Dawn of history Semarang town

The legends from Central Java

Retold by Satoto Kusasi

Who build Semarang Town?  He was Raden Made Pandan, an Aristocracy from Demak Kingdom.     One day Raden Made Pandan along with his son named Raden Pandanarang took a trip to west of Demak, just to know what the west area of Demak Kingdom really was.    They walked to west until they found the fertile soil, good for plantation or for farming field.

“This site is good for farming, so let us build a new settlement”, said Raden Made Pandan.

They worked hard and at last the new settlement was built with infrastructures as houses, mosque, market, road and so on.    Many people from Demak moved to the new settlement, making the new settlement grow.

Raden Made Pandan never forgot to teach Islam to people since he was Islamic religious teacher.    He built a Pesantren house ( Pesantren means school of Koranic studies for children and young people)   He hoped that some day his son would be successor of him as Islamic teacher when he dies.

When he was dying, he gave a message to his son, “don’t leave this place, teach Islam to people, teach how to farm rice to people and be a good leader in this place.   Don’t forget about teaching of “Wali”, the nine holy men who brought Islam to Indonesia, so you would be safe living in earth and the hereafter”.

After Raden Mede Pandan passed away, Raden Pandanarang successor as teacher in Pesantren.   Then many of his pupils came to that school making the village became grow.

While Raden Pandanarang and his follower were working in rice field, they surprised with many Asam tree grew at wide apart each other.

“Why those trees grew up in the site wide apart with each other, it should grow in group since the soil is fertile enough for those trees.    So I give name Asamarang for this site area or Semarang”.  ( Asam means Asam tree; Arang means wide apart between each other).

After Ki Pandanarang passed away, his son succeeded, his named Ki Ageng Pandanarang the second.    Semarang people became prosperous in economic as plantation and life stock has grown up as well as commerce.    Demak Kingdom was also confessing that Semarang was Kadipaten with Ki Ageng Pandanarang II as Adipati of Semarang.

Ki Ageng Pandanarang II became the richest man at Semarang, he had plenty of life stock as cows and horses and also had large rice field.   He also trade gold and polish diamond.  He married four wives and he had plenty of sons and daughters.  He had a big mansion, and a beautiful horse.

But he forgot being an Islamic teacher as his father and his grandfather did because he was busy with his business; even he also forgot to pray five times a day as a Muslim.   

One in occasion Ki Ageng Pandanarang II needed more grass for his life stock as special in the dry season.   So he could pay more than twenty-five Ketheng for one sack of grass.

One day there comes a man who sold grass to him with value just fifteen Ketheng for each sack; it was cheap and also good quality of grass.   The man took the money and gave the grass then went away without saying.  The man wore a “Caping” head covering of woven bamboo of broad conical shape so his face was concealed.

The next day the man came back again with his good grass and cheap value. “Where did you take this grass from?  Asked Ki Ageng Pandanarang II.

“I took it from Jabalkat Mountain” said the man.   Jabalkat Mountain was far away from Semarang.    So Ki Ageng Pandanarang II strange to that man, “How could he come from the far away site?” he thought.

Ki Ageng gave the money to him, but now he didn’t want to go, keep staying at his place.

“What are you waiting for, Old man?” asked Ki Ageng Pandanarang II.

“I want you to give alms”, said the man.

Ki Ageng Pandanarang II took one Ketheng and threw the money to him then it fell down on his foot.

“I don’t want money, but I want a Bedug ( a large drum suspended horizontally in a Mosque to summon to prayer)”. Said the man.

Ki Ageng Pandanarang II glare at him signed of anger, “He wants a Bedug it means he wants a Mosque in Semarang.    How could I build a Mosque, even I never prayed as Muslim did” he thought.

“Don’t you ask a peculiar thing old man; take the money and go” said Ki Ageng

“I don’t need any money, did money could save us from fire of hell in the hereafter?” asked the man.

Ki Ageng Pandanarang II’s face became flush since he got angry, “Hi old man, don’t ignore money; money could make your rank go up; money could make every body respect you.

“I think it is not, because a man who is a slave of money become a contemptible man and become a man without moral.    He would reach his aim with every manner whether it is wrong or not” said the old man.

“Hi old man, do you think that you would be a noble man or a rich man by just selling grass as you do? Do you think that you could fulfill necessity of your wife and your children?  You talk in disorder manner, Old man”, said Ki Ageng Pandanarang II.

