Tekai-Teki Masih Menyelimuti Situs Gunung Padang

Setelah menapaki anak tangga yang mengular di punggung bukit yang terjal selama 15 menit, akhirnya saya sampai di situs megalitik Gunung Padang. Di hadapan mata terhampar ribuan batu berbentuk persegi panjang, mirip balok es batu buatan pabrik, berserakan. Ada yang tergeletak di atas tanah, ada pula yang berdiri karena sebagian ‘tubuh’nya tertanam dalam tanah. Sejenak imaginasi saya terlempar ke masa ribuan tahun lalu. Sebuah pertanyaan besar menyesaki pikiran, bagaimana bentuk asli bangunan ini dan apa fungsinya?

Belum terjawab pertanyaan itu, saya mulai menyadari jika anak tangga yang menjadi pijakan para pengunjung untuk menaiki bukit setingggi 75 meter itu – diukur dari wilayah pemukiman penduduk -- juga sejenis dengan balok-balok batu yang berada di zona inti situs Gunung Padang. Semuanya adalah balok batu dari jenis batuan beku andesit dan bukan buatan manusia jaman sekarang. Tetapi sudah ada sejak dahulu kala.

Situs ini berada di Desa Karyamukti, Kecamatan Cempaka, 50 kilometer barat daya kota Cianjur, Jawa Barat. Tepatnya di sebuah bukit bernama Gunung Padang yang berada pada ketinggian 885 meter di atas permukaan laut. Berada jauh di pedalaman perkebunan the, situs ini dikelilingi lembah dan beberapa bukit seperti Bukit Pogor, Gombong, Empat, Gunung Karuhun dan Gunung Melati.

Situs Gunung Padang adalah bangunan peninggalan manusia yang hidup pada masa tradisi megalitik – masa ketika manusia sering menggunakan batu besar untuk ekspresi kebudayaannya -- yang diperkirakan berumur antara 2500 hingga 1500 Sebelum Masehi (SM). Berbentuk bangunan berundak, situs Gunung Padang mempunyai lima tingkat atau teras yang semakin meninggi.

Tahun 1914, ilmuwan Belanda bernama DR. NJ Krom adalah orang pertama yang membuat catatan tentang situs Gunung Padang. Waktu itu ia mencatat situs ini tertutup hutan lebat. Tahun 1979, tiga orang bernama Endi, Soma dan Abidin menemukan kembali situs ini dan melaporkannya kepada pemerintah. Sejak itu penelitian terhadap situs ini mulai menggeliat.

Saat seekor burung elang terbang di langit biru untuk berburu, saya mulai menjelajahi situs ini. Sisa hutan lebat yang pernah menutupi situs ini masih tersisa. Beberapa pohon besar seperti pohon cempaka, beringin dan aren masih berdiri tegak diantara balok-balok batu yang berserakan. Sempat terlintas dalam pikiran jika balok-balok batu ini adalah buatan manusia. Tetapi ternyata bukan. Balok-balok batu ini adalah buatan alam, berasal dari Gunung Padang dan tidak ditemukan di bukit-bukit lain di sekitarnya.

Teras pertama adalah yang terluas (28 m x 36 m) dan teras selanjutnya kian menyempit dengan teras terakhir atau kelima yang terkecil (19 m x 16 m). Berdasarkan jejak yang tertinggal, ada beberapa bangunan yang berdiri di setiap teras. Di teras pertama, misalnya ada formasi batu yang membentuk sebuah kamar. Di salah satu pojoknya, ada satu batu yang berfungsi sebagai meja.

Temuan menarik lainnya adalah beberapa balok batu di teras pertama yang diduga berfungsi sebagai instrumen musik. Balok batu sepanjang 1,5 meter itu tergeletak di tanah dalam posisi berdekatan. Jika dipukul, suaranya mirip suara saron, salah satu instrumen dalam gamelan jawa. Masyarakat setempat menamakannya batu gamelan.

Rolan Mauludy Dahlan dan Hokky Situngkir dari Bandung Fe Institute dalam penelitiannya yang berjudul “Ada Tradisi Musikal di Situs Megalitikum, Gunung Padang, Indonesia? (Maret 2008) mengatakan bunyi ini mempunyai frekuensi tinggi, yaitu antara 2683Hz hingga 5171Hz. Analisis meraka juga menemukan ada 4 tangga nada yang sesuai dengan tangga nada barat dalam musikologi modern, yaitu f’’’-g’’’-d’’’-a’’’.

