Borobudur Now and Then

Saat pertama kali mendengar kata "pulang", ingatan saya langsung tertuju pada salah satu lokasi wisata di Jawa Tengah, tepatnya di Magelang. Tempat itu pernah masuk sebagai tujuh keajaiban dunia yang akhirnya tergeser oleh salah satu obyek wisata di Korea.

When the first time I heard word of "go home", my mind will fly to a lovely tourism object in Central Java. It is on Magelang. This place was included in the Seventh wonder before it was replaced by a tourism object in Korea.

Borobudur - menurut anda, dimanakah letak sebenarnya? Apakah ia di Jogja atau di Jawa Tengah? Saat saya berada jauh dari tempat saya lahir dan penduduk setempat menanyakan darimana asal saya, mereka sering terlonjak dengan semangat dan mengungkapkan keinginan mereka untuk pergi ke Borobudur saat saya mengatakan bahwa saya datang dari Jogja. Namun, perlu diketahui bahwa candi megah ini milik Jawa Tengah, walaupun saat anda berjalan-jalan di pasar seninya, anda akan bertemu dengan banyak tulisan "I love Jogja."

Borobudur - do you know exactly where it is located? Is it Jogjakarta or Central Java? When I was far away from my town and local people asked me where did I come from, they always excited and said that they wanted to visit Borobudur every time I mentioned that I am from Jogjakarta. But, did you know that this wonderful temple is belong to Central Java even though you will find words "I love Jogja" on their crafts which they sell on their art market. 

Baik, kita tinggalkan kebingungan identitas wilayah tersebut. Saya akan membawa anda bagaimana cara "menikmati" wisata di Borobudur.

Well, I didn't mean to discuss about this confusion. I would like to tell you how to "enjoy" trip on Borobudur. 

Saat saya datang ke Borobudur dan melihat sekelompok anak sekolah yang sedang berdarma wisata itu, saya merasa bahwa mereka tidak menemukan poin pentingnya mengunjungi tempat ini. Intinya, mereka hanya senang karena sudah sampai di salah satu keajaiban dunia, atau mereka bisa selfie dengan teman-teman mereka.

When I arrived in Borobudur and I saw a group of students who were doing study tour, I think that they didn't get the points of visiting this temple. Here, they might be excited of visiting the wonder world or doing selfie with their friends or just shopping in the art market.

Di sini, saya melihat ada yang salah! Oleh karena itu, saya ingin mengajak anda untuk mengenal Borobudur dengan cara yang sederhana. 

Then, I was thinking, there was something wrong here. Because of my simple thought, I would like to get to know to Borobudur in a simple way.

Borobudur bukan hanya sekedar tumpukan batu berukir yang menceritakan kehiduan Sidharta Gautama yang didirikan pada masa Wangsa Syailendra atau tempat ibadah umat Budha. Namun, Borobudur adalah gambaran filsafat yang dalam mengenai ajaran kehidupan.

Borobudur is not just sorting stones which telling about the life of Sidharta Gautama which was set up by Wangsa Syailendra or a temple which is used by Buddhists to held ceremony.

Terlepas dari pemahaman ajaran Budha, Borobudur bukan semata-mata penggambaran isi kitab Tripitaka, tetapi pada peng-aplikasiannya.

Instead of Buddhism, Borobudur is not just the points of Tripitaka, but it is about the application of Tripitaka itself.

Mungkin anda bingung dengan pernyataan saya di atas. Apabila anda bingung, maka jawablah pertanyaan ini. Saat anda tiba di Borobudur, bagaimana cara anda mencapai puncak tertinggi Borobudur? Apakah dengan berjalan melingkar atau langsung mendaki ke atas. 

Maybe you are confusing with my statements above. If you confuse, then answer this question. How did you get to the top of Borobudur? Did you step it right through to the top or you walk on the path?

Dalam hidup ini, ada dua sifat orang dalam mencapai tujuannya. Pertama, seseorang yang tergesa-gesa agar ia segera mendapatkan yang ia mau. Seperti saat anda mendaki tangga Borobudur. Saat anda menginjak tangga pertama, anda akan melihat ke atas dan mengeluh "jauhnya." Kemudian dengan terengah-engah dan lutut gemetar, anda akan berusaha mencapai stupa teratas. Begitu anda tiba di stupa teratas, anda akan berkata, "apa ini? Bosan! Hanya tumpukan batu!" dan anda turun dengan kecewa. 

