Perang Obor Jepara

Welahan Temple - Pagoda “Hian Thian Siang Tee”

Temple or klenteng Welahan 'Hian Thian Siang Tee' or HTST. Placed in village/sub-district Welahan, Jepara Regency. It is located 24 km south of Jepara city center, exactly at Welahan village, Welahan Sub-district, Jepara District, a village with ancient Chinese heirloom and becoming one of the historic tourism assets in Jepara, where strongly standing two pagodas built by a Chinese traditional healer named Tan Siang Boe together with his elder brother named Tan siang Djie. Visiting for this tourism historic object, some asphalted road or infrastructure through which tourists can pass by and get on 2-wheeled or 4-wheeled vehicles or many other public transports, as the location is nearby Welahan traditional market.

HISTORY AND LEGEND

In 1830 the Dutch General Governor, Johanes Graaf Bosch reigning Indonesia, which was called as the Netherlands Indies Colonization at that time coming a Chinese from China called Tan Siang Boe. His leaving from China to Southeat Asia was to find his elder brother named Tan Siang Djie in Indonesia. Leaving from China together in one boat was a Tasugagu who had meditated from Pho To San at Cinese land, as a meditative place of his excellency minister / emperor Hian Thiam Siang Tee during his trip and falling in sick, than with his solidarity and sympathy among people, Tan Siang Boe treated him with his medicines brought with from China, than he could cure Tasugagu’s sickness.

Gratefully for his treatment, while landing at Singapore, Tasu provided a gift in his express of thanks to Tan Siang Boe in the form of a bag with Tionggoan heirloom consisting of : a piece of Sien Tjhiang (smooth paper painted with His Excellency Hian Siang Tee), a stick of pokian (a Chinese sword), a Hio Lauw (place for dust from cremation), and a Tjioe Hwat (a book of medicine / forecast). After Tan Siang Boe arrived at Semarang, overnight staying in Kong Kwan’s group house where he got an information that his elder brother was in Welahan Jepara,

so he left for meeting Tan Siang Djie, his elder brother living together in a house with Liem Tjoe Tien’s family.This house is located at a gangway along side Welahan and now used for keeping the heirloom called Pagoda as a place for praying and respected by each Chinese believing in. After some time ago, Tian Siang Boe staying with his elder brother in Welahan, once upon a time, he went to work for another place.

In that case, the heirloom were entrustede to his elder brother considering that it was necessary to save the heirloom, so Tan Tjoe Tien entrusted the heirloom to the house owner, Liem Tjoe Tien, who always kept the heirloom up the balcony of his house. At that time, in general, he did not know what heirloomit was kept up the balcony.

During the storage up the balcony, every 3rd of Sha Gwa’s birth, i.e., Imlek of Seng Tan Djiet from Hian Thiam Siang Tee, the heirloom sparked a magic power like sparkling-out fire, sometime like a very marvelous fire-dragon and turtle that made the house settlers gor surprised. This event made him to call back Tan Siang Boe, the entrustee of the heirloom to Welahan to open the heirloom kept in the bag up the balcony. Opening and showing the heirloom to the members of the house settlers, he said that the heirloom were the relic from His Excellency Hian Thiam Siang Tee, so since then, the heirloom were praised according to the ancestor’s custom and tradition.

One day, Liem Tjoe Tian fallen in hard sickand it could be recovered by the magic power of the heirloom. With this event, mouth-to-mouth talk by people made the power famous, respected and praised among people believing in till now.Accordingly, the only heirloom of ancient Chinese for the first time coming into Indonesia as brought by Tan Siang Boe is that kept at Welahan, so it is believed that the existence of Welahan pagoda is the oldest one in Indonesia.With this existence of pagoda in Welahan, not only dominated by Chinese ethnic, but alsonatives coming frommany cities or peovinces asking for treatment, destiny, partners, planting and advancement in bussines, etc.

Traditional ceremony "Perang Obor"

The traditional ceremony Perang Obor, which is per formed at Pahing Monday in the night of Pon Tuesday in the month of Dzulhijah every year, it is held by the tegal Sambi villagers basic faith of the past event happened in the village.It is said that in the 16th century there was a rich farmer named Mbah Kyai Babadan in Tegal Sambi village. He has a lot of cattle, especially buffalo and cow.

