Joglo, Javanese Traditional House

Nowadays it’s hard to find the original joglo house maybe just in a small village in a rural area. But there is one in Malang!

It is a typical Javanese building style with a trapezium roof. It has a wide front veranda and inside the house there is no partition, so it is one big room.

The one in Malang is an original one but not original. I bet you become confusing now. Let me tell you more……

This joglo house is real and original as it is stated in its document. It is made of teak wood and has beautiful carvings. It is from the year 1881 so it is more than a century old! Now, what is not the original? The place. It is not original from Malang because this traditional house is moved in 2007 from its original place, Kudus, central Java.

Mr. Ridho Hakim is the new owner. He loves Javanese culture and is happy that he can keep this Javanese traditional house. He is from Solo and his wife is from Kudus (both places are in Central Java).

His respect and responsibility for the culture is shown in his answer when I asked him why he wanted to buy this old joglo house and took so much work to move it to Malang, “If we wouldn’t keep and take care our heritage, who else would?” I am sure lots of people agree with him (including me). Beside he also wants to share the beauty of this joglo house to others.

The form of the house is not just unique but it also has a meaning. There are three important parts of the house, starting from the veranda. Then through two steps of stairs you come in a smaller sitting room and then through some steps of other stairs you go to the main room or family room. In this room you can see the roof that goes high. According to the Javanese philosophy, to get the top/succeed you have to start from the bottom. Success is not an abracadabra thing but a journey through steps.

The veranda, the smaller sitting room and the main room have different function. You can use three of them to receive people. You receive random people at the veranda. If you know them better, then you can receive them in the smaller sitting room and good friends or family you let go into the main room. There is no bedroom and bathroom in joglo house. Behind they have a normal house that is provided with bed- and bathroom.

However the owner puts a bed in the main room. The traditional bed is made from teak and has carvings as well but it is not as old as the house itself. The bed is from Kangean, a place near Madura island, East Java.

From the main room you can go outside to the back yard. The bathroom is located a couple of meters from the house. It is a bathroom with Javanese way of taking bath, so no shower.

They use old-look tiles for the floor that are handmade. You feel this cement-based tiles always cool on your feet and they become shiny every time you clean it (with neutral cleaner). 

This heritage is placed in the area of 4,200m2 surrounded with very nice view. There is a small football field, gazebo’s, fish pond, big garden with flowers and different kind of plants and fruit trees, like coconut, orange, strawberries and even durian.

Inside the house you will see antiques as collected by the owner. Behind the joglo house there is another similar style house but not from teak. The owner has built it for another bedroom and it has also a bathroom just beside it.

The air in this area is clean and cool. You can enjoy the calmness and feel relax while reading a book, working on your laptop or just lying on the bench or sitting in the swing. You can use this place for a meeting or gathering with your friends or family a half day or whole day. It is also a good place for you if you’re interested in Javanese culture or if you like to photograph as there are many interesting and beautiful objects.

There is a price you have to pay depending on the aim of your visit. They will provide you with coffee and snacks. If you want, you can make an arrangement about food as well.

The Joglo house is located on Jalan Dieng Atas kav.9 Kalisongo, Malang. It is called Joglo Kalisongo. For more information about visiting this joglo you can contact Mr. Akbar, the manager, who speaks English, Indonesia and Javanese at numbers +62-85259234923 and +62-341-7318990.

There are so much nice objects to show of Joglo house. You can look at this slide show here. (mouse over the image to see the description). Thanks to Don Vantour who has made the most photos for this story.

Beautiful carving wood at Joglo house

Dream about having your own joglo house? You can realize it! We know someone who can help you. He knows much and has lots experiences about this Javanese heritage, not only how to build but also how to ship it. He has different kinds of joglo house to offer or a part of it in his own company. Do you want to know more? You can send your question through this contact form

Kertanagara, the last king of Singhasari

Kertanagara, the last king of Singhasari

On the occasion of Kertanagara’s accession in 1254, the capital, formerly called Kutaraja, was renamed Singhasari. According to the Nagarakertagama, a fourteenth-century text, Kertanagara’s long reign brought stability. It portrays Kertanagara as a king who quashed several rebellions, unified Java, and extended his influence to other islands, including Sumatra, Madura and Bali.

Kertanagara even defied the Chinese. When the Yuan dynasty requested that Singhasari show submission to Emperor Kublai Khan, Kertanagara refused. In 1289 he sent the Chinese envoy back with a mutilated face. The Chinese launched a punitive expedition to Java, but by the time it had arrived, Kertanagara had already died.

As a king, Kertanagara apparently evoked different reactions. The Nagarakertagama provides us with a positive image: a strategic king, protecting the world in turbulent times, guaranteeing continued prosperity, seeking inspiration in Buddhist teachings, and performing rituals and meditation for the stability of the world.

