Dieng Culture Festival
Dieng Tour
- Jalatunda Well
Sumur Jalatunda (Jalatunda well) is a very big and giant well with ±100 meters depth and ±90 meters as its diameter. This makes it hard for people to reach the water surface. The well used to be inactive crater. In the past, there was massive explosion that created a big and deep hole to load any water, from rain or even any fountains.
According to the story, the well was the place of a beautiful princess to stay. There were so many victims who fell and drowned in the well and they experienced fantasy and hallucination.
THE LEGEND OF JALATUNDA WELL
It was told that so many years ago, there were a couple, gamelan (Javanese traditional music ensemble) players, singers, dancers along with musical instruments fell to the well. Then anyone who passed the well would hear the music of gamelan and he or she would follow the music. He or she didn’t realize that he was on the edge of the well. The person would not see a well but he would find a majestic palace or even see a village with all the activities done by its folks. He would eager go inside the palace or village and it means he fell to the well. A person who had the experience of this hallucination is believed to be wanted by the princess who lived inside the well.
Some people believe that if you successfully throw a stone and have it on the well’s water surface, you will be success in business.
Puppet story says that Sumur Jalatunda was a short way to take to the seventh level of the earth, which was Krerajaan Sapta Pratala. That was the place for Sang Hyang Anta Boga to live along with his son, Nagagini and grandchild, Raden Antareja as the oldest son of Bima Satrya Pandawa.
2.The Colourful Lake
There are two lakes in the east side of Dieng; Telaga Warna (Colorful Lake) and Pengilon Lake. There are nature caves in the surroundings and they are used for meditation. Some of them have caretakers, like Goa Semar, Goa Sumur and Goa Jaran. Other interesting places you can find are Batu Semar (looks like Semar) or Batu Tulis (because there was a written stone there as Hindu heritage). There is also bathing place called Dewi Nawangwulan and shrine over the hills (on the plan).
Telaga or lakes in Dieng are created by volcanic craters which are no longer active and the water is come from fountain or rain. Some parts of the lake still show some volcanic activity that can be seen from the surface.
Not only sanctuaries but there are also animals that are protected, such as bird especially Belibis. Preserved and protected wild animals are hard to find nowadays. In the sanctuary, there are mountains and Jojogan village in the northeast, Kendil Mountain in the southeast and road and Dieng Plateau in the west.
Above M. Kendil, there was a small pavilion for people to visit (devotional visit) in some days. The story tells that the small pavilion was built as the place for Kyai Kolodete to rest in peace. Kyai Kolodete and his two friends, Kyai Karim and Kyai Walik are the founders of Wonosobo.
Stepping your feet on the hill, you will find such incredible views of Telaga Warna and telaga Pengilon along with two big mountains; M. Sindoro (3151 m) and M. Sumbing (3371) which its shape reminds us of harelip. Those two mountains are husband and wife and they have a very beautiful child, M. Kembang (flower) which stands 2200 m next to the mother.
At the bottom of the hill, there is a crater, Kawah Sikendang. That is because the crater hole is small and it somehow give sounds like a drum (kendang).
THE LEGEND OF TELAGA WARNA (Colorful Lake) – TELAGA PENGILON
There was a queen as the ocean ruler who had a beautiful daughter. The daughter was so beautiful that there were two knights wanted to propose the girl. The queen was confused to decide which one to choose to be her son in law so she decided to make a competition. Whoever made a lake fast, he would be the one who will get her daughter.
When the competition started, the first knight finished making telaga Menjer faster than the second knight who made telaga Pengilon. Hence, the first knight was the winner and he deserved to be the daughter’s husband. Finally they both got married. On the second day after the marriage, the queen took a walk along with her daughter in Dieng to enjoy the picturesque view of telaga Pengilon. The queen was mesmerized by the beauty of telaga Pengilon and she tried to find any information of who made the lake or telaga who was the second knight.
The queen then called his son in law and said, “You are no longer my son in law, I curse you to be a dragon that keep the ocean”. Then, the queen had the second knight as her son in law.
Why did the queen make up her mind? While she enjoying the beauty of telaga Pengilon, she compared telaga Pengilon to telaga Menjer. Although telaga Menjer was finished faster than telaga pengilon, the queen found that the telaga wasn’t really smooth and there are ripples in the water. This indicated that the one who made it was not good in personality. On the other way around, telaga Pengilon is really beautiful with its clear, shiny, peaceful water which showed that the second knight had a good heart and personality.
