The Unique Temple

Sukuh Temple and the Temple Ceto

Temple Sukuh distance is 20 km to the east of the City Karanganyar. One - the only erotic temple and Unique in Indonesia, nearly matching the existing temples in Guatemala (U.S.), shape (truncated pyramid which is the image of the limitations of human knowledge, was built in the 15th century.

Ceto Temple is the temple pretending like in Bali, respectively 910 and 1400 rneter above sea level distance 9 km to the north Sukuh Temple. A number of reliefs that decorated the temple is a picture of human life, living and dead. Among the traditional ceremony and also Ruwatan human sexual life. Both temples are located right on the west slope of Mount Lawu, surrounded by pine forests, as well as a relay of View of the Scenery breathtaking in Mount Lawu slopes.

The second temple was visited by many tourists from various countries, because besides having a special attraction, is also easy to reach.

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Waterfall

Forest Tourism Grojogan Sewu (waterfall)

Tourism objects that many tourists visited Indonesia, and Worldwide, can be reached by a variety of vehicles. Distance 27 km to the east of the City Karanganyar. Many forest areas overgrown with various species of forest trees and inhabited by a group of tame monkeys. Specification Forest Tourism is a waterfall 81 meters high known as the Waterfall Grojogan Sewu Tawangmangu. Harmonious blend of forest and waterfall is a special attraction for tourists. This tourism object repeatedly been Tourism Object Example of Central Java Province level.

Supporting Facilities Animal Forest Park, Swimming Pool, Shelter, Public Eating, Fruit Shop and Souvenirs, Mosque and Toilet

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DISTRICT KARANGANYAR

Karanganyar is one of the districts of Central Java. These areas have many natural attractions of the mountains. Nature tourism is cool temperate 15 km from Kota Budaya Surakarta. Easily accessible with various kinds of vehicles.
Regional identity "INTANPARI" (Industry - Agriculture - Tourism) is the potential Karanganyar District.

Karanganyar District also has won awards in the field of cleaning the city, it has gained marked with ADIPURA since 1994. The various owned of tourism potential Karanganyar District, both tourist attraction and tourism industry is quite adequate.
Tourism Object in Karanganyar District, among others:

1. Tourism Object Nature:

Forest Tourism Grojogan Sewu, Wana Wisata Gunung Bromo, camping grounds (Buper) Lawu Sekipan and Camping Resort, Warm Water Bathing Cumpleng and Pablengan

2. Cultural Tourism Object:

Sukuh and Ceto Temple, Palanggatan Site and Menggung, Tomb Kings Mangadeg and Girilayu, etc.

3. Tourism Objects Made:

Ria Tarnan Balekambang, Lalung and Delingan Basin, and others



Tourism industry as a supporter of tourism Karanganyar District, among others:

1. The existence of Hotel and Restaurant: Star Hotel, Motel, Restaurant / Rumah Makan

2. Bureau of Tourism Travel / General,

3. Handicrafts and Souvenirs

4. Various kinds of tourism attractions and the Arts:
Art Music Bamboo "Tech-tek", Reog, Karawitan Art, Dance, Puppet People / Leather and Campursari.

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MOUNT KRAKATAU

Krakatoa (or Krakatau)

