Mt. Semeru, in the background, at 12,066 foot (3,678 m) is the tallest volcano on Java, and Mt. Bromo, in the foreground, is the center piece of a beautiful national park.
Mount Bromo also called Gunung Bromo, located in the Tengger Caldera, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in East Java, Indonesia. It is an active volcano and part of the Tengger massif, and even though at 2329 meters it is not the highest peak of the massif, it is the most well known. The word “Bromo“ orginated from Sansekertaneese of “Brahma”, which has the meaning of “God among God”.
Legend:
According to a local folk tale, at the end of the 15th century princess Roro Anteng from the Majapahit Empire started a separate principality together with her husband Joko Seger. They named it Tengger by the last syllables of their names. The principality did prosper, but the ruling couple failed to conceive children. In their despair they climbed Mount Bromo to pray to the gods, who granted them help, but requested the last child to be sacrificed to the gods. They had 24 children, and when the 25th and last child Kesuma was born Roro Anteng refused to do the sacrifice as promised. The gods then threatened with fire and brimstone, until she finally did the sacrifice. After the child was thrown into the crater, the voice of the child ordered the local people to perform an annual ceremony on the volcano, which is held until today.
Now:
In the 14th night of Kasada month, the people of Tengger brings their offerings in an ongkek (some kind of container) consists of various farm and cattle harvest. And then they wait at the temple for the elder shaman to come and start the enchanting. When the time comes, approximately at midnight, the shaman coronation in the middle of Bromo’s sea of sand begins. For the people of Tengger, the role of the shaman is very important. Their job is to lead ceremonial activities as well as weddings. Before they “graduated” they must truly memorize the enchanting and can perform them well enough.
After the ritual finished, all of the ongkek is brought to the edge of the crater, and then thrown inside as a symbol of sacrifice done by their elder. They threw some of their harvest as an appreciation and expression of gratitude to God. Inside the crater, there are a lot of beggars and tengger people who lived in the deeper area of Tengger. They come from far away places and built a place to stay many days before the ritual. They hoped to be able to acquire leftover from the offerings thrown inside the crater. Activities from Tengger villagers who lived in the deeper area can be seen during the ceremonial day of Kasada Bromo.
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