Along with her daughter, the queen took a bath in telaga Pengilon and put their clothes on the trees. The wind then strongly blew and brought the colorful clothes of queen and her daughter to another lake or telaga. Because of the colorful clothes, the lake or telaga then turned into such colors. It was thought that the colors of the clothes wore off.
3. Agrowisata Tambi (Agro Tourism) Of Tea Plantation
Agrowisata Tambi (Agro Tourism) Of Tea Plantation
Tea plantation Tambi is located on Mount Sindoro and Mount Sumbing sloping area in 800 – 2000 meters above sea level. It used to be the prorperty of Dutch in 1865 with BAGELEN THEE & KINA MAATHAVEPPIJ as its name and it had headquarters in Netherlands. In Indonesia, the company with the office in Jakarta was run by NV John Peet. When it came to Indonesian independence, the company was taken by Indonesian government and all the employees were moving up to National Plantation employees (Pegawai Perkebunan Negara/ PPN). However, in 1950, the company was given back to the owner and it was sold to NV ex PPN Sindoro Sumbing (Company established by ex PPN) in 1954.
It was in 1957 when NV Ex Sindoro Sumbing cooperated with Wonosobo governemtn to establish a new company, NV Tambi. Now it is PT.Perkebunan Tambi.
The tea plantation has over 80 hectares area and it produces black tea (India: Tambi = black). There are tea plantations in Tambi, Bedakah, Tanjungsari and Tlogo village. The tea is exported to many countries all over the world and in a year the farmers can produce 1800 – 2000 tons of tea. Moreover, there is also agrowisata (agro tourism) going to make here.
4. Bima Lukar
Bima Lukar
There is fountain which comes from Prau Mountain (2566 meters over the sea level) which is then considered as a holy fountain for Hindu which flows from Serayu River (as the headwater) to Indonesian ocean.
The water flows to a place which is called Bima Lukar where there were ancient buildings symbolized unity of Lingga (male genitals) and Yoni (female genitals). The water flows from Lingga to Yoni. Lingga comes with elephant carving along with the hole for the water to flow. There are round stones which look like testicles (lingga = penis with two testicles) at both right and hand side of lingga. Below, there is Yoni with its square stone with a hole in the middle for the water. Lingga and Yoni often symbolize fertility and wealth.
Bima Lukar is located in the south of Dieng Temples, just before you reach Watu Kelir and Dieng Plateau. In the past, when people were about to go to Dieng Plateau, they took a rest in Bima Lukar and use the water to clean and purify their hearts. Lukar itself means getting all the bad and dirty things away.
On the way to Dieng Plateau, those people surely passed Watu Kelir which was a stone and an ancient building on the hill (siti hinggil). The story went with a story that this is the place where the Hindu Kings enjoy the great view of Dieng Plateau. Due to its location, which is in the middle of Bima Lukar and Dieng Plateau, Watu Kelir is then meant to be an entrance which becomes the restriction of sin and pure (holy) in Dieng. Dieng itself comes from two words, Di and Hyang that actually mean the place for Hyang Widhi as a heaven.
LEGEND OF BIMA LUKAR (LUKAR = NAKED)
Back to the past, there was a history of Pandawa and Kurawa who did a competition in creating a river. Pandawa was represented by Sang Bima, his brother who was tall, big, strong and dashing. The day before the competition, Sang Bima did a meditation and then he got a divine inspiration. The God said, “Bima, you need to be naked if you want to win the competition!”. Bima definitely followed the instruction that he decided to be naked on the competition day. When the bell rang as the competition was started, Bima was panic because he didn’t have anything to dig the ground. Finally he used his gada (penis) as a thing to substitute hoe, shovel and any other goods for digging. There wasn’t any written proof of the size and how strong his gada was. All we all know now is he is big and strong. Fortunately, Bima won the comeptitio and the river was created faster than his competitors.
Bima happily walk down the river while people were cheering. When he was in the headwater, he said, “The River isn’t perfect until it has its water”. He spontaneously peed and that became the water of the river. While Bima was monitoring the river construction, he saw a beautiful woman was taking a bath. He then said, “Sira Ayu!” which meant you are beautiful. Then the folks name the river SERAYU. The river is the longest river in Central Java.