Krakatoa or Krakatau, was a small volcanic island in the Sunda strait, about half way between Java and Sumatra. In 1883 an eruption of Mount Krakatoa (sometimes spelled Krakatau) with a force greater than that of several hydrogen bombs caused tidal wave (tsunami) that submerged the coast of the island of Java, killing thirty-six thousand people. The eruption destroyed most of the existing islandsof the Krakatao surrounds. Then new eruptions at the volcano since 1927 have built a new island, called the child of Krakatao, Anak Krakatau. Before the explosion View of the Water Place of Anjer Pont, painted by William Daniell in 1794, the Krakatoa mount appears in the background. Anjer is located on the Western coast of Java, at 26 miles (40 Kms) from the Volcano. At that time the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC) was governing the island of Java. 1883: the explosion The fist alert reported in May 1883 by The Times of London. " On Sunday morning last, from six to ten o'clock, there was a tremendous eruption, with continuous earthquakes and heavy rain of ashes. On Sunday evening and Monday morning, it was continued. The eruption was distinctly seen here until nine o'clock this morning, and the smoke was seen until twelve o'clock; afterwards it cleared up a little, and at this moment the air is clouded again. The Captain Ross reports from Anjer that, on May 22, he was sailing near Java's Fisrt Point and tried to get Prinsen Island in sight, but found that it was surrounded by clouds. Then he steered from Krakatan, but found it to be the same there. the captain observed that the lower island or mountain situated on the north side of Krakatan was totally surrounded by smoke, and from time to time flames arose with loud reports. Fire had broken out in several places, and it is very likely that the trees in the neighbourhood have caught fire. " The event: Monday, August 27, 1883 at 10:02 am. At that very moment came the culminating and terrifying main eruption of the Krakatoa. Krakatoa's final twenty hours and fity-minutes were marked by a number of phases. It started by a series of explosions on Sunday at about 7 p.m. The explosion was so huge that most of the volcano's mountain (or island) desapeared under the level of the sea. A new smalest volcano island was formed later on, and called Anak Krakatoa. This eruption of August 1883 was the largest recorded in Java, and is considered as one the world's biggest volcano explosion recorded by human in the last centuries, with the Tambora Volcano in Sumbawa on April 1815, an other Indonesian island. Coming back to the Krakatao eruption, the sound was so loud that it was heard in Thailand and in Australia. Some studies are also pointing out thet the smoke was so important that it propagated in the atmosphere for months, generating climate modification in an extended portion of the globe. View of the "Anak Krakatoa" volcano, as it is today. The name means "Child of Krakatoa", and lays in the ocean in a bay formed after the explosion of the Krakatoa mountain in 1883. News Eruption of Anak Krakatoa in November 2007 Following a major eruption in 1996 and a minor one in 2001, the Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) volcano sends up powerful clouds of hot gasses, rocks, and lava as a fishing boat is moored offshore early Thursday Nov. 8, 2007, in the Sunda Straits between Java and Sumatra, Indonesia. Nov. 12, 2007: The volcano has been active for two weeks now and has since been putting up a complete pyrotechnics show for visitors and scientists. People who are monitoring the situation say it is not too dangerous and it will probably continue for some time to come. Still there is a a warning in place to keep at least three kilometers distance from the volcano. Comments from Uusjio (Indonesian employee of Antara): "Some 10 to 15 Australian and European tourists come here every day to observe the eruptions of Mount Anak Krakatau," Iman Faisal (35), a tourist guide at Carita beach resort in Pandeglang, Banten, said here Saturday. He said many of the foreign tourists take pictures of the eruptions as the happening was something of great interest in their respective countries.

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MOUNT SEMERU

Gunnung Semeru (Mount Semeru)

Mount Semeru View of active Gunung Semeru, the highest peak of Java, from Mount Bromo which caldera appears in the front of the picture. The eruption of the Semeru is continous for about half a century, with regular eruption happening with smoke every 15 minutes. Semuru is located in the South of the Tengger volcanic massif, and with its 3 676 meters is the Java's highest mountain. Trekkers can have access to the crater with a long journey starting from Rano Pani village. Caution is required from visitors, as gas emissions could happen.

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ABOUT BROMO

Bromo : a popular destination

The Bromo Caldera This is certainly the most popular destination in East Java. The Mount Bromo is a still active volcano and its peak culminates at 2 392 meters. It located at 112 kilometers southeast of Surabaya. The caldera of the Mount Bromo (Gunnung Bromo in Indonesian) . Mount Bromo The ideal time to visit is the dry season (April to November) when there is a chance to see the blood-red sunrise. The site of Mount Bromo is unique and has probably the largest caldera for a volcano in Asia. As you can see on the picture here above, a long queue of visitors is crossing the caldera, some by feet, some riding a horse. LUHUR POTEN TEMPLE From the edge of the Bromo peak, once you have climbed it, you can see, more or less in the , in the middle of the Bromo caldera, the temple, it gives a good sense of how large is the site. As explain in the previous page this is the place for the annual Kasada Festival is , the ceremony to commemorate deceased ancestors and relatives. Offerings are carried by participants who hold oil torches and climb to the top of the Gunung Bromo on foot and horseback.

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BROMO AND TENGGER MOUNT

Bromo and the Tengger massif: spectacular scenery and religious tradition.