However, the Pararaton, another text, depicts him as the opposite: a frivolous man who liked to drink palm wine, and who is taken by surprise when attacked by enemies. Another important source of information is the Wurara inscription.

Gifts with a political motivation

According to the Nagarakertagama, King Kertanagara had a vision to expand the kingdom to include Malayu (in Sumatra), Pahang (in Malaysia), Bali, Gurun (an island in eastern Indonesia), and Bakulapura or Tanjungpura (in Kalimantan), as well as Sunda (West-Java) and Madura. He was probably inspired by the new power that had emerged in China: the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) established by Kublai Khan (1215-1294), its first emperor.

Kublai Khan felt so powerful that he immediately began to request acknowledgements from countries which had previously recognized the supremacy of the Chinese emperors of the Sung dynasty. The new dynasty was quite aggressive. When envoys were sent to other countries, including Burma (Pagan), Cambodia (the Khmer realm) and Vietnam (Champa), and these countries did not send proper gifts, they were forced to submit to the Yuan dynasty’s military dominance. The Mongolian armies attacked these countries when they refused to submit immediately.

Java’s turn to receive Kublai Khan’s envoys came in 1280 and 1281; the envoys demanded that a prince be sent to China as a symbol of submission to the Yuan emperor. This worried King Kertanagara who wanted to maintain his authority. He understood the need to develop good relations with neighbouring kings, especially the king of Malayu, who was nearby and strategically positioned on trade routes. Hence, a friendship mission and gifts were sent to the king of Malayu to ensure Malayu’s continued loyalty to the king of Singhasari.

Thus, it is documented that in the Shaka year 1208 (22 August 1286), King Kertanagara sent a beautiful Amoghapasha Lokeshvara statue as a gift to the people of the Malayu kingdom, to be placed in Dharmmashraya. All the Malayu people, regardless of their social class, and their king, Tribhuwanaraja Mauliwarmadewa, were happy with this gift.

The gift had been carefully conceived. Firstly, the language used for the inscription on its base was not Old Javanese but Old Malay, the language of the receiving people and the king of Malayu. This gave the impression that King Kertanagara was demonstrating his respect for the king of Malayu and not promoting himself by using Old Javanese, which would probably not have been familiar to the Malayu people.

Secondly, King Kertanagara ordered four high-ranking officers to accompany the gift; some of them bore Malay titles, such as ‘Hang’, as in Samgat Payanan Hang Dipankaradasa. Hence King Kertanagara had carefully selected people who could help to improve the political relationships between Java and Malayu.

Singhasari’s fall

On 17 April 1292 King Kertanagara claimed victory over his enemies in the Camundi inscription, his last inscription. Ironically, the final attack on him did not come from external forces but from his own relatives.

The king had appointed Wiraraja to his administration but, not having full confidence in him, had sent him away from the court and made him governor of Madura. Jayakatwang, ruler of Daha (Kadiri), who was married to one of Kertanagara’s younger sisters, allied himself with 
Wiraraja, against Kertanagara.

Barely two months after King Kertanagara had claimed his victory, at some point between 18 May and 15 June, Jayakatwang sent the bulk of his troops to attack Singosari from the north. Kertanagara immediately reacted by sending all his troops to end the rebellion. Jayakatwang, who was a fine strategist, then took the opportunity to send his elite troops via the south to attack the palace.

As all of Singhasari’s soldiers were in the north, the accomplishment of this task was easy. Jayakatwang and his troops attacked the palace and Kertanagara was killed, together with his high-level officials and religious leaders. This event, the tragic death of King Kertanagara who had just celebrated victory, is commemorated in the Gajah Mada inscription of Shaka 1214 (1292 AD).

Temples for the king

The Nagarakertagama mentions a number of temples in connection with Kertanagara. One is Jajawi, which is known as the glorious work (kirti) of King Kertanagara. It is said to have been a temple where both Shaivas and Buddhists worshipped. The text informs us that the lower part was Shaivite and the upper part Buddhist.

The temple contained a beautiful image of Shiva and a story tells us that originally there was also an image of the Jina Buddha Akshobhya in the upper portion. However, this miraculously disappeared in 1331. Scholars believe that this Jajawi temple can be identified as the temple we now know as Candi Jawi.

There is, according to the text, a temple in Singhasari, in which Kertanagara is said to be enshrined in the form of statues of Shiva and Buddha. It is often suggested that this temple is the temple we now know as Candi Singosari, but it could also have been one of the other temples at Singosari, now lost.

Furthermore, it is mentioned that the king was represented in a Jina Buddha image in Sagala, where, it seems, this was half male and half female (Ardhanarishvara), representing the king and his spouse. The term Ardhanarishvara is usually used to denote an image that is half Shiva and half Parvati, but in this case the text explains that it refers to an image of the Jina Buddha Vairocana and this Buddha’s spouse, Locana.