IIt was impossible for him to look after the castle by himself, so he looked for and got a shepherd named Ki Gemblong. Ki Gemblong was very diligent in looking after those animals. He bathed them in a river every morning and evening, consequently the cattle grew healthy and fat. Kyai Babadan felt so happy and flattered Ki Gemblong for his diligence and obedience in tacking after the cattle.
One day, Ki Gemblong was looking after cattle in a river side of Kembangan when he saw many fish and shrimps in the river. Without waiting any longer, he caught the fish and shrimps, cooked and ate them in stable.

The traditional ceremony “Obor-oboran” is one of traditional ceremonies owned by the society of Jepara regency, especially Tegal Sambi vilagge Tahunan district, which is the only one in Central Java and maybe in Indonesia.

Torch (obor) in the ceremony is made by two or three roll of banana mid-rit and filled with dry leaves of banana (Javanese: klaras)

The prepared torches are burnt together in order to be used as attacker. The bumped torches make a big red hot, eventually people call it “ Perang Obor” (Torch War ).After that Ki Gemblong caught the fish and shrimps almost everyday. He forgot about his duty as a shepherd. As the result, the buffaloes and cows become weak and sick even death. This condition made Kyai babadan confused. He tried to heal his cattle by magic formulas but it didn’t work.

Finally Kyai Babadan found out the reason why his cattle become weak and sick. It was because Ki Gemblong liked to catch some fish and shrimps to be cooked and eaten more than looked after those animals.
Kyai Babadan was so angry. Finding Ki Gemblong cooked the fish, Kyai Babadan hit Ki Gemblong with a torch made by coconut palm. Ki Gemblong also took the some torch to face Kyai Babadan.

The torch war finally began. The fire from the torch spread everywhere and burnt up stubble next to the stable. The fire made the buffaloes and cows run away and unexpectedly the sick animals healed even where able to stand upright and ate in the field.

Tegalsambi villagers finally accepted the unexpected and amazing event as a miracle, that by the torch war all disease would be healed.

Nowadays, the traditional ceremony “Perang Obor” in used as away of sedekah bumi, (as) an expression of thanks to god for his mercy to the Tegalsambi villager. The ceremony is held once a year

Mengenal Sejarah RA Kartini

RA Kartin

RA Kartini lahir dari keluarga sederhana. Yaitu dari ayah RA Kartini bernama RMAA Sosroningrat dan ibunya Mas Ajeng Ngasirah.

Eeyang RA Kartini dari pihak ibunya adalah seorang Ulama Besar pada jaman itu bernama Kyai Haji Modirono dan Hajjah Siti Aminah. Istri kedua ayahnya yang berstatus garwo padmi adalah putri bangsawan yang dikawini pada tahun 1875. Ia keturunan langsung bangsawan tinggi madura yaitu raden ajeng Woeryan anak dari RAA Tjitrowikromo yang memegang jabatan Bupati Jepara sebelum RMAA Sosroningrat.

Perkawinan dari kedua istrinya itu telah membuahkan 11 orang putra. Mula pertama udara segar yang dihirup RA KArtini adalah udara desa yaitu sebuah desa di Mayong yang terletak 22 km sebelum masuk jantung kota Jepara. Disinilah dia dilahirkan oleh seorang ibu dari kalangan rakyat biasa yang dijadikan garwo ampil oleh wedono Mayong RMAA Sosroningrat. Anak yang lahir itu adalah seorang bocah kecil dengan mata bulat berbinar-binar memancarkan cahaya cemerlang seolah menatap masa depan yang penuh tantangan.

Hari demi hari beliau tumbuh dalam suasana gembira, dia ingin bergerak bebas, berlari kian kemari, hal yang menarik baginya ia lakukan meskipun dilarang. Karena kebebasan dan kegesitannya bergerak ia mendapat julukan “TRINIL” dari ayahnya. Kemudian setelah kelahiran RA Kartini yaitu pada tahun 1880 lahirlah adiknya RA Roekmini dari garwo padmi. Pada tahun 1881 RMAA Sosroningrat diangkat sebagai Bupati Jepara dan beliau bersama keluarganya pindah ke rumah dinas Kabupaten di Jepara.

