unique
in Java, is an old prohibition that the people of Kudus observe
against the slaughter of cows, the sacred animal of the Hindus.

The best place to see the melding of these influences in the
town's center piece, and one of the busiest places in this
otherwise laid-back town, the Menara Mosque. A pedicab, the
preferred way to get around Kudus, will take you to the mosque
from most places in Kudus, including the bus station for less
than Rp 5,000.

On the Monday afternoon that I visited the mosque, it was full
of men socializing, lounging about smoking and, of course,
praying. The tall tower and green courtyard provide a welcoming
and sociable atmosphere and lots of shade. Outside, and at the
market in front of the mosque, people were shopping and
socializing.

Around and inside the main building, rebuilt in 1933, are
ancient red brick structures, whose design, if not the objects
themselves, clearly derive from the Majapahit period, making this
mosque unique in Java. The most remarkable of these is the tall
minaret, whose base is in the shape of a candi or funerary
monument.

Set atop it in an open pavilion is a bedug (large drum) that
is used to call the faithful to prayer, instead of a muezzin. The
minaret and other objects throughout the mosque suggest that the
Menara Mosque has incorporated a pre-existing Hindu-Javanese
structure.

The mosque was founded by Kudus' famous wali, Ja'far Shodiq,
later known as Sunan Kudus. An inscription on a rock, which some
say he carried from Mecca, above the mihrab -- an indicator for
the direction to Mecca -- says that Ja'afar Shodiq founded the
mosque in 1549. The venerated wali lies buried in an elaborately
carved mausoleum behind the mosque, and his family is buried neat
him.

Before leaving this part of Kudus it is worth checking out one
of Kudus' oldest and best preserved teakwood houses, hidden in
the narrow lanes of the Kauman district. Turn left as you exit
the front of the mosque and keep an eye on the buildings on the
left hand side.

Turn left into the second small walkway you come to, it is
about 50 meters down from the mosque and does not have a name.
About 25 meters down the pathway on your right hand side is a
beautifully carved teakwood house.

Kudus has always been an important craft center and this house
is constructed entirely of teak. The front of the house is
intricately carved from top to bottom with distinctive floral
patterns. The house is still very much lived in. An old man
sitting outside welcomed me to have a peak inside, but did not
want any pictures taken of the house.

His desire for privacy is understandable: There used to be
more of these houses to see, but a number of them have been
bought in their entirety and disassembled and brought to Jakarta,
where they are incorporated into homes, or even the penthouse of
the Le Meridien hotel.

The town's prohibition on the slaughter of cows means that
beef has to be brought in from neighboring towns. This offers an
interesting opportunity for those looking to try something new;
water buffalo satay and soto (soup) are readily available
throughout Kudus. Or for the less adventurous or vegetarian, try
the local specialty nasi tahu, tofu served with peanut sauce,
fried shrimp and rice.

These staples of the town can be found at sidewalk stalls
throughout Kudus, and in the evening many stalls are set up along
Jl. Sunun Kudus, in the area locals refer to as Pekoja.

Yes, kretek (clove) cigarettes are still a big part of the
economy of "Kota Kretek", the town famous for cigarettes.
Javanese businessman Noto Semito invented clove cigarettes here
in the early 1900s. By the 1920s, his Bal Tiga (three circles)
cigarettes were the most popular in the country and Kudus had
become the nation's biggest producer. Now over 25,000 people work
producing clove cigarettes in Kudus.

If you have time to spare Kudus' cigarette history is
showcased at the Museum Kretek. Dioramas and various objects --
old packs of Kudus-made cigarettes and the tools used to make
them -- are on display.

Kudus is about an hour east of Semarang on the road to
Surabaya. Buses leave Semarang from the Terboyo bus station and
take about an hour and a half to get to Kudus. It's Rp 3,000 for
the regular, non-AC service, Rp 4,000 for AC.