Epilogue

The epilogue of the battle in the north of the kingdom is easy to predict. One of the generals sent by Kertanagara was his son-in-law, who was Jayakatwang’s son. He fought his father’s armies without conviction and Jayakatwang won the battle. He became king, but not for long.

A prince of the Singhasari house managed to flee the battleground. His name was Wijaya. He was the great-grandson of Ken Angrok, the founder of the Singhasari dynasty, and Ken Dedes, and the son-in-law of Kertanagara. He was therefore, through marriage, also linked with Tunggul Ametung, Ken Dedes’s first husband. Thus, the two lines of the Singhasari house were united in Wijaya.

While Jayakatwang prepared himself to fight the Chinese, Wijaya used the Chinese to achieve his own ends: he submitted to the Chinese and asked for their help against Jayakatwang. In 1293, the Chinese armies defeated Jayakatwang and the Majapahit era began.

Prambanan The Ancient Tample of Java Island

Prambanan Temple (built 9th century)

Candi Prambanan is the grandest temple in Java apart from Borobudur. Located on the Prambanan plain, this sprawling temple complex sits majestically in an open area about twenty kilometers south of Mount Merapi, which dominates the horizon. The temple was constructed in the early ninth century by the Sanjaya dynasty, a flourishing Hindu kingdom that shared the island with the Buddhist Saliendra dynasty that built Borobudur. The relationship between the two dynasties is not clear, but one theory maintains that the Sanjayas constructed Candi Prambanan as a symbol of dynastic power in response to the construction of Borobudur. However, the Sanjayas do not seem to have been particularly antagonistic toward the Buddhist faith of the Saliendras—indeed, the temple complex is located just a few hundred meters south of Candi Sewu, a once awe-inspiring marvel of Buddhist art.

Whatever their motives, the Sanjayas certainly constructed Candi Prambanan on a grand scale comparable to Borobudur. In its original form, the temple complex contained over 250 large and small temples. From afar, the temple probably resembled a small city, with a towering core of central spires surrounded by hundreds of subsidiary structures. At the center of this "city" is a square-shaped terrace surrounded by a heavy wall. Gates in the wall are oriented to the four cardinal directions, leading into a middle courtyard surrounded by a much wider wall. Within this zone were once 224 nearly identical temples, each measuring 6 x 6 x 14 meters. Beyond the middle wall was an even larger outer wall that was skewed at an angle to the inner walls. No traces of this wall remain, though parts of it existed as late as the 19th century.

Loro Jonggrang

Candi Prambanan is often called Loro Jonggrang temple after the local name of the Durga statue enshrined in one side of the Shiva temple (Loro Jonggrang means "Slender Virgin"). The substitution of Durga for a more locally-derived god occurred through the fame of an ancient legend. According to legend, the statue of Durga is actually the petrified body of Loro Jonggrang, the daughter of King Ratu Boko. When prince Bandung Bandawasa asked for her hand in marriage, the king answered that he could have her only if he could kill him in battle. In the ensuing fight, the prince killed Ratu Boko. Loro Jonggrang did not wish to marry the murderer of her father, so she asked of him an impossible task: build 1,000 temples in one night. If he fulfilled the task, he could marry her.

Bandung nearly accomplished the job by securing an army of spirits through the help of his dead father. The supernatural laborers erected temples at lightning speed, and Loro Jonggrang realized that Bandung would finish before daybreak. To stop him, Loro Jonggrang pounded on a rice block, making the cocks in the neighborhood wake up early and call the arrival of dawn. Hearing this, Bandung's army of spirits feared the daylight and rushed away from their work, leaving just a single temple unfinished. In fury, Bandung cursed Loro Jonggrang and had her body turned to stone. Through the intervention of Shiva, the petrified body became the idol that now stands in the north cella of the Siva temple at Candi Prambanan.

In recent centuries, the fame of Loro Jonggrang spread far and wide, and the original purpose of the temple was forgotten as worshippers flocked to her small cella, leaving offerings of food, money, and gifts. Early foreigners who visited the temple often had trouble reaching the statue with all of the offerings clogging the narrow passage. Of the idol herself, the numerous hands of the worshippers had rubbed the breasts and stomach to a smooth sheen, giving the appearance of shining metal.

Layout of the Temple

The cella containing the statue of Loro Jonggrang, or Durga, is one of four in the massive Shiva temple (34 x 34 meters wide, 47 meters tall). The main image in the Shiva temple is the god himself, placed in a large, centrally placed cella facing east. Facing south, a small cella contains the statue of Agastya, an incarnation of Shiva. To the west, the remaining cella is occupied by Ganesh, the elephant-headed son of Shiva.