The Bromo Caldera with the Mount Semeru in the background, part of the Tengger massif The Tengger volcanic complex which includes the caldera of the Mount Bromo (Gunnung Bromo in Indonesian) and the Mount Semeru, is probably one of the most seen pictures of the Indonesian volcanoes. Its large size and the spectacular scenery which surrounds the volcano, with the Mount Semeru in the backgroung explain why it is the symbol of the Indonesian volcanoes landscape. Mount Bromo attracts both tourists, and Tanggereses (local Indonesians living in the region). The sunrise on the Bromo, between five and six o'clock, when the temperature is between 0 and 5°C is a must for tourists. The Yadnya Kasada ceremony The Tenggereses are climbing once a year the Mount Bromo for the Kasada which is a popular annual ritual to celebrate ancestors. At dawn the procession of Yadnya Kasada commenced, marking the 12th month of the Tenggerese calendar (in 2008 it was September 16, and in 2009 it is September 6.) At the Pura Luhur Poten Temple compound, situated 2,390 meters above sea level at the foot of Mt Bromo, the slow beat of Javanese drums blended with traditional hymns to create a mystical atmosphere while Tengger Hindu elders arrived wearing colorful attire. Inside the temple goats, chickens and heaps of unhusked rice, fruit and vegetables were ready to be sacrificed. At the peak of the thanksgiving ceremony, the offerings were to be thrown into the crater of the mountain as stipulated by tradition. Shamans representing all 37 Tenggerese villages opened the ceremony by sitting together on the temple floor and uttering magic words and prayers in thanks to the Creator for giving them long lives. Once the thanksgiving ceremony was completed, a new shaman was officially sworn in. A newly inaugurated shaman is expected to assume new tasks in order to protect residents and lead by example through his behavior. The shaman main task is to preside over daily tribal rituals and to help cure the sick in their territory. He is also authorized to preside over a marriage ceremony, family rituals and prayers for ancestors. Asked about the Yadnya Kasada ritual, the shaman said the ceremony was the expression of harmony between human beings and the Creator. Through this, the Tenggerese community expressed their thanks for the Creator and his gift to them of long life. Following the swearing-in of the new shaman, the sacrifices were carried 2 kilometers to the crater of the symbolic mountain. As the sun rose, shamans performed a mass prayer calling for the Creator to bless the offerings before they were thrown into the crater, whereby onlookers rushed forward to receive the sacrifice and bless their future. Around 10,000 local and foreign visitors climbed the mountain. Pilgrims wished not only to witness the event, but also to seek blessings for their lives through this sacred celebration. According to Tengger legend, Kasada was inherited from their ancestors who were royal descendants of the Majapahit kingdom in the 14th century. The ruling king Brawijaya had his daughter Roro Anteng married to Joko Seger, a descendent of Brahmana. When Islam spread across Java, many Hindu followers fled to Bali while others relocated to the mountainous area near Mt Bromo under the royal pair's leadership. After unsuccessfully trying to have children, the pair retreated to the jungle and asked the Creator for assistance in conceiving. Their request was granted with the sole condition that their youngest was to be offered as a live sacrifice to a god at the mountain's crater. After having 25 children, the pair hid them inside a cave in an attempt to evade sacrificing their youngest, Raden Kusuma. One day a flash fire drove the children out of the cave and led the youngest to the crater, triggering rumors the sacrifice to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa was at last going to take place. Prior to the sacrifice, Raden Kusuma sent a message to all citizens to live peacefully and dedicate their lives to God. Another term was that they annually perform the thanksgiving ceremony at the 12th month, or kasada, of the year by throwing part of their harvest down the crater. (Source: From The Jakarta Post )

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Javanese Culture & smooth way of life

The Central Javanese cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo) are centers of classical Javanese culture. The ancient arts have been encouraged by the royal families of these two sultanates under whose patronage the performing arts and others aspects of Javanese culture have flourished.
Wayang Performance in Kraton

The Central Javanese cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo) are centers of classical Javanese culture. The ancient arts have been encouraged by the royal families of these two sultanates under whose patronage the performing arts and others aspects of Javanese culture have flourished. There are numerous music and dance schools, brilliant choregrapher, drama and poetry workshops, folk theater and wayang troupes, artists excelling in the plastic arts.


