Mount Kawi

Following a period of instability and upheaval, much of East Java was re-united in the 11th century by King Airlangga, one of Indonesia's most popular historical figures. Before he died, however, the king decided to split his realm between two of his sons, in order to avoid any future disputes over succession. According to legend, the person responsible for implementing the decision was the holy sage Mpu Bharada. The official border separating the two portions of the kingdom was to be a line running north south through the middle of Mt. Kawi, north west of Malang.

The story goes that, as Mpu Bharada was crossing the mountain his robe became entangled in a small, thorny tree. In anger, the sage uttered a curse to the effect that the tree would never grow any larger and would remain a dwarf. Visitors to Mt Kawi today can still see this 'dwarf tree', which is located in the grounds of a sacred tomb. Surrounded by a fence, the tree bears a local fruit known as dewan daru. Pilgrims to the tomb can often be seen sitting beneath the tree, in the hope of picking up a leaf freshly blown off by the wind, which is believed to bring good fortune. Whether or not the legend is true, the tree is indeed a dwarf and residents of Mt Kawi insist that it has remained the same size for as long as anvone can remember.

Mount Kawi is another of Java's sacred mountains, attract ing a steady stream of visitors from all over Indonesia and even further afield. The focus of attention is the tomb of two revered historical figures; Kandjeng Panembahan Djoego, a descendant from the court of Mataram and grandson of the famous rebel leader Prince Diponegoro, and Raden Mas Iman Soedjono, descending from the royal family of Yogyakarta. The dates of their respective deaths are 1871 and 1876 A.D.

Mount Kawi is especially popular among the Indonesian Chinese community and the village which has grown up around the pilgrimage site displays a unique blend of Javanese and Chinese cultures. On the one hand, traditional Javanese performances, such as wayang kulit (the shadow play) are often staged here, while at the same time there are Chinese fortune tellers and small shops selling Chinese candles, incense and various handicrafts. Auspicious times for visiting Mt Kawi are, according to the Javanese calendar, Jumat Legi and Senin Pahing (every fifth Monday and Friday)