There are two types of person on how they get their purpose of life. First category, a person who likes to do things in hurry. They want to get what they want immediately. Just like when you reach the top of Borobudur. When the first time you step on the stair, you look above and gaze, then you will think that it is very far. You climb it with your anger and disappointment, "what is this? Just stone!" then you will hurriedly get down, and you get nothing then disappointment. 

Kemudian, tipe orang kedua. Ia adalah orang yang menikmati proses pencapaian tujuannya walaupun ia terlihat sedikit lambat dari target yang ditetapkan oleh orang lain. Seperti saat anda berjalan naik ke puncak Borobudur dengan cara berjalan melingkar. Saat anda berjalan melingkar, anda akan disuguhi berbagai keindahan, seperti relief-relief yang tergambar pada dinding Borobudur, atau menikmati pemandangan cantik di bawah Borobudur. Saat anda turun, anda bisa menceritakan kepada semua orang mengenai maha karya Wangsa Syailendra yang indah ini. 

Then, the second category, they are people who enjoy the process on how to get what their purpose in live even though they might be late from target that targeted by others. Just like climb up the Borobudur while following the paths. When you walk on the paths of Borobudur, you will see how wonderful the reliefs or how wonderful the landscape down there or what amazing story was that. And when you get down the hill, you will be amazed with the maestro of Wangsa Syailendra. 

Poin lain yang saya dapatkan saat saya berjalan menyelusuri lorong-lorong di candi Borobudur adalah berikut ini;

Here are the points that I got while visiting Borobudur:

Untuk melihat sesuatu yang besar dengan jelas, maka anda harus berdiri di kejauhan dan melihatnya dari jauh. Maka anda akan tahu apa yang sebenarnya sedang anda lihat.

If you want to see clearly something big, you have to see it from far. So, you will see it clearly.

Untuk memahami pahatan cerita (relief) hidup anda, anda harus berdiri di kejauhan dan melihatnya secara global, agar anda mampu memahami keindahannya.

If you want to understand your life story (reliefs), you have to see it from far away and see it globally, so you willl understand about the beauty of your life. 

Borobodur terbuat dari tumpukan batu berpahat. Saat anda berada di dalamnya, anda tidak menemukan apa-apa (hanya cerita bergambar yang tidak jelas dan kabur). Tetapi kekosongan itu tampak megah saat anda melihat dari kejauhan. Kosong adalah isi, isi adalah kosong (pokok ajaran Budha).

Borobudur was just a life story which was drawing in stones. When you are standing inside of the building, you will find nothing but just stones and a blur life story. But the emptiness will look great when you see it from far away. Empty is full, full is empty (the point of Buddhism), 

Pearl On the Jungle

By Janti Fitri

River of Mata Buntu Waterfall

 

Water is another thing I fear of. However, when we talk about the water, we can connect it with "Water fall". I guess many people love to see the water fall. Some might love the sound or some love to play with the stream it has.

And my trip this time, brought me to a lovely place called as "Mata Buntu Water fall" in a tropical jungle in South Sulawesi. We know that Sulawesi also known as Celebes which is famous with the iron mining or nickel mining. One of the famous mining area here is Soroako where the nickel is became the main hope for the people both of local people or abroad.

In a place not so far from Soroako, we will find the lovely water fall called as Mata Buntu. The Mata Buntu water fall is sited in a town called as Wasuponda.

Here is the Mata Buntu Waterfall

You can reach Wasuponda in about 30 minutes from Soroako. However, if you travel from Makassar and you visit it by bus, you will need at least 11 hours to reach Wasuponda. But don't worry, you will still can find some inn here and also find the traditional food where you can only find it here.

The Mata Buntu water fall is a very exotic place where you can see. Besides, the Mata Buntu water fall is still virgin water fall as not so many tourist visit here. So this place keep clean, clear and green. 

The local plants of Mata Buntu Waterfall

In this deep forest of Mata Buntu, I found some plants that I have never seen before. This plant was growing in some rock. The leaves are green and shaped like "heart" meanwhile in the bottom of the "heart" it grows flower.

Unfortunately, I can't find the local people to ask what plant it is, so, too bad that I still don't know what the name of this plant. If there is someone who knows what plant it is, I am so glad to know it. And my big big thanks for you.