“Fakta ini memberikan sebuah arahan proporsional bahwa tradisi megalitik di situs Gunung padang sangat mungkin telah mengenal instrumen musik,” tulis Rolan dan Hokky dalam laporan penelitiannya.

Berfungsi sebagai apakah bangunan ini pada masanya? Belum ada jawaban pasti. Buku terbitan Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional, Jakarta (1985), cenderung mangatakan situs Gunung Padang adalah tempat pemujaan arwah nenek moyang. Semakin ke atas mempunyai nilai yang lebih suci dan hanya orang-orang tertentu saja yang bisa masuk.

Andy Putranto, staf pengajar jurusan arkeologi, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) juga menguatkan dugaan ini. “Bangunan berundak, itu biasanya untuk pemujaan,” tandas Andy.

Namun kini manusia moderen menjadikan situs ini sebagai salah satu tujuan wisata. Ada pula yang datang dengan tujuan khusus. “Di masa kampanye banyak caleg datang ke sini untuk meminta sesuatu,” ujar Huda, salah seorang penjaga situs ini. Ya, situs ini dianggap keramat atau suci, tempat dimana masyarakat -- bagi yang percaya – bisa berdoa agar keinginannya tercapai.

Siang itu, ada satu keluarga sedang tetirah. Saat hidangan makan siang khas Sunda yang lezat sedang disiapkan, beberapa anggota keluarga duduk di bawah pohon besar, dekat dengan batu lumbung di teras kedua. Mereka berdoa dengan takzim. Ada persembahan berupa beberapa batang rokok kretek yang menyala di atas batu. Usai berdoa, mereka makan siang bersama.

Huda menjelaskan banyak orang datang ke situs Gunung Padang untuk berdoa agar keinginannya tercapai. Lokasi berdoa, tergantung dari keinginannya. “Jika seniman yang ingin sukses, biasanya berdoa di teras pertama,” ujar Huda. Mungkin ini disesuaikan dengan keberadaan batu gamelan di teras ini.

Teras kedua adalah untuk mereka yang ingin sukses dalam hidup keduniawian. Di teras ini terdapat batu lumbung. Selanjutnya teras ketiga, dimana ada beberapa batu yang bercap telepak harimau adalah tempat berdoa bagi mereka yang ingin mendapat ketenteraman hati. Beberapa penjaga mengatakan telapak harimau adalah simbol kekuasaan Prabu Siliwangi, salah satu raja besar di Jawa Barat di masa lampau.

Di teras empat, ada batu gendong (menhir kecil) yang sangat berat. “Jika dapat meggendong batu ini, maka ia akan mudah memperoleh kesaktian,” ujar Yusup, penjaga lain situs Gunung Padang. Sedangkan tingkat lima adalah tempat bagi orang yang menginginkan cepat naik jabatan. Di teras ini terdapat susunan batu yang dinamakan batu pandaringan atau penjaga.

Walaupun dianggap sebgai tempat yang keramat, namun masih saja ada orang yang berani melakukan perusakan. Seperti siang di bulan Juli itu, saya menyaksikan seseorang tak dikenal merusak batu gendong dan beberapa batu megalit lainnya. Beberapa balok batu megalit pecah menjadi beberapa bagian sedangkan batu gendong mengalami sedikit kerusakan. “Selama saya menjadi penjaga, baru kali ini ada perusakan,” ujar Yusup yang juga penjaga situs Gunung Padang dengan penuh keprihatinan.

Pemerintah memang perlu memberikan penjagaan lebih terhadap situs-situs purbakala. Tentu saja, agar situs ini tetap awet dan dapat dipelajari lebih lanjut sehingga terpecahkan teka-teki mengenai fungsi bangunan ini di masa lampau. Apalagi jika benar, situs Gunung Padang yang luasnya mencapai 3123 m persegi itu adalah situs megalitikum paling besar di Indonesia. Ini adalah kekayaan budaya yang ternilai harganya.(foto dan teks:Bambang Muryanto)

Senja di Situs Ratu Boko

Situs Ratu Boko yang terletak di Prambanan, Sleman, Yogyakarta adalah obyek wisata yang harus dikunjungi saat para wisatawan berada di Prambanan. Setelah mengunjungi Candi Prambanan, ada baiknya perjalanan diteruskan ke selatan untuk melihat keindahan situs Ratu Boko.