“Talking about wealthy and income for living, I always accept all my luck from my God sincerely.   If I need just a mount of gold or jewelry I could get it by hoe at ground, every time I need it just hoe at ground” said the old man.

“You just talk and you become more and more conceited, so now prove it then; I said now prove it; if it is true I would be your pupil, Old man; but if you fail I would punish you an heavy punishment,” said Ki Ageng Pandanarang II.    Then he ordered some one to give a mattock to the old man.

The old man received the mattock and then he started to hoe the ground with calm manner.   It was a miracle that many gold and jewelry was out from ground; it was true; then every body was surprised.   While they were watching those gold, then the old man was gone sneakingly.

Ki Pandanarang was aware that the old man had already gone, he also aware that he was facing a man who has divine power.     So he went ran after the old man.    He wanted to fulfill his promise to be his pupil.    After he ran after as fast as he could at last he found the old man.

“Why do you run after me?  Is the gold and jewelry not enough for you?” said the old man.

 “No, I don’t mean that”, said Ki Pandanarang II

“So, what do you want from me”, asked the Old man

“I want to learn from you”, said Ki Pandanarang II

“To learn what? Learning how to be a rich man by heaping wealth?” asked the Old man.

“I want to learn Islam religious and then I could apply Islam to my people at Semarang” said Ki Pandanarang.

“So, do you want to fulfill my request by hitting drum of Bedug at Semarang then every body could hear the sound of Bedug drum?

“Yes Master”, said Ki Pandanarang II

“And also, do you want to sacrifice all of your wealth and even your soul?” asked the Old man.

“Yes Master, I will”, said Ki Pandanarang II

“And then you must do act of devotion in all of your life, don’t forget to pray five times in a day.   You must give alms, build mosque and give your wealth to poor men and also to the right receiver.   You shouldn’t be attracted to wealth except just little for doing act of devotion”, said the Old man.

He added, “A pupil must leave his home, so if you has finished doing what I order then you must go to Jabalkat Mountain to face me”, said the Old man.

“You are a wise man, who are you any way?” asked Ki Ageng Pandanarang II.

“I am Sunan Kalijaga; the council of Wali order me to invite you to become a member of Wali to change Sheik Siti Jenar who has been punished” said the Old man.

Ki Ageng Pandanarang kneel to Sunan Kalijaga; he already heard the famous of this Sunan for a long time, and so this time he had a chance to face in face with him, but when he looked up, Sunan Kalijaga had already gone away.

Ki Ageng Pandanarang went home.    He was changing all his way of life totally.   He always gives alms to poor man and the right receiver.   He also builds a beautiful Mosque at Semarang with his wealth; he choose the best wood for the building and also he choose the best skin for making a drum of Bedug as Sunan Kalijaga order.

He paid his tithe as Muslim’s obligatory and also he helps the orphan children and poor men.    All of what he was doing was for Allah SWT sincerely.

After he concluded that what Sunan Kalijaga’s order was fulfilled enough, so Ki Ageng Pandanarang II want to go to Jabalkat Mountain facing Sunan Kalijaga as a pupil of him.

All of his business and also Kadipaten office’s business was handed over to his eldest son.   He was determined to leave the secular living forever.

One of his wives wanted to follow him going to Jabalkat Mountain.

“Right you can follow me but with one condition that you prohibited to bring properties and wealth.   This is teacher’s message to me.    Wealth just blocked our aim”, said Ki Ageng Pandanarang.

They wore white dress then went to Jabalkat Mountain.    Ki Ageng Pandanarang used stick to assist him walking and so his wife, but his wife’s bamboo stick inner contains gold and silver.

On their way there were three plunders to stop his way.    The plunders inspected Ki Ageng Pandanarang looking for money or gold but they didn’t find any so they released him.   But when they inspected his wife, they found many gold and silver in her bamboo stick.     They were happy and then they divided the gold and silver equally in front of her.

His wife screamed, “Help, help, every body help, my husband help”, but her husband didn’t care of her he just walked forward.    Again she screamed for help to her husband, “my husband help, there were three plunders who did wrong to me”, so that’s why the name of this place is “Salatiga”;  Sala means wrong and Tiga means three or the three who did wrong.