The Shiva temple is the central building in a row of three temples on the west side of the terrace. Dedicated to the trimurti--the trinity of Brahma, Siva, and Vishnu, the three temples honor each of these gods in turn. Facing them to the east are a row of smaller temples that are empty except for the one at the center, which contains a large statue of Nandi—Shiva's divine bull. It was once thought that the temples to the north and south of the Nandi temple contained the animals assocated with Vishnu and Brahma. If this were correct, the northeast temple might have held an image of Hamsa, Vishnu's swan, and the southeast temple might have held Garuda, Brahma's eagle. However, this theory has been discredited in recent years and nowadays the two temples are simply called Candi A and Candi B.

The remaining major temples on the terrace are two small, inward facing buildings called the Apit Temples. With one on the north side of the terrace, and the other on the south, they frame the space in between the two rows of major temples.

The eight minor temples on the terrace are called Candi Kelir. Shaped like small turrets, they mark the inside gateways to the four directions and the corners of the terrace. A ninth Candi Kelir is embedded in the Shiva temple, marking the center of the terrace.

6 Fun Facts about the Indonesian Island of Java

Practically lying on the equator, Java Island is the world’s most populous island with an estimated population of 143.1 million people. It is home to 57% of the Indonesian population and was the center for Hindu-Buddhist empires. Being on of the most dense places of the world it holds must of Indonesia’s history as well as it’s center of politics, economic growth, and culture.

6Fun Facts about Java, the Indonesian Island

Mount Merbabu surrounded by rice fields on the island of Java, Indonesia. Photo by by Merbabu Sawah.

1. By land mass size, Java is the world’s 13th largest island, and fifth largest Indonesian Island. It was formed mainly by volcanic eruptions and has an east-west chain of them along the island.

2. Java is split into four provinces. East Java, Central Java, West Java, and Banten. Javanese and Indonesian are spoken there.

The 9th century Borobudur Buddhist stupa in Central Java is the world’s largest Buddhist monument, built in the 8th century by the Sailendra dynasty. Photo by Gunawan Kartapranata

3. The Indonesian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion but the government only recognizes six official religions (Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism).  On the island of Java, more than 90 percent of the people are Muslims, on a broad continuum between abangan (more traditional) andsantri (more modernist). Some parts of south-central Java are strongly Roman Catholic and Buddhist communities exist in Java’s major cities.

4. With more than 450 different bird species, Java is a bird watcher’s paradise.

5. During the colonial periods of the 17th century, the Dutch introduced the cultivation of commercial plants in Java, including sugarcane, rubber, tea and coffee. In the 19th and early 20th century, Javanese coffee gained global popularity. This is in fact why the name “Java” is commonly considered being synonymous with coffee .

Central Jakarta during monthly Car Free Day, on the last Sunday every month. The Thamrin and Sudirman avenue from National Monument to Senayan area is closed from cars and any motorized vehicles from 6 AM to 12 AM, except for TransJakarta Bus Rapid Transit system. Photo by Gunawan Kartapranta.

6. Located on the northwest coast of Java, Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia and it’s largest city. With a population of more than 10 million, Jakarta is one of the world’s most densely populated cities, leading to Car Free Days on certain Sundays, and the world’s longest bus rapid transit routes.

discover javanese culture

Java is Indonesia's main island, home to just over half the country's total population of 240 million people and dominating the nation politically and economically — sometimes stoking serious resentment from some of the other large islands among the thousands that make up the archipelago. 

The island's history is something of a greatest hits of the world's big religions. The eighth century Mataram kingdom was the first substantial fiefdom on the island, and produced the temples of the Dieng Plateau. The Buddhist Sailendra dynasty came next, constructing the temple of Borobudur. After an interlude of several others, the great Majapahit kingdom, which claimed sovereignty over Java and Bali, rose to power around the 14th century and with its decline, Islam rose to prominence. The Dutch took control of most of Java by the end of the 18th century (at a stretch we could call this Christianity's main appearance, though missionaries have long traipsed to remote areas of the archipelago seeking souls) and stayed in power until Indonesian independence in 1945.

Java hosts the teeming, messy capital of Jakarta, the special administrative district of Yogyakarta, and the provinces of East Java, West Java, Central Java and Banten. Three main ethnic groups live on the island: West Java hosts the Sundanese, the Javanese are spread across West and Central Java, and the Maduresecome from the island of Madura (a part of East Java).

Getting around the island is fairly easy, with a reasonable if aging train, bus and plane network. The Javanese are keen domestic tourists, so much of the island's tourism infrastructure is geared toward locals, but it's easy enough for keen foreign travellers to tap into the network. Having said that, there's also a well-trodden foreign tourist trail that means non-adventure travellers can get around quite a bit without wandering too far outside their comfort zone.

Many travellers fly in to the mega-city of Jakarta to begin their trip. The city tends to either enthrall or repel, with its traffic congestion, polluted waterways, ill-functioning public transport and dirty streets; the flipside of this urban nightmare is glittering malls and intriguing markets; fashionably-clad, friendly people; ever-trendier restaurants and bars; interesting historical sites and a vibrant, if smog-choked, street- and night-life.