Meanwhile, there was Kurawa who lost in the competition and he made Klawing River in Purbalingga. Folks still believe the legend that whoever do facial wash or take a bath in Bima Lukar fountain, he or she will
Be ageless
Easy to find soulmate
Be more beautiful (as they wash their face with the fresh urine of Bima)
Feel free to try (if you believe)!
5. Cebong Lake
This appears to be the highest village in Central Java as it is located 2200 meter above the sea level with Telaga Cebong as its supportive gorgeous view (cebong = little frog). In this village, there is tracking routes (path for nature tourism) for people to take by going down the lake edge and Mount Sikunir and then again go down to Tieng village. In Sembungan, you can see sunrise seen from Sikunir (2400 meters asl) and while you are enjoying the sunlight of sunrise, you are also watching the magnificent view of Mount Sindoro, Mount Sumbing, Mount Merbabu, Mount Merapi, Mount Ungaran and Mount Slamet along with dazzling white clouds. Perfect!
6. Sikidang - The Jumping Volcanic Crater
Sikidang Crater
There were no records of how many times the crater exploded in the past. Magma found beneath the earth’s surface results strong energy and heat. Explosive magma will create explosion that there will be new craters due to the high pressure.
Very high temperature lava will fill in the crater, very hot and you can strongly smell the sulfur. The water contains dirt or mud so that it turns to be silvery black. With only one to two meters depth, landslide of crater’s rim is easily to happen. However, when there are many volcanic activities, the crater gets bigger and bigger.
Basically, it is better for us to avoid any sulfur smoke and its vapor. A little smoke and vapor of sulfur, however, contains minerals and vitamins that result smooth and soft skin with no acnes.
The crater’s environment and surroundings let you see other small craters along with their volcanic activities. This can be seen when you place an egg on the crater’s small hole, then you don’t have to wait for such long period of time to eat the cooked egg.
The crater brings pathetic and terrible stories where there are several suicides done by people through plunging or diving into the carter. The temperature of lava is around 100′ C and sometimes it is even higher. It was in 1960 when a man who worked in a library in Jakarta did the suicide and then it was followed by the same incidents in 1992 by an elementary school teacher, in 1999 by a depressed mother and in 2003 by a young man.
Sulfur contained in the lava is not extremely high during the ordinary days but it definitely becomes higher and higher when there is a massive explosion. Not only sulfur lava has, but there will be other compounds like Co, Cyanide and many more. That is why volcanologists will monitor and do check all the compounds and decide whether or not they are dangerous every time there is an explosion.
LEGEND OF SIKIDANG CRATER
Classic but tragic legend told to be the reason why this crater was created. In the past (when there was no crater), there was a queen, Ratu Shinta Dewi. She was so beautiful that there were so many men adore her. One day, Raya Kidang Garungan, a magic king who was wealthy, big and strong wanted to propose the queen to be his wife. The queen was so pleased and happy that she decided to go out of her palace to see how gorgeous her husband to be. Unfortunately, she didn’t see what she was expected to see. The king was big and strong but when she looked at his face, she was so shocked by the king’s deer head (deer is Kidang in Javanese).
The queen was truly disappointed but she didn’t dare enough to reject the proposal. Hence, she decided to make a strategy. How? If the king wanted to have her as his wife, then he must make a really deep well in front of the queen and her soldiers. The king actually had done digging the ground and made a deep well but the queen along with her soldiers continuously fill the well with soil. The king was in the well so he was trapped with all the soil and he couldn’t get out. He got angry and with his power of magic, he shook the earth’s surface and exploded it. He did it on several areas just like a deer that likes jumping and running. That is why the crater has Kawah Sikidang (Sikijang = the Deer) as its name.
While he did anything with his magic power, still the king couldn’t get out of the well. Then, he cursed all the queen’s descendent will have dreadlocks hair ( gembel). Up to now, you can still find there are a lot of children in Sikidang with dreadlocks hair. They get special treatment from the surroundings.
7. Sunrise Sikunir
The photo stop is located around 1700 meters above the sea level. Here, standing at the side of the photo stop will not only lead you to fresh weather and air to breathe but it also brings you to a stunning view of the first sunrise, Golden Sunrise.
Your eyes and camera will be spoiled by the great scenery of SIndoro Mountain, Tlerep highlands, Rojowali village, Lobang, Surengede and Kejajajar. But wait; there is still picturesque look from the Serayu River along with potatoes fields you can enjoy.