Situs Ratu Boko bukanlah candi. Banyak orang yang salah kaprah menyebutnya sebagai candi. Situs ini adalah istana yang didirikan oleh Ratu Boko ada abad 8 Masehi. Dari sisa bangunan yang ditemukan, semuanya terbuat dari batu andesit sehingga menyerupai bangunan candi. Namun pada dasarnya, sejarah situs Ratu Boko masih menjadi misteri besar.

Saat musim kemarau, situs Ratu Boko yang berada di atas bukit menjadi salah satu tempat favorit menyaksikan sun set atau teggelamnya sang surya di ufuk barat. Ketika sang surya mulai tenggelam, sinarnya yang kekuning-kuningan menimpa bangunan Ratu Boko. Siluet yang tercipta sungguh sangat indah. (foto dan teks: bambang muryanto)

Candi Risan, di Perbatasan Kabupaten Gunungkidul dan Sukoharjo

Satu lagi, candi yang berada di kawasan kabupaten gunungkidul adalah candi Risan. Candi ini letaknya di Desa Candirejo, Kecamatan Semin. Wilayah ini berbatasan dengan Kabupaten Sukoharjo, Jawa Tengah.

Letak Candi Risan berada tepat di perbatasan tegalan dan rumah penduduk. Bentuk aslinya sudah tidak nampaK lagi karena yang tertinggal hanyalah sisa-sia tumpukan batu. Candi ini adalah candi Hindu.

Penduduk menamakan candi risan, singkatan dari irisan atau perpotongan. Wilayah dimana candi itu berada adalah wilayah irisan atau perbatasan antara kerjaan Surakarta dan Yogyakarta.

Karena letaknya yang sangat jauh, sekitar 50 kilometer dari Yogyakarta, tak banyak pengunjung yang datang ke sini. Selain itu, nama candi Risan juga tidak masuk dalam 'peta' candi-candi penting untuk dikunjungi.

tetapi jika anda berkunjung ke sana, misteri dan daya magis yang menyelubungi candi itu masih pekat terasa. Setidaknya dari cerita penduduk, ada banyak cerita gaib yang menyertai kehadiran candi itu hingga saat ini. (foto dan teks: bambang muryanto)

Mengunjungi Candi Gumbiro Wati di Purwosari, Gunungkidul

Di Desa Girijati, Kecamatan Purwosari, Kabupaten Gunungkidul ada sebuah situs peninggalan budaya yang bernama Candi Gumbiro Wati. Lokasi situs ini tidak jauh dari Pantai Parangtritis.

Bentuk utuh dari situs Gumbiro Wati memang sudah tidak utuh lagi. Hanya tersisa teras yang berjumlah dua tingkat. Di sekelilingnya terdapat pohon-pohon besar, seperti pohon ancar, randu alas dan gentungan. Sedangkan di halaman depan terdapat tanaman tembakau. Di lokasi itu juga ditemukan sebuah kolam berukuran kira-kira 16 kali 10 meter

Walaupun masyarakat mengenalnya sebagai candi, tetapi sebetulnya peninggalan ini bukan candi dalam arti sebagai tempat beribadah umat Hindu atau Buddha. "Itu adalah sebuah pesanggrahan yang dibuat di masa Islam," ujar Andy Putranto, staf pengajar jurusan arkeologi, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta.

Lebih lanjut, Andy mengatakan pesanggrahan yang dibuat pada masa Islam itu fungsinya kurang lebih sama dengan pesanggrahan yang adi di desa Ambarketawang, Bantul.

Namun masyarakat setempat mempunyai cerita sendiri tentang siitus ini. Menurut penjagasitus, Sugiwihardjo (75) , Candi Gumbiro Wati didirikan oleh ayah dari Ratu Boko yang mempunyai istana di selatan Prambanan.

Sugiwiharjo menjelaskan, walaupun letak situs ini ada di ditengah kawasan desa dengan akses jalan yang buruk, banyak pengunjung yang datang ke situs ini. Hal ini dapat dibuktikan dengan rekam jejak mereka dalam buku tamu. Bahkan turis asing pun ada yang pernah mengunjungi Gumbiro Wati.