Escape from Jakarta and the picture is quite different. Java remains a predominantly agricultural island, peppered with volcanoes whose eruptions have left fertile soil in their wake, allowing the land to feed such a huge population.

Bogor just outside Jakarta is a popular green and cool escape from the city — and next stop on the well-worn tourist trail, followed by Bandung. This major city hosted the 1955 first-ever Asian-African Conference, or Bandung Conference, a high-profile affair of its era that triggered a wave of nationalist and anti-colonialist movements around the world.

Java offers some good beaches and surf breaks. In West Java, Pangandaran is the most popular beach resort area; lashed by a tsunami in 2006 that killed more than 500 people, the town has since regenerated and bounced back. West Java's best surf breaks include Pelabuhan Ratu and Panaitan Island.

The self-governing city of Yogyakarta is one of Java's top attractions. The cultural and artistic capital of the island manages to hold on to tradition while also making nods to modernity. In the old city lies the kraton, an 18th-century built walled area with the sultan living at the very centre.

Yogyakarta is the spot to catch a wayang kulit (shadow puppet) show, hear some gamelan, browse batik stores and learn a little about traditional and contemporary Javanese art. The Indonesian language courses on offer in this city are renowned as being the best on the island, if not all of the country.

Thanks to the number of university students living here, Yogyakarta has a vibrancy: think many cheap but decent restaurants, good market shopping featuring young local designers, decent live music and other varied cultural attractions.

A short distance from Yogyakarta — and usually visited on day trips from here — are Indonesia's two most famed archaeological sites. The first is the beautiful ninth century Buddhist temple complex of Borobudur. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the few Javanese tourist attractions that really draws big crowds, so be prepared for a less-than-deserted experience. It's worth arriving at sunrise to see the hundreds of Buddhist statues amid the muted pinks and yellows of dawn.

The second site is Prambanan, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Built possibly in response to Borobudur in the ninth century, it's the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and one of the largest in Southeast Asia.

In Central Java, Dieng Plateau boasts Java's oldest Hindu temples from around the eighth century. Over 400 temples once dotted the area but today just eight remain. Located high above sea level, the spot is worth a visit more for the interesting trip itself than the temples, with mists descending in the afternoons adding to the atmosphere.

Another Central Java attraction is the small Karimunjawa archipelago north of the city of Semarang. The coral-fringed islands remain mostly undeveloped for now and boast lovely beaches, good snorkelling and diving.

East Java's Surabaya is Indonesia's second city. Though the main port and commercial centre of the east, it's not quite on the scale of Jakarta, but is still a congested, hectic city with charms that are not easily uncovered.

From here, an overnight trip to Gunung Bromo, an active volcano, is a popular and worthwhile excursion. Ride on a horse across a sweeping empty plain reminiscent of a Tibetan plateau or traipse across on foot to witness the peak at sunrise.

Lying just off East Java is the rugged island of Madura, famed for its bull races; other regional attractions include the former royal capital of Solo or Surakarta, as well as Malang, home to cooler weather, apple orchards and crowds of domestic tourists.

KETERKAITAN ANATARA GROBOGAN DAN YOGYAKARTA

KERAJAAN MEDANG KAMULAN DI GROBOGAN

Jika kita melintas di jalan raya Yogyakarta - Magelang, tepatnya di daerah kecamatan Salam secara tidak sengaja kita akanmenengok ke selatan jalan. Kuburan-kuburan Cina yang terletak di lereng bukit menjadi penyebabnya. Sayang, banyak dari kita tidak tahu bahwa bukit itu menyimpan sejarah masa lalu yang penting.

Gunung Gendol, demikian penduduk setempat menyebutnya, pernah menjadi saksi meletusnya Gunung Merapi sepuluh abad silam. Menurut Van Bemmelen, seorang ahli geologi, letusan Merapi yang terhebat dalam sejarahnya itu menyebabkan sebagian besar puncaknya lenyap. Lapisan tanah bergeser ke arah barat daya, sehingga terjadi lipatan. Gerakan tanah ini membentur Pegunungan Menoreh dan membentuk Gunung Gendol.

Di Gunung Gendol ini pula babak baru Kerajaan Mataram Kuno dimulai. Peristiwanya tercatat dalam prasasti Canggal yang diketemukan di halaman Candi Gunung Wukir. Candi ini terletak di salah satu puncak Gunung Gendol. Prasasti ini menulis bahwa Raja sanjaya telah mendirikan lingga diatas Bukit Sthirangga untuk keselamatan rakyatnya pada hari Senin tanggal 13 paro terang bulan Kartika 654 Saka atau 732 Masehi. Lingga itu ialah Candi Gunung Wukir yang hingga kini masih ada sisa-sisanya.