No wonder you will be mesmerized by the view as once you are standing on the photo stop, you will see all those gorgeous things come together with the reddish sunlight.
Now let’s enjoy the second sunrise view which is Silver Sunrise. In order to see it, you need to continue your trip to Dieng Plateau which is around 2093 meters above the sea level. However, when you are arrived at Dieng Plateau, you may not see the sun yet. This is because there are hills that cover the sun. Don’t worry because the sunrise appears slowly that in fact you can enjoy the views more.
Amazing feelings are what you are about to feel then. The whitish and silver lights from the sun go together with fresh and cold weather, views of Dieng Plateau and they are beautifully seen along with the slight fogs and blue sky. How marvelous it is! That is why folks name it Silver Sunrise due to the colors of the lights.
Those are two sunrises you can clearly see in short period of time. Great views are waiting for you to see in a single trip.
When it comes to dry season which is from July to August, it is almost every year that there is hail in Dieng due to its temperature which is below 0′ C. Different from countries with four seasons with snow in winter, hail in Dieng appears in the form of dew.
Hail in the dry season results withered and even dead plants. Hence, people in Dieng with their wrong thought believe that the hail brings such poison to their plants. They even call the hail as Bun Upas or poison dew.
There was a time when it came to -2′C and nothing was felt by the farmers but sadness. This is because they lost hundreds hectares of their fields while they were ready to harvest. However, there is always joy in sadness. How come? Different from the farmers who are sad and upset due to the hail, there are so many girls who adore the hail because they believe they can easily find their soulmates by easily wash their faces with the dew.
8. Arjuna Temple
Standing in the middle of Dieng Plateau, Arjuna temple brings another nuance than just a place of Hindus praying in the past. The not so many reliefs and inscriptions revealing about the temple makes it as one of the Asia's most mysterious temples.
CANDI ARJUNA
Desa Dieng Kulon, Kecamatan Batur, Kabupaten Banjarnegara
Cultural relics as the witnesses of the past greatness scattered in every corners of the archipelago. The example is the Arjuna Temple, one of the oldest temples in Java. In this complex, only five of more than a thousand years old temples that still stand sturdy. The temple was pretty crowded with visitor both domestic and international that evening. They walked around for a closer view of the temple. The atmosphere was relaxing and peaceful. A group of young people took an advantage of terrain on the right temple to play football.
These temples were first discovered by a British soldier named Van Kinsbergen in 1814. Unlike the other temples that mostly found buried underneath the land, the temples on Dieng plateau were found on a water swamp. The drying process started more than 40 years later. There is no clue about who named the temples after the puppet characters. The main temple is Arjuna which is facing a smaller temple with an elongated shape that is often called Semar Temple.
Srikandi Temple, PuntadewaTemple, and SembadraTemple stood in line on the left of Arjuna. Puntadewa has a shape that is almost similar to the Arjuna, while Srikandi Temple and Sembadra Temple slightly smaller and shorter. Based on the folklore, Puntadewa Temple is in the midst of Srikandi and Sembadra as a mediator for the two sisters who both became the wife of Arjuna.
Beautiful gardens with pine trees and flowers around the temple complex presented the beauty in the midst of peace and serenity atmosphere. On the distance, white smoke is billowing endlessly from numerous volcanic craters. The hills and mountains surrounding added a peace in to our mind. Many young people took advantages of the beauty and serenity of this temple by spending the times with their spouse or partner. YogYES walked slowly on the grassy land surrounded the temple, while admiring the natural beauty of God's creation and breathe fresh air that is almost impossible to find in the middle of urban areas. The turf felt soft and bouncy. It WAS bouncy. The complex was once a swamp, so the ground around the temple contained a lot of water. As a result, walking on the ground felt like walking on foam.
Trimurti Gods at Srikandi Temple
Arjuna temple complex is the oldest Hindu temple in Java Island which was built in 809 AD and was a place of worship of Shiva. This can be seen from the Lingga and Yoni in the main temple, and the statues of Goddess Durga, Ganesha, and Agastya on the building. The statues are now placed in the Kaliasa Museum near the temple. Architecturally, Arjuna Temple was influenced by the Indian culture. The shape is similar to a temple in southern India calledWimana. Meanwhile, Semar Temple was likely copied the form of Mandapa, which became part of a temple in India as a place for the pilgrims and festivals.