"Biasanya mereka (para pengunjung) datang pada hari-hari tertentu. Mereka ke sini untuk berdoa," ujar Sugiwihardjo.(foto dan teks: bambang muryanto)

Batu Gendong di desa Beji, Gunungkidul

Desa Beji, Kecamatan Ngawen, adalah salah satu desa wisata di Kabupaten Gunungkidul. Tidak ada salahnya untuk mengunjungi desa ini karena ada banyak obyek menarik.Salah satunya adalah bongkahan batu seukuran rumah yang banyak tersebar di desa itu.

Ada sekelompok batu besar yang berserakan di ladang yang masuk wilayah Dusun Duren, Desa Beji. Penduduk menamakannya sebagai Batu Gendong. Bila anda berwisata di Desa Beji maka penduduk akan bercerita tentang mitolgi keberadaan batu-batu besar itu.

Selain itu anda juga dapat menyaksikan hutan Wonosadi yang menjadi kebanggan desa wisata ini. Hutan ini sangat lebat, layaknya hutan hujan tropis. tajuknya sangat rapat sehingga sangat nyaman berada di dalamnya. Tak perlu takut kemalaman di sana sebab ada tiga home stay yang dapat dimanfaatkan. Murah, hitungannya satu kali makan untuk satu orang dikenai biaya sebesar Rp 10.000. (foto dan teks: bambang muryanto)

Candi Borobudur, Daya Tarik Wisatawan Datang ke Yogyakarta

Candi Borobudur, walaupun terletak di Kabupaten Magelang (Jawa Tengah) tetapi tetap menjadi salah satu daya tarik wisatawan untuk berkunjung ke Yogyakarta. Ini karena letak Yogyakarta dan Candi Borobudur yang relatif dekat. Dari Yogyakarta juga ada paket wisata untuk melihat Candi Borobudur di pagi hari dan tarifnya relatif murah, hanya beberapa puluh ribu saja, plus juga mengunjungi Candi prambanan. (foto dan teks: Bambang Muryanto)

Sleman, home of a thousands tourist villages

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Sat, 01/03/2004 2:41 PM Life

Bambang M, Contributor, Yogyakarta

The district of Sleman has discovered a new way to increase the income of its residents -- turning its many unique villages into tourist attractions.

According to Destha Titi Raharjana of Gadjah Mada University (UGM)'s Center for Tourism Studies, the rapid growth in the number of tourist villages in Sleman since early 2000 is due to a change in the interests of tourists, who now like to enjoy quieter, more authentic and unique places. They also consider the cultural and environmental aspects in deciding which tourist destinations to visit.

G. Djoko Purwanggono of the Association of Indonesian Tourist Guides echoed Destha's opinion, saying that since the 1990s he had found that many foreign tourists no longer showed a great eagerness to visit Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple or the Yogyakarta kraton (palace).

""They prefer to visit places where other tourists don't visit,"" said Djoko, who is also a guide for French tourists, adding that village life and its originality could be an alternative answer to meeting such a growing demand.

To turn a place into a tourist village actually does not require much apart from its having a unique potential that no other place has. The more unique and exclusive a place is, the more interesting it will be for tourists.

In the case of Sleman Regency, UGM's Center for Tourism Studies has recorded some 27 villages that serve as tourist destinations.

One of those villages is Tanjung, 11 kilometers north of Yogyakarta. It's one of the most visited places. Having 40 homestays, the village offers the beautiful landscape of a typical Javanese kampong along with ancient rituals, exotic food and daily agricultural activities.

""A group of Japanese tourists once came here to learn how to cultivate rice,"" said villager Djamhadi.

Foreign tourists, however, are not the only guests that the village is trying to attract. Many domestic tourists, mostly from big cities like Jakarta, have also visited the village for a similar reason -- a desire to taste the village way of life.

""Staying in a village to taste its way of life is the main concept behind developing a tourist village,"" Destha said .

The good part of this kind of agricultural tourism is that there is no need to construct new facilities for the visiting guests. Tourists want to see the village as it is. The original look of a kampong is all that the tourists want to see.

Srowolan hamlet, some 17 kilometers north of Yogyakarta, is another example of a village worth visiting in Sleman. It has a traditional market building constructed in 1921 and a former Dutch tax office.

Each tourist village in Sleman basically has its own characteristics and specific attractions. In the northern part of Sleman regency, for example, tourists can enjoy villages that offer agritourism attractions, including salak (zalacca) plantations and cool mountain weather. Jambu, Trumpon, and Kelor villages are some of the villages that offer these attractions.