Pendirian lingga untuk memperingati bahwa Sanjaya telah dapat membangun kembali Kerajaan dan bertahta setelah menaklukkan musuh-musuhnya. Musuh-musuh itu telah menyerang Sanna, raja yang berkuasa sebelum Sanjaya. Pusat kerajaan Sanna dihancurkan. Ibukota kerajaan diserbu dan dijarah. Karena itu setelah Sanjaya dinobatkan mejadi raja, perlu dibangun ibukota baru dengan istana baru disertai pembangunan candi untuk pemujaan lingga kerajaan. Hal ini berhubungan dengan kepercayaan bahwa istana yang telah diserbu musuh sudah kehilangan tuahnya.

Bangunan suci yang didirikan Sanjaya terletak di wilayah Kunjarakunja. Tentang nama Kunjarakunja itu, Poerbatjaraka pernah mengemukakan pendapat bahwa yang yang dimaksud dengan daerah itu adalah daerah Sleman, Yogyakarta sekarang, berdasarkan arti kata itu, yaitu hutan Gajah dan adanya daerah wana ing alas i Saliman. Kata Saliman diartikan sebagai daerah Sleman sekarang.

Nama Sanjaya semakin jelas posisinya dalam sejarah Mataram Kuno dengan diketemukannya prasasti Mantyasih (907 Masehi) dan Wanua Tengah III (908 Masehi). Kedua prasasti yang dibuat oleh Dyah Balitung itu berisi daftar raja-raja yang pernah berkuasa di Kerajaan Mataram Kuno. Urutan pertama raja-raja tersebut ditempati oleh Rakai Mataram Sang Ratu Sanjaya (prasasti Mantyasih) dan Rahyangta ri Medang dapat disamakan dengan Rakai Mataram Sang Ratu Sanjaya. Prasasti Mantyasih dibuat untuk menghormati leluhur yang telah diperdewakan di Medang di Poh Pitu. Disini untuk pertama kalinya nama Medang disebut.

"Medang adalah nama kerajaan sebelum bernama Mataram. Jadi, kerajaan Medang sama dengan kerajaan Mataram. Lebih tepatnya, Medang adalah embrio Mataram," kata Drs. Joko Dwiyanto-Dosen Fakultas Arkeologi UGM

TEMPAT WISATA GROBOGAN YANG SERING DIKUNJUNGI MUDA MUDI

Tempat Wisata di Grobogan yang Terkenal

  Kabupaten Grobogan merupakan nama sebuah kabupaten yang masuk dalam wilayah Provinsi Jawa Tengah. Kabupaten Grobogan beribukota di Kota Purwodadi. Nama Purwodadi sendiri lebih terkenal dibandingkan dengan Kabupaten Grobogan, sehingga banyak yang mengira Purwodadi ini nama Kabupaten, padahal hanya nama sebuah kota. Purwodadi terkenal dengan wsata kulinernya yang sangat unik yaitu swike kodok. Hmm, jangan coba-coba kalau tidak suka ya, karena bagi sebagian orang makanan yang berbahan kodok merupakan sesuatu yang haram. Jika anda tidak ingin menikmati swike kodok, anda dapat memesan swike dengan bahan lainnya seperti ayam, tinggal pesan saja kepada penjualnya.

Di sektor pariwisata, Kabupaten Grobogan memiliki sejumlah tempat wisata yang sangat populer di kalangan wisatawan khususnya di wilayah Kabupaten Grobogan sendiri dan sekitarnya. Dalam tulisan ini akan kita bahas  sebagai berikut.

1. Waduk Kedung Ombo



Waduk Kedung Ombo merupakan sebuah waduk yang terdapat di Kabupaten Grobogan. Sebenarnya keberadaan waduk ini tidak hanya berada di Kabupaten Grobogan namun juga mencakup wilayah Kabupaten Sragen dan Boyolali. Luas Waduk Kedung Ombo sendiri sekitar 6576 hektar dimana dengan luas waduk itu dapat digunakan untuk mengairi sawah di Kabupaten robogan, Sragen, Boyolali, Pati, dan Demak. Saat ini selain digunakan sebagai sarana riasi, Waduk Kedung Ombo jua digunakan sebagai tempat wsiata yan sangat potensial. Untuk menuju Waduk Kedun Ombo anda dapat mencari alamatnya di Desa Rambat, Kecamatan Geyer, Kabupaten Grobogan atau sekitar 29 km dari Kota Purwodadi ke arah selatan. Di Waduk Kedung Ombo ini anda dapat menikmati pemandangan yang indah, serta dapat juga menikmati masakan ikan air tawar yang dijajakan sejumah warung makan di lokasi waduk. Selain itu juga disediakan kapal motor yang dapat mengangkut pengunjung mengeliingi waduk yang sangat indah ini.
(Baca : Megahnya Waduk Kedung Ombo Grobogan) 

