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Surveying
the grandeur and isolation of Gede and Pangrango, you will not be surprised to
discover that these mountains are rich in history and legend. Such stories may
well hold
the
key to our fascination with high places. At Cibeureum, there is a large rock in
the Cikundul waterfall. By tradition this natural formation marks the spot where
a holy man knelt and meditated so long and deep that he turned to stone. On the
last day of the world, so the stories goes, he will revert to flesh and blood.
In such stories natural and spiritual existence intertwine.
Eyang
Suryakancana
Perhaps
the most famous character in Sundanese mythology is Eyang Suryakancana.
("Eyang" means grandfather and is a title given to someone possessing
spiritual power.) His father, known as Eyang Dalem Cikundul, was the first
governor of Cianjur, appointed in
1677.
Eyang Dalem Cikundul was very handsome and married a beautiful woman, who bore
him teo children: a boy, Suryakancana, and a girl, Dewi Sukaesih. People do not
tell detailed stories about Eyang Suryakancana as much as believe in his
perpetual presence. His spirit still dwells in the Alun-alun (square/meadow of)
Suryakancana - just below the summit of Mt Gede.
Prabu
Siliwangi
In
the forest bordering Alun-Alun Suryakancana is a site claimed to be ancient
grave of prabu (King) Siliwangi – in legend many of the rulers of the West
Javan Kingdom of Pajajaran are known by this name. The king of this particular
story was at war: fighting either the Hindu kingdom of Majapahit to the east, or
the newly-established Muslim Sultanate at Banten. After suffering defeat the
king is said to have fled with his followers to Mt Gede.
Climbers
often report dreaming of a “kraton” or palace in the meadow and occasionally
the thunder of spirithorses is heard. Confusion seems to exist, however, about
whether the kraton and horses belong to Eyang Suryakancana or Prabu Siliwangi Mbah
Jalun Sometimes
fact merges into legend, as in the case of the famous leader, Mbah Jalun, a son
of the King of Mataram. He led a long and oarduous campaign against the Dutch in
the first half of the 19th century. After pursuing a rather nomadic
lifestyles, he made his base in the Cianjur area. Stories tell of his trekking
through the forest of Gede and Pangrango to avoid capture. On several tell of
his trekking through caught and sentenced to death but escaped miraculously each
time, seemingly by employing great mystic powers. Evantually
he settled down on the southern slopes of mountains.
Its is said that Mount Masigit,
one of the smaller peaks in the park, derives its name from the belief that Mbah
Jalun built a mosque there. According to local tradition the birth of a son
prompted him to leave a permanent legacy for future generations, and so in 1817
he created a lake, Situ Gunung,
on the southern slopes of the National Park – now a popular picnic spot. In
old age Mbah Jalun was once more discovered by the authorities and again taken
into captivity. Once more he escaped and made his way westwards, but a hard life
had taken its toll and he died a few months later at the age of 71. He was
buried at Kampung Baru, near Bogor, around 1840. Caves
and Stones
Several
small, remote caves and named stones in the park are probably sites of ancient
religious significance. Over the years these have become linked to the
Suryakancana legend. Park staff receive special requests for permission to visit
these sacred places. Pilgrims usually rest in Suryakancana Meadow, where they
ceremonially wash in a small pool fed by a spring, close towhere the path from
Gede summit descends into the meadow, before they commerce the journey to their
chosen site. Various reasons are given for such visits: occasionally people
report that they have received a spiritual command or instruction, but usually visitors
have a particular request that they wish to have fulfilled. Many requests
are financial in nature, but some relate to very personal matters, suach the
desire to marry or conceive a child. Several sites are considered to be good for
kesehatan (health) and visitors frequently bathe in the freshwater springs for
this reason.
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