Kasada Ceremony at Mount Bromo

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Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park

The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park covers some 800 square kilometers in the centre of East Java. It is the largest volcanic region in the province and there stands Mt. Semeru, which rises 3676 meters above sea level. At its northern end is the spectacular Tengger Caldera, Java's largest, with its 10 km barren desert-like sea of sand. Within the caldera rise the deeply fissured volcanic cones of Batok and Bromo, the latter is still active with a cavernous crater from which smoke blows skyward. Temperatures at the top of mount Bromo range about 5 to 18 degrees Celcius . To the south is a rolling upland plateau dissected by valleys and dotted with several small scenic lakes, extending to the foot of Mount Semeru, a towering grey forest-skirted cone dominating the southern landscape.
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Kasada Offering Ceremony

On the fourteenth day of the Month Kasada, the inhabitants of Tengger Mountain range gather at the rim of Mount Bromo's active crater to present annual offerings of rice, fruit, vegetables, flowers, live stock and other local produce to the God of the Mountain. As adherents of religion combining elements of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism the Tenggerese ask for blessing from the supreme God Hyang Widi Wasa. The Kasada ceremony opens with the inauguration of the honored members of Tenggerese society. Followed by a classical ballet performance which recounts the legend of Roro Anteng and Joko Seger at the open theatre in the village of Ngadisari. At midnight is the inauguration of new priest at the 'Poten' on the sand sea of Mt. Bromo.

Legend Of Kasada Ceremony

According to legend, the Kasada ceremony dates back to their time of the Majapahit Kingdom, during the reign of King Brawijaya. The queen of the Kingdom gave birth to a daughter named Roro AnTENG, who married Jaka SeGER a young man from the Brahmin Caste. These two were among those who fled eastward from Majapahit as the religion of Islam expanded in Java during the 15th century. Setting in the Tengger range Jaka Seger and Rara Anteng ruled the region jointly under the title Purbawisesa Mangkurat Ing Tengger. The word 'Tengger' itself is said to have been derived from a combination of the last syllables of the two rulers names: 'Teng' and 'Ger'. Another meaning of the word Tengger is 'Tenggering Budi Luhur', meaning eternal peace and high morality. For some years the region flourished under the leadership of Jaka Seger and Rara Anteng, yet the king and queen were unhappy for their had no children. They decided therefore to climb to the top of Mt. Bromo and pray for help. Moved by the depth of their faith, the god of Mt. Bromo assured them of offspring but with the conditin that the youngest child be sacrificed in the crater of the volcano. After a giving birth to 25 children, the time came for Roro Anteng and to fulfil her part of pledge. Since they were reluctant however they were threatened with catastrophe. At length they were forced to comply with the god's wishes and their 25th child, named Kesuma was thrown into the crater. As the child was sacrificed a voice was heard to echo "My beloved brothers and sisters I Have been sacrificed by ourparents to appear before Hyang Widi. Be in peace and live prosperously never forgetting to perform worship. As reminder ask you to perform an annual ceremony on the 14th day of Kasada at the time of the half-moon bringing offering of crops and livestock.

The Tenggerese Society

The Tenggerese are an ethnic group inhabiting the highlands of East Java's Tengger mountain range, They live almost entirely from the cultivation of crops and embrace a Hindu/Buddhist religion. According to the East Java Parisada Hindu Darma, the relegion of the Tengger people is Mahayana Buddhism. The Tengger have no temples, but instead Punden, Poten or Danyang. The annual Yadnya Kasada is a holy ceremony held at the crater and sea of Mount Bromo is a holy festival of thanksgiving and a time for the inauguration of priest.

Flora and Fauna

Most of the parts of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park as the area of are fertile, the flora grows well including: pinus, merkusii, fir tree, and eldeweiis (anavalis sp. the protected plants ). The typical animal living in the National Park include: Timor deer, (Cerveos timorenses) wild dog, leopard (Panthera tigris sundaicus), pangolin (Manis para manis javanicus), flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista), and other bird species.

The Great Poten Temple Of Mount Bromo

The religion of Tenggerese is in same respects different to the Hinduism of Bali or of India. Instead of temples, the Tenggerese perform worship in places called punden, danyang, and poten. The poten is a sacred area of ground on Mt. Bromo 's sand sea, and becomes the focus for the annual Kasada ceremony. As a place of worship, the poten contains several buildings and enclosures, arranged in a specific composition, which called The Zones/Mandalas as described:

1. The jeroan (Mandala Utama), or central place of worship, containing the padma (lotus) a roofless construction decorated with images of a turtle, eagle, and swan.
2. Place for the dukuns (magician/priest) known as Bale Pawedan, and open four pillared construction:
   • the Kori Agung Candi Bentar ( Great Gate )
   • the Bale Kentongan (Place for keeping the bells)
   • the Bale Bengong (a place for preparing offerings and food)
3. The Mandala Nista is a type of reception area and middle ground between the inner place of worship and the outside world.
   
   

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