People seek blessings in bygone Majapahit sites

People seek blessings in bygone Majapahit sites

Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Mojokerto, East Java

An employee of the Trowulan Statue Preservation Board (BPAT),
Joko, was attending to Dutch and Australian tourists interested
in the museum's collection of artifacts from the Majapahit
dynasty.

Joko's job is to explain to visitors where the pieces came
from and what they were used for.

He said that tourists mostly visited the museum on weekends
and holidays but a few other people, mostly regulars from
academic circles, would come there on weekdays to do research.

"But, there are also visitors who come on weekdays to seek
good fortune, usually on specific days of the Javanese calendar,
such as Jumat (Friday) Legi or during the month of Suro," said
Joko, who has worked at the museum for more than 10 years.

Two men from Kalimantan, for example, performed a ritual in
front of the Ganesha statue a few days ago, he said. Ganesha is
the child of Shiva and Parvati in Indian mythology.

The Ganesha statue symbolizes an elephant, its trunk
signifying knowledge. In the Negarakertagama manuscript, Ganesha
is the incarnation of Gajah Mada, an elephant of great wisdom
that guarded the Majapahit palace in Mojokerto, which ruled the
archipelago between the 13th and 14th centuries.

Word has it that anyone wishing to seek worldly knowledge
should present offerings to this statue.

Joko added that it was customary that such rituals were
performed at the museum. Prior to being shifted to its new site
in Trowulan district, Mojokerto, the previous location of BPAT in
Mojoagung district was also used by some people as a place to
seek blessings from statues left by the Majapahit kingdom.

The BPAT, formerly known as the Trowulan Historical Museum, is
located next to the Mojokerto municipal administration on Jl.
Ahmad Yani.

It was built by the first regent of Mojokerto, Kanjeng Adipati
Ario Kromojoyo Adinegoro, and a Dutch architect, Henri Maclaine
Pont, in 1924. It was originally used to hold several artifacts
for study by the Oudheidkundige Vereeneging Majapahit (OVM).

It stood on land leased from the Mojoagung sugar factory and
was opened to the public in 1926. It was closed in 1942 when
Maclaine was detained by invading Japanese forces.

Later, in 1979, the museum was managed by the East Java
Historical Relics Preservation Board. It then moved from
Mojoagung to a new location in Trowulan in 1987 and was named the
Statue Preservation Board, while the previous museum was used as
the office of the East Java Historical Relics Preservation Board.

The regular rituals performed in front of the statues in BPAT
may seem unique and bizarre, especially as the place is usually
used for study and research.

"I cannot prevent them from doing so because they believe in
the rituals. As long as they don't interfere with the museum's
activities, I think there's no problem with that," said Joko.

Karlan, who is among those who adhere to aliran kepercayaan --
a term used to refer mystical movements outside the large,
generally recognized religions -- often perform rituals at
ancient sites of the Majapahit kingdom, for example, Mount Kawi.

Each place devotees believe capable of providing good fortune
has its own characteristics. Without naming them specifically,
Karlan said that many statues in BPAT were able to shower
tremendous blessings on devotees.

"People have not only obtained good fortune, but some kind of
solace, similar to performing worship in mosques and churches,"
he said.

Karlan said that one should first choose the statue according
to their intuition. Flowers and incense should then be placed on
the statue and mantra recited.

Other locations often patronized by those seeking fortune are
the Princess of Campa tomb located about three kilometers from
BPAT, and the Troloyo mausoleum in Sentonorejo village, Trowulan.

The Campa Princess tomb is the resting place of a princess of
the Majapahit kingdom era who embraced Islam. The Troloyo burial
complex holds the tomb of Sayid Jumadi Kubro, a Muslim
proselytizer in Java during that period.

The two places are frequented by devotees usually on Jumat
Legi or in the month of Suro.

A number of state officials like President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono (SBY), former presidents Megawati Soekarnoputri and
Abdurrahman Wahid, and Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman
Gani have visited the Troloyo complex.

"Bu Mega and Gus Dur used to come here often. SBY visited
during the presidential elections campaign," said caretaker of
the complex, Sanusi.