Pemecutan, a symbol of religious tolerance

By Alpha Savitri

The grave of Anak Agung Sagung Sayu Rai in Denpasar is called Pemecutan Grand Sacred Temple. It is here that Islamic and Hindu cultures peacefully blend.

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): This 1,089-square-meter plot in Badung Cemetery, which is adjacent to Tegal Terminal, Denpasar, is special to archaeologists and sociologists.

Two cultures live in peaceful coexistence, as is evident from the characteristics of the building -- a blend of Hindu and Islam -- and visitors to the grave include Balinese Hindu and Muslims.

Here you will sometimes see Muslims praying in a large open structure near the grave and Hindus praying in their own way beside the grave of Anak Agung Sagung Sayu Rai, taking with them a canangsari of flowers. They show great tolerance to each other.

Former graveyard caretaker Mangku Canang said that visitors came here to make wishes. "But only good wishes will be granted. It is not the place where you can make a wish to bring harm to other people," said the lady, who is aged about 60.

The grave is located in the backyard. To get to the grave, you must go through a gate connecting the street and the front yard. The gate is a unique structure in that it is terraced in the style of Hindu architecture but has a dome, a reflection of Islamic culture.

On your way to the grave, you go through a gate between the front and back yards. The gate lends prominence to Islamic culture through a picture of a crescent moon and a star on the wall above the gate. Upon entering the plot of land there is a tall tree to welcome you and where you will see offerings.

When you get to the backyard, the grave on your right. In the center of the yard, you will see trees with thick foliage. On your right is the open structure. As is the case with graves considered sacred, this grave is in a raised building.

To get close to the grave, you must climb a number of steps and walk past another gate set in a fence. On either side of the fence there is a Balinese-style umbrella. Except for the yellow fence, white is the only color you can see for the floor, the walls and the gravestone.

Wrapped Balinese-style in poleng (a black and white checkered cloth), a large tree grows at the head of the grave, its trunk penetrating the building's roof. The gravestone lies in a roofed building, but right above it is another roof, from which white mosquito netting hangs, making the grave resemble a bed.

Close to the gravestone, there is a box for donations and a table holding a number of Koran. These holy books are old and faded, obviously from frequent use. On the rear wall is an Islamic calligraphic drawing. Exactly at the base of the grave there are a number of vessels containing water. Visitors can take these home as they are believed to be blessed by Siti Khatijah.

The grave is over 100 years old and its history is fraught with tragedy. There are a number of stories about the grave. The story generally believed to be true is that Anak Agung Sagung Sayu Rai was the daughter of King Anglurah III of Pemecutan. When she was still a maiden, she became ill and was confined to bed. Nobody could cure her. One day, a Madurese man of nobility, Raden Sasraningrat, came and cured her. Sasraningrat and the princess fell in love and the king approved of their marriage.

The princess converted to Islam and was called Siti Khatijah. She went to Madura with her husband. Several months after she gave birth to their first child, a son, she paid a visit to Pemecutan Temple in her hometown. As she was then a Muslim, she performed the Islamic evening prayer and wore her mukenah (white prayer outfit for women). The kingdom's chief minister saw this and thought she was practicing leak (Balinese black magic). Without much ado, he dragged the princess until they reached the present grave site. He wanted to kill her with his knife; he could not because his knife would not penetrate her skin.

With the chief minister in a state of utter despair, the princess remove a hairpin from her hair and said, "Thrust this into my throat and I'll die." The chief minister took the hairpin and thrust it into her throat. The princess fell down and died. She was buried in the Islamic way.

Nobody knows why a tree grew at the head of the grave. Nobody now knows what type of tree this is. Outwardly it looks like a ylang-ylang tree and is said to be the incarnation of the princess' beautiful black hair.

Visiting this site you can see very clearly that the Islamic and Hindu cultures live in peaceful coexistence. The grave, just like any other Islamic grave, extends from north to south and bears no name.

You can also see an element of pre-Islam culture. The grave has a gravestone and a protective structure often called cangkup. Another Hindu element is noticeable from the fact that the grave is in a raised building just like a terraced sacred place.

The ancient community believed that a terraced sacred place was the symbol of the universe. When someone dies, his soul lives in another world, reunited with other rulers; the soul will dwell on a mountaintop, on a tree-top, up in the sky, etc.

The netting and the wall symbolize a deep respect for the kindhearted princess. In the tradition of the pre-Islamic community, there was the practice of worshiping ancestors' souls.

This graveyard is crowded during Islamic and Hindu holy days. "Visitors from Java usually come in groups by bus," said Mangku Canang.