Ketingan hamlet in the northern part of Sleman is just like the other villages in the surrounding area. Except for the fact that it has become a place where thousands of egrets nest over the last few years. As a result, foreign and domestic tourists are now visiting the village to enjoy the amazing scene of thousands of egrets leaving their nests in the morning and coming back in the evening.

""The reason why we want to make it a tourist village is to save the environment. In order to do so, we will require visitors to plant melinjo (Gnetum gnemon), the favorite type of vegetation of the egrets in which to make their nests, said Haryono, head of Tridadi village, which includes Ketingan hamlet.

Apart from their uniqueness, their proximity to Mount Merapi is also one of the factors that has encouraged the establishment of numerous tourist villages in Sleman. The volcanic ash produced by the volcano has made the soil in surrounding areas fertile enough for almost any plant to grow.

In addition, there is the beautiful scenery on the slopes of the volcano as well as the mountain scenery all around. No less interesting to tourists are the cultural and social peculiarities of villages such as Turgo, Kaliadem and Kinahrejo -- all of which are on the slopes of Mount Merapi.

It is unfortunate that not all of the tourist villages listed by UGM's Center for Tourism are yet to be fully ready to receive tourists.

Many of them, for example, do not yet have proper homestays with adequate facilities.

In addition, human resources problems have also emerged. Many of the villagers do not yet understand the concept of a tourist village, much less how to market one.

There are also cases where management of a village does not involve the whole community. In fact, it is essential that such a business is managed by the whole community. Brayut is an example of a tourist village that is managed without involving the whole community. As a result, the project quickly collapsed.

""No tourists come to the village now. This is despite the fact that many came right after it was officially opened as a tourist village on August 14, 1999,"" head of Brayut village Sutarno said.

Apart from the obstacles that many of the tourist villages are facing in developing agritourism, Sleman is still worth visiting due to the existence of the tourist villages.

Therefore, it's no exaggeration to say that if Cambodia is referred to as the country of a thousand pagodas, then Sleman may be aptly termed the district of a thousand tourist villages.

Kethek temple, unearthed near Mt. Lawu

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Fri, 12/23/2005 4:54 PM Life

Bambang M, Contributor, Yogyakarta

That afternoon saw a lot of visitors captivated by the beauty of Cetho temple, which is located on the southern slope of Mount Lawu, at a height of 1,500 feet above sea level.

The beautiful panorama of the mountain and the unique architectural style of the temple makes it an attractive tourist site.

Unfortunately, after having to go through a difficult route, marked by sharp ascents that will sometimes cause vehicles to break down, these visitors simply went past Kethek temple, a newly excavated temple located not far from Cetho temple.

Indeed, not many people are aware that just a little above Cetho temple to the northeast lies Kethek temple.

Even if they know of the existence of this particular temple, which is located in Gumeng village, Karanganyar regency, Central Java, locating it is quite difficult as 80 percent of the temple building is still underground.

Several big pine trees grow on the temple building. Only the piles of andesite rock that form a set of steps are visible.

Before a research team made up of the representatives of the Center for Conservation of Archaeological Artifacts (BP3) of Central Java and the archaeological department of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) conducted research there between Sept. 5 and Sept. 10, 2005, Kethek temple was practically invisible.

The temple that occupies a plot of land measuring 1,760 square meters looked like a big mound of earth with thick bushes growing on it.

In fact, several archaeologists and locals have known of its existence for quite a long time. No one knows why the temple has simply been forgotten. ""They call it Kethek temple because a statue of a kethek, the Javanese word for monkey, was found not far from the site of the temple,"" said Patmawiyana, who was met by The Jakarta Post while he was looking for firewood around the site of the temple.

Unfortunately, the statue has now been stolen. ""The statue was lost in the 1970s,"" said Haryadi, who is responsible for the protection program of Central Java's BP3.

Reportedly, he added, a lot of monkeys used to be found around this site, too. However, Andi Putranto of the archaeological department of UGM said that it was likely the statue was not of a monkey but of a human being that in the classical era on Java from the 8th to 10th century AD did look like a monkey.

Discourse about Kethek temple resurfaced when the Central Java Tourism Office had a meeting with a German tourism expert in July 2005.

In this meeting, Haryadi said, the German expert said that Kethek temple was found around Cetho temple. Having got this information, BP3 immediately surveyed the area around the temple.