There is not many temple reliefs found in this complex. There was only a relief depicting the Trimurti Gods; Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, strengthens the evidence that this temple is a Hindu temple. But strangely, these reliefs were not carved on the main temple. Depictions of the three Gods were found on the walls of the Srikandi Temple. While the walls on the other temples were plain. None of the 12 inscriptions found in Dieng explain about this. There was only Kala decoration at the entrance of temples and niches where statues were placed.
Three-Headed Shiva in Kaliasa
After enjoying with the beauty and peace fulness of Arjuna Temple, YogYES followed the path toward the southwest. Approximately 10 minutes walking, we arrived at a small temple called Gatotkaca. Rows of shops and stalls lined nearby, provided a variety of souvenirs, traditional food and drink of Dieng.
Across the street, on the slopes of a hill stood a museum called the Kaliasa Museum. There are 4 buildings in which two showrooms functioned to display variety of objects and artifacts of historical heritage. Most items on display are statues and stones from the complex of temples in Dieng. The most interesting item is the three-headed Shiva statue often referred as Shiva Trisirah. Shiva Trisirah is known as the oldest form of worship to Shiva. In addition, the museum is also displaying various information about the typical life of the indigenous Dieng people, traditional arts, as well as information about the phenomenal of the dreadlocks children. There is also a theater space to play the documentary film about Dieng’s natural and cultural potential that would be played for at least a 10-visitors group.
Exiting the museum, YogYES walked up the stone steps leading to the building located at the highest. It turned out that this building serves as a cafe. While unwind after going around the temple and museum, sat in the cafe, sipping hot drinks and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Dieng Plateau is just amazing.
9. Mie Ongklok
Delicious Culinary Icon of Wonosobo
That small stall in front of a house in Pasukan Ronggolawe Street, Wonosobo, seemed not special. The place was just average and its properties were not luxurious. However, most of the people of Wonosobo referenced this place, often called Mie Ongklok Longkrang, as the right place to get delicious Mie Ongklok. Just like the other type of noodle dishes, the main ingredient was noodles and vegetables. The difference was if others use sawi (green cabbage), mie ongklok use cabbage and garlic chives. If the noodles and vegetables were boiled first, then making mie ongklok was different. The seller put the noodles, cabbage and garlic chives in a kind of bamboo sieve and then ongklok-ongklokit (repeatedly dip it into boiling water).
The gravy was also different. Noodles and vegetables were arranged in a bowl and then poured by two kinds of sauce. The first sauce was a thick brown sauce made from a mixture of cassava quintessence, brown sugar, dried shrimp, and other secret recipes. After that, the noodles poured with peanut sauce dressing and then added with some pepper powder and fried shallot. A bowl of mie ongklok was ready to eat. It was savory and slightly sweet. A thick sauce gave unique sensation on the tongue. If you want it to be spicy, they also provide a bowl of blended green chilies.
Mie ongklok was always served with beef satay. Why beef? Mr. Waluyo who has been serving Mie Ongklok Longkrang for 18 years continuing his father’s business had tried various types of satay, but the beef satay is the most well-matched to be served with mie ongklok. The taste and texture of the meat is considered the best. Tempe kemul (another traditional food of fried tempe with flour) and cireng aka aci goreng (fried tapioca flour) are some other side dishes. All of them bring an extraordinary taste and are guaranteed to make your tongue melted because of the deliciousness.
The portion was small, which made YogYES very grateful, made it perfect as an afternoon meal between lunch and dinner. Nevertheless there’s no prohibition to order extra portions if you're really hungry. Mie ongklok are also good for your health. Garlic chives were scientifically proven as an anti-hypertension. This is caused by tetrametiloksamida and ester 17- etadekadesenil on it. The anti-hypertensive effect is equivalent to atenolol dose of 25 mg often prescribed to reduce hypertension. Meanwhile, cabbage is known to have many healthy effects since the days of Hippocrates in 460-377 BC. The content of active sulforafansubstance and its histidine can inhibit tumor growth, prevent rectum and colon cancer, detoxifications of dangerous chemical compounds, and increase endurance to fight cancer. Moreover, the sulfur’s amino acid content lowering the high cholesterol levels, calm the nerves, and uplifting the energy. So do not underestimate a bowl of mie ongklok, because it has many incredible healthy effects.