Pada tahun yang sama lahir pula adiknya yang diberi nama RA Kardinah sehingga si trinil senang dan genbira dengan kedua adiknya sebagai teman bermain. Lingkungan Pendopo Kabupaten yang luas lagi megah itu semakin memberikan kesempatan bagi kebebasan dan kegesitan setiap langkah RA Kartini.

Sifat serba ingin tahu RA Kartini inilah yang mrnjadikan orang tuanya semakin memperhatikan perkembangan jiwanya. Memang sejak semula RA Kartini paling cerdas dan penuh inisiatif dibandingkan dengan saudara perempuan lainnya. Dengan sifat kepemimpinan RA Kartini yang menyolok, jarang terjadi perselisihan diantara mereka bertiga yang dikenal dengan nama “TIGA SERANGKAI” meskipun dia agak diistimewakan dari yang lain.

Agar puterinya lebih mengenal daerah dan rakyatnya RMAA Sosroningrat sering mengajak ketiga puterinya tourney dengan menaiki kereta.

Ini semua hanya merupakan pendekatan secara terarah agar puterinya kelak akan mencintai rakyat dan bangsanya, sehingga apa yang dilihatnya dapat tertanam dalam ingatan RA Kartini danadik-adiknya serta dapat mempengaruhi pandangan hidupnya setelah dewasa.

Saat mulai menginjak bangku sekolah “EUROPESE LAGERE SCHOOL” terasa bagi RA Kartini sesuatu yang menggembirakan. Karena sifat yang ia miliki dan kepandaiannya yang menonjol RA Kartini cepat disenangi teman-temannya. Kecerdasan otaknya dengan mudah dapat menyaingi anak-anak Belanda baik pria maupun wanitanya, dalam bahasa Belanda pun RA Kartini dapat diandalkan.

Menjelang kenaikan kelas di saat liburan pertama, NY. OVINK SOER DAN SUAMINYA MENGAJAK ra Kartini beserta adik-adiknya Roekmini dan Kardinah menikmati keindahan pantai bandengan yang letaknya 7 km ke Utara Kota Jepara, yaitu sebuah pantai yang indah dengan hamparan pasir putih yang memukau sebagaimana yang sering digambarkan lewat surat-suratnya kepada temannya Stella di negeri Belanda. RA Kartini dan kedua adiknya mengikuti Ny. Ovink Soer mencari kerang sambil berkejaran menghindari ombak, kepada RA Kartini ditanyakan apa nama pantai tersebut dan dijawab dengan singkat yaitu pantai Bandengan.

Kemudian Ny. Ovink Soer mengatakan bahwa di Holland pun ada sebuah pantai yang hamper sama dengan bandengan namanya “Klein Scheveningen” secara spontan mendengar itu RA Kartini menyela……..kalau begitu kita sebut saja pantai bandengan ini dengan nama Klein Scheveningen”.

Selang beberapa tahun kemudian setelah selesai pendidikan di EUROPASE LEGERE SCHOOL, RA Kartini berkehendak ke sekolah yang lebih tinggi, namun timbul keraguan di hati RA Kartini karena terbentur pada aturan adapt apalagi bagi kaum ningrat bahwa wanita seperti dia harus menjalani pingitan.

Memang sudah saatnya RA Kartini memasuki masa pingitan karena usianya telah mencapai 12 tahun lebih, ini semua demi keprihatinan dan kepatuhan kepada tradisi ia harus berpisah pada dunia luar dan terkurung oleh tembok Kabupaten. Dengan semangat dan keinginannya yang tak kenal putus asa RA Kartini berupaya menambah pengetahuannya tanpa sekolah karena menyadari dengan merenung dan menangis tidaklah akan ada hasilnya, maka satu-satunya jalan untuk menghabiskan waktu adalah dengan tekun membaca apa saja yang di dapat dari kakak dan juga dari ayahnya.

Beliau pernah juga mengajukan lamaran untuk sekolah dengan beasiswa ke negeri Belanda dan ternyata dikabulkan oleh Pemerintah Hindia Belanda, hanya saja dengan berbagai pertimbangan maka besiswa tersebut diserahkan kepada putera lainnya yang namanya kemudian cukup terkenal yaitu H. Agus Salim.

