Penataran Temple Protected: Blitar, West Java

By Barrie | November 1st, 2007 | No Comments

style="margin-right:7px;" border="1"/>Zulaika rested under a tree near Penataran Temple in Blitar, East Java and she appeared to focus on a group of children playing on the temple’s stairs. The temple’s complex is located in Penataran district and locals said it would without doubt see some affects if Kelud volcano, which has been sitting on a top alert status since Oct. 16, were to erupt. Two other nearby temples, Sewu Temple and Ngambar Temple, would suffer the same fate, locals said.

“My grandchildren want to see Penataran Temple,” the 52-year-old woman said.

“I’m scared about Mount Kelud and wonder what would happen if it suddenly erupted. But I will try to be courageous and take them here.”

While Penataran Temple is outside the first danger zone and at least 10-km from the volcano — the biggest temple complex in East Java is some 30 km from the mountain’s crater and would probably end up covered by thick sand when Kelud erupts.

The volcano last erupted in 1990 — an occasion which saw the temple complex turned into a shelter, even though the area was covered by some 15 cm of thick volcanic sand, burying many artifact bases.

The newest risk status around the volcano has seen visitors reluctant to visit the temple.

Temple security officer Sukriono said the place usually hosted up to 200 visitors a day, but that visitors numbers had dropped to around 70.

“Usually, during Idul Fitri holidays, visitors could reach 2,000 people but this year, only some 1,000 people came,” Sukriono said.

And most visitors did not stay long to enjoy the view, he said.

“Maybe they are afraid something bad might happen.”

The temple, which is located on the southwest slope of Mount Kelud in north Blitar, was first discovered by British governor Sir Thomas Standford Rafless in 1815.

It is predicted to have existed since 1194, when King Crnga Kadiri ruled the region.

Penataran Temple has a strong relation with Mount Kelud.

According to the ancient Negara Kertagama manuscript by Mpu Prapanca, the temple was one site used by Majapahit King Hayam Wuruk to worship the mountain’s god, Girindra, whose power it is believed to be under.

“This relationship makes people believe any eruption, no matter how bad, will not damage the temple’s building,” Sukriono said.
He said Mount Kelud once spitted a hot lava flow, which instead of following an expected trail, somehow avoided the temple to instead deposit its heat in a small river 30 meters away from the temple.

“This story makes people believe there is a certain power that protects Penataran temple from Mount Kelud’s wrath,” he said.

Kanigoro resident Zulaika, however, said she would not go near the temple if her grandchildren and relatives from Lampung were not insistent.

“My family wants to see the temple, so what else I can do,” she said.

ID Nugroho