2. Bledug Kuwu



Bleduk Kuwu adalah salah satu tempat wisata yang unik di Kabupaten Grobogan. Di loksi ini anda dapat melihat sebuah kawah lumpur yang terus meletup secara berkala setiap antara 2-3 menit. Letupan ini jika ditinjau dari ilmu geologi merupakan sebuah aktivitas pelepasan gas dari dalam teras bumi. as yang keluar ini mengandun metana. Dari letupan ini juga menandung garam dan sejumlah mineral. Oleh masyarakat setempat kandungan mneral ini dimanfaatkan untuk membuatgaram bleng secara tradisional. Unik bukan ? Jika anda berminat mengunjuni tempat wisata Bleduk Kuwu ini anda dapat menunjunginya di Desa Kuwu, Kecamatan Kradenan, Kabupaten Grobogan.

3.  Api Abadi Mrapen



Api Abadi Mrapen merupakan obyek wisata yang unik lainnya yang ada di Kabupaten Grobogan. Dinamakan api abadi karena di tempat ini terdapat sebuah api yang menyala terus dan tak pernah padam meskipun diguyur dengan hujan. Api abadi Mrapen ini pada dasarnya merupakan sebuah fenomena alam dimana di tempat tersebut terdapat sebuah lubang yang mengeluarkan gas alam dan kemudian terbakar di udara. Sumber api abadi Mrapen ini merupakan sumber api yang bersejarah karena sering digunakan sebagai sumber api bagi beberapa event nasional, seperti Pesta Olahraga Internasional Ganefo tahun 1963, Pekan Olah Raga Nasional atau PON, POR PWI tahun 1983 dll. Selain event olahraga, Sumber Api Mrapen juga digunakan sebagai sumber api dalam perayaan Hari Waisak. Lokasi Api abadi Mrapen sendiri terdapat di Desa Manggarmas, Kecamatan odong Kabupaten robogan Jawa Tengah. Lokasi ini terdapat di tepi jalan Purwodadi-Semarang.

4. Gua Macan dan Gua Lowo



Wisata alam yang terdapat di Kabupaten Grobogan lainnya adalah berupa Goa. Kita tahu bahwa di wilayah Kabupaten Grobogan terdapat pegunungan kapur yang cukup besar, sehingga ada beberapa goa yang terbentuk secara alami. Goa yang terdapat di Kabupaten Grobogan ini diantaranya adalah Goa Macan dan Goa Lowo. Kedua goa ini terletak berdekatan. Nama kedua goa ini dinamakan dengan nama binatang yang dahulu sering menghuni goa ini. Namun saat ini sudah tidak ada macan yang terdapat di goa macan, tinggal namanya saja. Letak Goa macan dan Goa Lawa sendiri terdapat di Dusun Watu Song Desa Sedayu Kecamatan Sedayu Kabupaten Grobogan. Di kedua goa ini dapat anda lihat pemandangan alam yang indah berupa goa di tengah rimbunnya pohon dan didalamnya terdapat banyak stalaktid dan stalagmit.

5. Gua Urang



Goa yang terdapat di Kabupaten Grobogan selain Goa Macan dan Goa Lawa adalah Goa Urang. Goa ini dinamakan Goa urang karena di tempat ini dahulu banyak ditemukan udang (dalam bahasa jawa disebut urang). Goa ini malah sering dikunjungi peneliti dari luar daerah, namun utnuk wisatawan belum banyak yang datang karena akses ke tempat ini cukup sulit karena harus melewati persawahan penduduk. Pemerintah Kabupaten Grobogan sepertinya belum banyak melakukan pengembangan terhadap obyek wisata yang cukup potensial ini. Lokasi Goa URang sendiri terdapat di Dusun Guwo, Desa Kemadohbatur, di Kec. Tawangharjo Kabupaten Grobogan.

6. Air Terjun Widuri



Satu lagi tempat wisata yang tersembunyi di Kabupaten Grobogan, yaitu Air Terjun Widuri. Air Terjun Widuri ini merupakan satu-satunya air terjun yang ada di Kabpaten Grobogan. Air Terjun Widuri memang belum banyak didatangi para wisatawan karena lokasinya yang agak tersembunyi, namun sebenarnya air terjun ini memiliki pemandangan alam yang sangat asri dan indah. Air Terjun WIduri ini dipercara oleh masyarakat sekitar sebagai lokasi tempat kejadian pertemuan antara Joko Tarub dan Dewi Nawangwulan yang merupakan seorang bidadari. Dalam cerita rakyat ini Dewi Nawangwulan bersama dengan bidadari lain yang berjumlah tujuh, sedang mandi di sungai Air Terjun Widuri ini. Joko Tarub kemudian mengambil selendang Dewi Nawangwulan agar tidak bisa kembali ke kayangan dan kemudian menikahinya. Jika anda berminat untuk datang ke wisata air Terjun Widuri ini anda dapat mendatanginya di alamat Desa Batur kecamatan Tawangharjo Kabupaten Grobogan Jawa Tengah.