Walaupun RA Kartini tidak berkesempatan melanjutkan sekolahnya, namun himpunan murid-murid pertama Kartini yaitu sekolah pertama gadis-gadis priyayi Bumi Putera telah dibina diserambi Pendopo belakang kabupaten. Hari itu sekolah Kartini memasuki pelajaran apa yang kini dikenal dengan istilah Krida dimana RA Kartini sedang menyelesaikan lukisan dengan cat minyak. Murid-murid sekolahnya mengerjakan pekerjaan tangan masing-masing, ada yang menjahit dan ada yang membuat pola pakaian.

Adapun Bupati RMAA Sosroningrat dan Raden Ayu tengah menerima kedatangan tamu utusan yang membawa surat lamaran dari Bupati Rembang Adipati Djojoadiningrat yang sudah dikenal sebagai Bupati yang berpandangan maju dan modern. Tepat tanggal 12 November 1903 RA Kartini melangsungkan pernikannya dengan Bupati Rembang Adipati Djojodiningrat dengan cara sederhana.

Pada saat kandungan RA Kartini berusia 7 bulan, dalam dirinya dirasakan kerinduan yang amat sangat pada ibunya dan Kota Jepara yang sangat berarti dalam kehidupannya. Suaminya telah berusaha menghiburnya dengan musik gamelan dan tembang-tembang yang menjadi kesayangannya, namun semua itu membuat dirinya lesu.

Pada tanggal 13 September 1904 RA Kartini melahirkan seorang bayi laki-laki yang diberi nama Singgih/RM. Soesalit. Tetapi keadaan RA Kartini semakin memburuk meskipun sudah dilakukan perawatan khusus, dan akhirnya pada tanggal 17 September 1904 RA Kartini menghembuskan nafasnya yang terakhir pada usia 25 tahun.

Kini RA Kartini telah tiada, cita-cita dan perjuangannya telah dapat kita nikmati, kemajuan yang telah dicapai kaum wanita Indonesia sekarang ini adalah berkat goresan penanya semasa hidup yang kita kenal dengan buku “HABIS GELAP TERBITLAH TERANG”

Mantingan Mosque / Masjid Mantingan Jepara

Mantingan Mosque

Mantingan Mosque are located in Mantingan village, Tahunan sub-district, 5 km Southward Jepara town centre. This village is well known as a village where Sultan Hadlirin and his wife, queen Kalinyamat was buried. Sultan Hadlirin was a Moslem leader who spread Islamic knowledge in the North coast. The Mantingan Mosque was the second Mosque after great Mosque of Demak.Reaching this Mosque is quite easy, because public transportation is available. The people of Mantingan are mostly Moslem and work in furniture industry.

HISTORY AND LEGENDS

Stated above that the Mantingan Mosque was the second Mosque. The Mosque was built in 1481 S until 1559 C. according to statement stated inside the Mosque “ RUPA BRAHMANA WANASARI”

written by son of R. Muhayat, his name R. Toyib. In the beginning R. Toyib studied Islamic knowledge in Mecca and China. After finishing his study, he then moved to Jepara. R. Toyib married Ratu Kalinyamat (Retno Kencono), a daughter of Sultan Trenggono from Demak kingdom. He then was called “Sultan Hadlirin” and throned as ‘Adipati Jepara’ until he passed away and finally was buried beside the Mosque that he had built.

In the graveyard area, his wife and his Chinese relative, named CIE GWI GWAN were also buried. The graveyard fully crowded at “Khol” (the day where people commemorate the death of Sultan Hadlirin’s death) also at ceremonial moment to change banner covered the Sultan’s tomb. This ceremonial moment is held once a year at 17 Robiul Awal (month of Moslem calendar), same with the date of Jepara anniversary.
The grave is believed by many people that has magical power.

Husband and wife who haven’t got any child yet supposed to visit the grave yard and pick some fallen pace fruits. The ‘Pace’ fruit then has to be eaten by the husband and wife, if god may permit, the husband and wife will get baby.

Another magical power in this grave is the holy water, local people believe that the water used to get the truth of someone. Jeparanase people use this water when they are facing a problem by drinking the water, but it’s just a belief, you may believe or not.