After conducting excavation at the site of the temple, experts were of the opinion that Kethek temple was built as a terraced holy site.

There are four terraces, the area of which becomes smaller as they go higher. These terraces are connected by stone steps. The excavation also shows that some of the rocks used to build the temple were not first processed. The foundation was also very simple because it went only to a depth of 40 cm.

A terraced holy site is the place where people living on Java Island worshiped the souls of their ancestors.

The highest terrace was the holiest place. This architectural style was also adopted for the Cetho and Sukuh temples, both located around the site of Kethek temple. These three temples are different in shape from the temples in Central Java, which were built in the classical era which have their center or the holiest part in the middle of the building.

In a terraced holy site, the holiest place is found at the top and slightly to the rear.

Kethek temple was estimated to have been built in the late 15th century after Majapahit, a Hindu kingdom, collapsed because it was attacked by Demak, an Islamic kingdom.

Experts believe Kethek, Cetho and Sukuh Temples were built by Majapahit noblemen who fled their kingdom and wished to maintain their Hindu culture. They went to safe places in mountainous areas like the slopes of Mount Lawu.

The assumption that Kethek temple, like Sukuh and Cetho Temples, is a Hindu temple is corroborated by the discovery of a rock with a turtle engraved on it.

A turtle is the symbol of the deity Vishnu, the god of preservation or sustenance in Hinduism.

Although those who built the Kethek, Cetho and Sukuh temples were Hindus, they also worshipped the souls of their ancestors.

That's why they adopted the architectural style of a terraced holy site for their temples. Andi said they hoped the souls of their ancestors would save them and their people, who had been politically and socially marginalized.

The excavation conducted at the site of Kethek temple also uncovered the foundation of the temple's fence, a stone base and fragments of terra-cotta for the roof.

The last two items indicate that Cetho temple used to have a roof. Andi said that the roofed part of the temple was its top terrace. If this assumption can be proven correct, Kethek temple will be the only temple built as a terraced holy site that was provided with a roof.

Another unique feature of Kethek temple is that the stones used to make the building have little engraving. The only engraving is found at the lowest step. As it is the only engraving, it is highly likely that this denotes a chronogram.

""In our discussion we thought the engraved ornament was a chronogram that indicates the year in which the temple was built. However, we have yet to decipher it,"" said Mimi Sawitri, also of the archaeological department of UGM.

As the temple has little ornamentation, Haryadi speculated that the temple was a temporary place of worship used while Cetho temple, the real place of worship, was still under construction.

Andi, however, said that given the unique shape of the temple, it was likely that those who built the Kethek temple were different from those who built the Cetho temple. ""Perhaps, the people who built the Kethek temple were an older generation than those who built the Cetho temple,"" he said.

Kethek temple is still enveloped in mystery. That's why, Haryadi said, a technical study of the temple will continue to be made. However, he expressed pessimism that the temple, some 80 percent of which has been destroyed, could ever be reconstructed. ""Erosion has destroyed most of the temple structure,"" he stressed. Besides, the roof, of which only the terra-cotta is now left, is also difficult to reconstruct.

Besides further research, it is also necessary to keep the artifacts of Kethek temple.

In future, it is not unlikely that the entire temple will completely disappear because of erosion or a landslide, especially given the fact that the trees growing on the slope of the hill where the temple is located have begun to be felled. The mystery of the temple, therefore, may also be buried for posterity.

Jogja Bird Walk has nature lovers chirping with joy

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Tue, 07/27/2004 12:39 PM Life

Bambang Muryanto, Contributor, Yogyakarta

A group of 50 people braved a cold Sunday morning recently to spot birds as part of the Jogja Bird Walk (JBW) on the slopes of Mt. Merapi here.

They slowly walked past the bushes of the Plawangan-Turgo nature preserve on the southern slope of the mountain, with binoculars dangling from their necks.

As they walked the participants shared notes on the birds they had spotted. There was a Srigunting Abu, or Ashy Drongo, Cucak Gunung, or Orange-Spotted Bulbul, an Elang Jawa, or Javan Hawk-Eagle, and an Elang Brontok, or Changeable Hawk-Eagle.

"What a scene!" a participant shouted in excitement as he spotted two Javan Hawk-Eagles darting past. The birds are not easy to spot as they are endangered. Around the Plawangan-Turgo area there are less than 10 of the birds.