At last the plunders released her and then Mrs.Pandanarang followed her husband.     She reported to her husband about that accident but Ki Pandanarang didn’t surprise of her report.     “I have told you that you prohibited to bring any wealth, so you didn’t care what my teacher was saying that’s why the accident had happened”, said Ki Ageng Pandanarang.

“Now you must walk in front and I will follow you from behind,” said Ki Pandanarang.

After a moment there was a robber named Ki Sambangdalan who stopped their way, “give your wealth or I hit you until your skin melted up severely bruised” said the robber.

“I didn’t bring any wealth”, said Ki Ageng Pandanarang.

Ki Sambangdalan seized away the Pandanarang’s stick, but it was just stick no value at all.   “Where did you hide your wealth?” said Ki Sambangdalan.

“I didn’t bring any wealth”, said Ki Ageng Pandanarang; he continued to walk; and it was surprising that Ki Sambangdalan allowed him to walk; he just threatened but never hit. 

Ki Sambangdalan continued to follow Ki Ageng Pandanarang and always threaten him until he runs out of patience, “You are obstinate robber look like a sheep”.

It was a miracle that head of Ki Sambangdalan changed to be a head of sheep immediately.    But Ki Sambangdalan didn’t aware about it and then he continued to follow until they reached a river.   Ki Sambangdalan afraid with water look like a sheep.  When he looked into the water he was surprise to know his head had been changed to a head of sheep.     He screamed, “For mercy sake, Master; Why is my head changing to be a sheep’s head?”

“That is because of your fault”, said Ki Ageng Pandanarang.

“Please Master forgive me, back my head please”, asked Ki Sambangdalan.

Ki Ageng Pandanarang didn’t answer; he continued walking; Ki Sambangdalan was frightened and follow him wherever he go.

At last they reached Jabalkat Mountain, but Sunan Kalijaga was not at home at that time since he went out of Mount Jabalkat to teach Islam.

Ki Ageng Pandanarang said to Ki Sambangdalan, “If you want to be a normal human you must repent your sins and also do something ascetic”.

“What could I do something like ascetic, Master?” asked Ki Sambangdalan.

“ Fill basin with water until it is full”, said Ki Ageng Pandanarang.     But he knew that the basin would never full because of leak.

“I will do Master”, then Ki Sambangdalan did and obey what Pandanarang order and also he did istigfar, utter astaghfirullah to ask God’s forgiveness thereby.    The basin never full of water but Ki Sambangdalan continued to fill it with water.

Sunan Kalijaga came and then he called Ki Ageng Pandanarang and also Ki Sambangdalan.  The three persons sat on the floor with cross leg; they started to learn Syariat Islam and every thing concerning Islam religious.    It was amazing that the sheep’s head of Ki Sambangdalan was back to normal.   And also the basin was full of water without filling.

After the two pupils learned for a couple of years at Jabalkat Mountain then they could go with knowledge of Islam religious to practice good deed in people.    Ki Ageng Pandanarang became a Wali, with title Sunan Bayat since he spreading Islam Religious to people of Bayat.   Ki Sambangdalan also became a Wali, with title Sunan Domba.  Domba means sheep since he ever become a sheep.

Sunan Kalijaga truly wanted to change way of life Bupati Semarang being Wali since he must elect another Wali to take position of Sunan Syeikh Jenar who was punished to dead.   Sunan Syeikh Jenar had mistake to learn Syariat Islam and so when he taught Islam religious to people.

Sunan Bayat had an experience of miracle when he applied syariat Islam to his people.   One day he was disguise as an assistance of pie maker in Market.    His job was supplier of wood to make fire to cook pie.  Since too many buyers so the wood was not enough to cook pie.    Then his boss got angry with him, “You are stupid and did not well prepare, so what now, could your hands be substitute of wood to make fire?” the boss snap at him.    Without waiting a moment, Sunan Bayat put his hand into fireplace; the hands on fire but he felt no pain at all.   That was a miracle that his hands could produce fire and then people in the market got commotion to see that; every body in the market stopping their business just to see that miracle.

After the boss knew that he was Sunan Bayat, the former of Adipati Semarang, he was greeting with bow to Sunan and then he and his wife became a pupil of Sunan Bayat.

At the end of story, grandma made a comment, that wealthy could make some one apostate and then make distance to his God, but may be not.  It depends on him or her.

She also made a comment about Miracle; Miracle is God’s possession not human’s possession.   But a human might have a miracle with approval from God rarely.