Yogyakarta has managed to maintain its charm and attractions, and is relatively untouched by the modern world. Its pace of life is unhurried, its people remain courteous in an increasingly pressured society, and it is proudly conscious of its artistic traditions which are maintained and which still dominate the life of the city.
There are numerous music and dance schools, brilliant choreographers, drama and poetry workshops, folk theater and wayang troupes, artists excelling in the plastic arts.
Welcome to Jogja

Today, the city of Jogja (Short name for Yogjakarta) is no more the economical and political center of Indonesia, but is still the reference for arts, education and ...tourism. Gajah Mada University which is attracting artists and scholars of all archipelago, has maintain his status of the most prestigious university of Indonesia.
With the return of the capital to Jakarta, Yogyakarta lost something of its impetus, though it remains the undisputed traditional cultural capital.

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Central java Old Train

At last, through the heavy tropic darkness, our train came gasping into JOGJA. That was how the name of our destination was spelt on the outside of the carriage, and that was what it was always called, through the correct form was Jogjakarta, or Djokjakarta, or even, in the full Javanese version, Ngajogjakarta, while Raffles in the History of Java (1817) spelt it Yug'ya Kerta. The popular abbreviation, informal and universal, was a sign of the place it held in the affections of the people - Jogja, the stubborn city of the Sultans, the sanctuary of Java's ancient traditions, the cradle of Indonesia's freedom.

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Malioboro Street

Jalan Malioboro, the main street of the Javanese capital, is busy from the morning till very late at night. This is the meeting place of students, tourists and street salers. You will walk there, jalan-jalan, without specific target, only to enjoy being together, to make some shopping or to eat in a warung (small mobile station to eat javanese foods).

In the evening, the street salers invade Jalan Malioboro, this is a good opportunities for tourists and students to spend few hours walking, drinking, eating and shopping as well.

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Carrier tricycle

Yogya is a place to enjoy life far from the polluted and animated city of Jakarta. You can still take a lift in a becak (carrier tricycle photo above) and visit the Kraton, Taman Sari (Water palace) or Burung Pasar (Birds market).The becak is part of the Yogya life. It is commonly used to transport people, foods, goods or animals.

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Lombok Beach

One of Lombok's principal handicrafts is weaving. You can visit workshops to see how ikat cloth is made. The island is famous for pottery and basketry that are woven from stripes of rattan and banana leaves..
The Gilis, three tiny islands off the Northern coast, are magnificent with white sand beaches and fascinating coral formations. Snorkeling or diving trips can be arranged through hotels and dive shops. In the sea, divers can find rare species of giant clams, turtles, sharks, manta rays, and blue spotted sting rays gracing the warm coastal warters

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Beach in Lombok

Beach in Lombok - 56.90 K The island features Gunung Rinjani or Mount Rinjani, an active volcano and the second highest mountain in Indonesia outside Irian Jaya at 3,726 meters (12,224 feet). The name Rinjani comes from an old Javanese word for "All Great", and according to Sasak legend, the volcano serves has a primary home of princess Anjani, the daughter of the islanders' Supreme God.
The rains that run down from the Mt. Rijani have produced one of the Indonesia most fertile valleys, and the islanders grow acres of rice, soy beans, coffee, cinnamon, vanilla and many others spices.

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Small Island Of Lombok

Just East of Bali is the small island of Lombok. Taking its name from a spicy red pepper used liberally in local cuisine, Lombok has long been a melting pot of Indonesian art, music, and tradition. Recently developed tourist facilities draw visitors to Lombok's serene beaches, soaring mountains and old temples.

The culture of the western part of the island is still heavily influenced by Bali. The temples or pura provide some of the most fascinating glimpses into the island's Balinese heritage and their annual harvest ceremonies are famous attractions .

The Eastern part is the home of the native islanders, the Sasaks. The Sasaks culture, mostly Muslim, represents the majority of the inhabitants of the island.

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The beloved goddess of Dewi Sri and Saraswati

Dewi Sri.
The beloved goddess of rice, Dewi Sri is the anima of a rice cult of particular beauty. Her shrines in the rice fields are simple structures of virgin bamboo. Her realm includes granaries and the rice basket, and she is honored in a number of different cyclical rituals, including the daily offerings set out after cooking.

Saraswati.
Saraswati, consort of Brahma, is the goddess of Knowledge, wisdom, and the arts. She is usually depicted as a beautiful, richly dressed woman riding a goose. Her anniversary falls on the 210 days Balinese calendar, when offerings are made to books, and reading and writing are nit allowed.

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