The Jogja Bird Walk was started by the Kutilang Foundation for Bird Conservation and is aimed at giving the public the opportunity to study birds in their natural habitat.

The walks are held every last Sunday of the month.

"Watching a bird go about its daily activities in its natural habitat is much, much more interesting than watching birds in cages. The birds are more dynamic here and the singing sounds more beautiful in nature," Sugihartono, director of the Jogjakarta Animal Rescue Center, who was one of the participants, said.

According to JBW coordinator Ige Kristianto, Yogyakarta was trying to position itself as a bird watchers' paradise, given its rich biodiversity, including bird species.

"According to data collected by Kutilang since 1991, there are at least 228 different species of birds in Yogyakarta. Among them are 19 of the island's 30 endemic bird species," Ige said, expressing concern that such natural richness was not being used to attract tourists to the city.

The 228 species account for some 53 percent of the total bird species in Java.

Besides its forests and mountains, Yogyakarta's coastal areas are also home to various species of birds.

Trisik Beach and Congot Beach in Kulonprogo in the western part of the province, for example, have long been transit points for migrating birds such as the Dara Laut Jambul, or Great Crested Tern, and the Kedidi Putih, or Sanderling.

You can also find local species such as the Cangak Abu, or Gray Heron, and the Blekok Sawah, or Javan Pond-Heron, in these areas.

Other bird watching locations in Yogyakarta include the Ketingan cluster in Sleman regency, where thousands of Cattle Egrets live side by side with local people; the campus of Gadjah Mada University, which is home to some 27 species of birds; the Imogiri and Dlingo areas of Bantul regency, where raptors like the Elang Ular Bido, or Crested Serpent Eagle, are often seen flying over the regions.

During the bird walks, participants receive guidance from Kutilang activists, who provide explanations and information on the birds, including where to watch for them and how to identify them.

A number of foreign tourists have also taken part in the walks. Still, the number of people overall taking part in the walks is still considered small, mostly due to a lack of publicity.

So far, invitations to join the monthly walks are only published in Kabar Burung, the monthly bulletin published by the Kutilang Foundation.

Ige said that besides the recreational purposes, the bird walks were also being conducted to help preserve nature.

"It's a way to campaign against keeping birds in cages. This is important because such a tradition, mostly in Java, has caused the massive hunting of birds in nature," Ige said.

Ige said the next step would be to ask bird lovers to plant trees to help restore the birds' damaged habitat. Such tree planting programs would be conducted not only in forests but also in urban environments.

"That will reduce the worsening air pollution as well as providing birds with new homes," Ige said.

At this stage, the dream of turning Yogyakarta into a green city seems to be just a matter of time.

Karimunjawa, paradise of flora, fauna

The Jakarta Post, Bambang M, Contributor/Jepara, Central Java

The blueness of the sea, the cleanliness and whiteness of the sand, and the virginity of the coastal forests are only part of the natural, exotic beauty tourists can enjoy at Karimunjawa National Park in the Karimunjawa islands, Jepara regency, Central Java, about 72 kilometers north of the provincial capital, Semarang.

The 27-island, 110,625-hectare area, which was designated a national park in 1988, offers various types of natural beauty, mostly marine, as, of the whole area, only some 1,500 hectares is land.

Among the features of the park are coral reefs, as well as mangrove, coastal and lowland tropical rain forest.

"The coral reefs and the decorative fish here are as beautiful and varied as in Bunaken, North Sulawesi," said conservation expert Juwantoko of Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University's School of Forestry.

The Karimunjawa National Park Office (BTNK) has recorded some 64 different types of coral reef in the park, 290 species of coral fish, seven species of kima (giant clam), three species of turtles and other marine biota, including sponges, soft coral, and anemone. Some are protected species.

However, of the varied fauna that Karimunjawa is home to, the hollow nautilus, or Nautillius pompilius, is the species' flag-bearer, which explains why this mollusk has been made the symbol of Karimunjawa National Park.

"We have made the nautilus the symbol of the park because the population of this particular mollusk is still relatively high," BTNK head Harijanto said, adding that this fact also explained why Karimujawa is often referred to as the home of the hollow nautilus.

The hollow nautilus is a protected species that is often dubbed a living fossil. That is because the biota has existed for 100 million years. Unfortunately, its population is falling due to the uncontrolled collecting of the mollusk. It is collected for its beautiful red-striped shell, which are usually sold as souvenirs.