7. Sendang Coyo



Tempat wisata selanjutnya yang ada di Kabupaten Grobogan adalah Sendang Coyo. Sendang Coyo merupakan salah satu sendang kebanggaan warga Grobogan. Sendang ini terus saja ada airnya meskipun pada musim kemarau. Menurut kepercayaan warga setempat, Sendang Coyo merupakan sendang peninggalan dari sunan Kalijaga. Sendang ini muncul dari bekas tanah yang ditancapkan tongkat beliau ketika sedang dalam perjalanan menyebarkan Islam di Tanah jawa. Sendang Coyo dipercaya dapat membuat siapa saja yang mandi di dalamnya menjadi awet muda. Namun mandinya harus dilakukan pada malam 1 Suro. Tentu saja ini hanya kepercayaan penduduk setempat, semua akhirnya kembali pada kepercayaan anda masing-masing. Untuk lokasi Sendang Coyo ini terdapat di Desa Mlowokarangtalun Kecamatan Pulokulon Kabupaten Grobogan kurang lebih 20 KM sebelah tenggara kota Purwodadi. 

8. Waduk Klambu



Selain Waduk KEdung Ombo, Kabupaten Grobogan juga memiliki waduk lainnya yaitu Waduk Klambu. Waduk Klambu memang tidak setenar Waduk Kedung Ombo, namun keberadaannya sudah banyak diketahui warga Grobogan. Waduk ini juga difungsikan sebagai sarana irigasi, dimana air didalamnya didapat dengan cara membendung 2 aliran sungai yaitu Sungai Lusi dan Sungai Serang. Tidak hanya untuk mengairi sawah di Grobogan, Waduk Klambu juga digunakan untuk mengairi sawah di wilayah Kabupaten Kudu dan Pati. Selain untuk irigasi Waduk Klambu juga banyak dikunjungi para pengunjung yang ingin menikmati keindahan alam waduk Kelambu, meskipun pengunjung tersebut hanya berasal dari Warga Grobogan sendiri. Lokasi Waduk Klambu adalah di Desa Klambu, Kecamatan Klambu, Kabupaten Grobogan.

9. Jatipohon



Obyek wisata selanjutnya yang ada di sekitar Purwodadi Groboga adalah Jatipohon. Jika anda sering melewati jalur Pati-Purwodadi maka anda pasti sangat familiar dengan wilayah Jatipohon. Wilayah Jatipohon ini merupakan wilayah pegunungan yang terletak di Utara Kota Purwodadi dan berbatasan langsung dengan Kecamatan Sukolilo Pati. Karena berada di atas perbukitan, maka suasana disni terasa sejuk dan asri. Ada beberapa tempat wisata yanga ada di Jatipohon ini, diantaranya adalah sumber mata air Jatipohon, gardu pandang untuk melihat keindahan Kota Purwodadi dari atas bukit, Langen Sari Indah dimana didalamnya terdapat kolam renang, pondok lesehan, bumi perkemahan, penginapan dll.

10. Kolam Renang Ayodya



Kolam Renang Ayodya merupakan sebuah wisata keluarga baru yang terdapat di Kota Purwodadi Grobogan, bahkan ada juga yeng menyebutnya dengan ikon wisata baru bagi Kabupaten Grobogan. Hal itu tidaklah mengherankan karena Kolam Renang Ayodya tidak sekedar menyediakan kolam renang namun juga menawarkan sebuah wahana permainan anak yang sangat digemari seluruh anggota keluarga. Nama resmi dari Kolam Renang Ayodya ini sebenarnya adalah Ayodya Bloombang Water Park namun banyak yang menyebutnya dengan Kolam Renang Ayodya. bagaimana tidak lengkap, di Kolam Renang Ayodya ini sudah terdapat 2 buah kolam besar dengan berbagai sarana permainan air seperti twin slide, family slide, splash bucket serta sebuah jacuzzi dengan atraksi utama sebuah tower slider dengan tinggi 7 meter untuk memicu adrenalin. Jadi yang pengen liburan seru bersama keluarga, datang saja ke Ayodya Bloombang Water Park di Kota Purwodadi Grobogan.

11. Cindelaras



Obyek Wisata Cindelaras ini terdapat di Desa Bandungharjo, kecamatan Toroh, Kabupaten Grobogan. Di Area wisata Cindelaras ini menawarkan keindahan alam berupa waduk yang dikelilingi hutan yang dikelola oleh Perum Perhutani. Dahulu tempat ini sering iunakan sebagai tempat kemah bagi siswa-siswi di sekitar Kota Purwodadi. Namun sayangnya waduk yang ada di Cindelaras ini tidak selalu terdapat air, apabila musim kemarau airnya sering kering kerontang.