However, as the nautilus lives in the basin of the sea, at a depth of some 1,800 meters, it is difficult for a tourist to meet the "host" of the park. But you can still enjoy the beauty of its shells at the BTNK information center on Karimun Island.

On the island, visitors can also meet some other "hosts" of the park, such as the extremely poisonous edor snake (Calloselasma rhodosthoma), long-tailed monkey (Macaca fascicularis), deer (Cervus sp.), three butterflies endemic to Karimunjawa, Euploea crameri karimondjawensis, Euploea sylvester karimondjawensis and Idea leuconoee karimondjawensis, and the white-chested sea eagle (Haliaetus leucogaster).

Karimunjawa is also a good habitat for raptors. Last August, for example, the Yogyakarta Animal Rescue Center (PPSJ) released four white-chested sea eagles that the center had saved from captivity.

"It's the first release ever held in Indonesia," said PPSJ director Sugihartono, adding that a survey by the center found there were some eight to 10 pairs of white-chested sea eagles in Karimunjawa National Park.

With the release, hopefully, the population of the raptor in the park will be higher in the future, so that visitors can also enjoy the beautiful sight of the sea eagles catching fish in the sea.

Karimunjawa National Park, according to Harijanto, is also famous for its lowland rain forest ecosystem, something most other national parks do not have. From a distance, the forest looks so green and cooling to the eyes. Here live two species of dewandaru, the Fragraea elliptica and Cleistocalix macrophyla, and another plant locally known as kalimasada (Cordia subcordata). Dewandaru and kalimasada are believed to have supernatural powers and there wood is often made into souvenirs like walking sticks and rosaries.

The mangrove forest in Karimunjawa is no less rich, with some 25 species of indigenous mangrove and 19 other species of mangrove trees. It is unfortunate, however, that in some places the mangroves have been cut down to make fishponds.

"The greatest threat to Karimunjawa indeed is not from nature but humans," Harijanto said.

According to Fitriana, also of the BTNK, illegal logging is rampant in the lowland rain forest area. Unless serious action is taken against this illegal practice, she says, the "veranda" of the beautiful Karimunjawa, along with its beautiful coral reefs, will eventually be history. Erosion and abrasion will kill the coral reefs because soil sedimentation will prevent the coral from getting the sunshine it needs to live.

Apart from that, the ongoing uncontrolled, environmentally unfriendly fishing activities using poison and nets are also damaging the reefs.

That excludes the uncontrolled hunting of hollow nautilus and other sea and land biota that is no less damaging to the environment.

The illegal catching of various species of decorative fish and kima such as sand kima (Hippopus hippopus) is also still going on uncontrolled, and so is the hunting of other animals including deer and birds. Some sources say that some high-ranking government officials in Karimunjawa are involved in the illegal hunting of deer.

"But, of course, it's difficult to prove. We are doing our best to discover the truth about it," said Harijanto, adding that the BTNK had carried out programs both to increase people's awareness of the importance of conservation, as well as to lessen the natural pressure caused by human activities.

Karimunjawa can be reached either from Jepara by speedboat or from Semarang by either speedboat or small plane; all head to Karimunjawa Island. It is from Karimun Island that tours to the other islands in the region, as well as the journey home, are arranged.

When leaving Karimum Island in the afternoon at about 2 p.m. -- if they are lucky -- tourists may also have the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful sunset while at the port in Semarang.

Menikmati Keindahan Gunung Merapi

Yogyakarta memiliki banyak tempat indah dan menarik untuk dikunjungi. Salah satunya adalah Gunung Merapi yang terdapat di Provinsi Yogyakarta bagian utara, berbatasan dengan wilayah Provinsi Jawa Tengah.

Gunung Merapi adalah salah satu gunung berapi paling aktif di dunia saat ini. Jika sedang aktif, Gunung Merapi memang membuat 'repot' masyarakat yang tinggal di sekitarnya. Tetapi di sisi lain, saat itu juga menjadi bagian yang paling indah untuk disaksikan. Salah satunya adalah ketika Gunung Merapi mengeluarkan material panasnya yang diikuti dengan menepulnya awan panas

Fenomena alam yang indah terkadang memang mempunyai batas yang tipis dengan bahaya. Untuk menyaksikan keindahan Gunung Merapi, dapat dilakukan dari tempat wisata Kaliurang yang terdapat di Kabupaten Sleman. (Foto dan teks: Bambang MBK)