Taman Nasional Baluran by Ichus Rose

TAMAN NASIONAL BALURAN

Taman Nasional Baluran terletak di Kecamatan Banyuputih, Situbondo, Jawa Timur, sekitar 1 jam perjalanan dari Banyuwangi, merupakan kawasan konservasi alam yang memiliki keindahan dan eksotisme panorama alam. Luas taman ini sekitas 25.000 ha dimana 40% dari total luasnya merupakan ekosistem savana yang alami dan merupakan yang terluas di Pulau Jawa.

Savana Bekol

Hutan Mangrove

Taman ini hampir bisa dikatakan sebagai miniatur hutan Indonesia karena hampir semua tipe hutan terdapat disini yaitu meliputi hutan pantai, hutan mangrove dan rawa asin, hutan payau, padang rumput savana, hutan hujan pegunungan, hutan musim, hutan lamun dan gugusan terumbu karang. Flora yang terdapat di hutan-hutan ini antara lain Pilang (Acacia leucophloea Wild), Mimbo (Azadiracta indica A. Juss), Gebang (Corypha utan Lamk.), Asam (Tamara indica Linn.), Kepuh (Sterculia foetida Wall.), Widoro bukol (Zyziphus jujuba Lamk.), Kesambi ( Schleichera oleosa), Ketapang (Terminalia catappa Linn.), Mnating (Syzyqium polyanthum).

Rusa (Cervus timorensis)

Merak hijau (Pavo Muticus) 

 Selain hutan, di taman ini juga bisa dijumpai beraneka ragam fauna seperti mamalia besar yaitu Banteng ( Boss javanicus), Kerbau liar (Bubalus bubalis), Rusa (Cervus timorensis), Kijang (Mutiacus muntjak), Babi hutan (Sus scorva), Macan tutul (Panthera pardus),  Kucing batu (Felis bengalensis), Kucing bakau (Felis viverrina ), dan Ajag (Cuon alpinus). Sedangkan untuk jenis primata antara lain Kera ekor panjang (Macaca fascicularis) dan Lutung (Trachypithecus auratus cristatus). Disini juga mudah dijumpai berbagai jenis burung antara lain Merak hijau (Pavo Muticus) Ayam hutan merah (Gallus gallus), Ayam hutan hijau (Gallus varius), Kangkareng (Anthracoceros convexus), dan Rangkong (Bucheros rhinoceros).

Pantai Bama

Diujung taman ini juga terdapat pantai berpasi putih yang masih asri yaitu Pantai Bama. Pantai dengan hamparan pasir putih ini terletak 3 km dari savana Bekol, dan dikelilingi oleh hutan mangrove sbagai habitat berbagai jenis burung dan primata seperti kera abu-abu. Pantai Bama juga menyimpan keindahan panorama bawah laut yang menawan. Aneka terumbu karang dan ikan hias dapat dijumpai dsini. Pengunjung bisa menikmati rekreasi ditepi pantai, diving, snorkling, maupun berkano di pantai ini.

Toraja - Animal for The Funeral

By: Janti Fitri

This buffalo expensive too, but not expensive as the Tedong Bonga

What do you think when you see this big pink buffalo? 
You will say, wow...what a big animal? or wow...what a pink animal? (hahahaa...not so funny i guess...jejeejjeje)


Well....for me, I might say...wow..what an expensive animal!! why so?

Tedong Bonga with lower price

The lowest price buffalo from all Tedong prices

Well..well...in Toraja animals are showing the level of society. There are two animals that used to show the level of society. There are buffaloes and pigs. There are many types of buffaloes that will show your level. The most expensive buffalo that will show your high level is Tedong Bonga. Tedong means buffalo. Tedong bonga is buffalo which has two different color. Tedong bonga's appearance look like dairy cattle. It is white with the black dot (so...please be careful if you are white and have black dots...could be sold...hahahahahaaa......LoL).

Tedong Bonga the expensive one

The rate of the buffaloes amazed me. One buffalo type of Tedong Bonga can be sold with the price of sixty million rupiah (Rp 60,000,000.00 ) or around 6,315.79 USD ( I can buy a house with this amount  of money...hahahahhaa....)
No wonder if this animal used to show the high level of society.


And the most surprising thing for me is, when the funeral ceremony held, people not only need a buffalo, but they need more buffaloes. Because when the funeral ceremony held, all people are invited, including tourist. So, you can imagine, how much money will be needed here to held the funeral party (make me headache...hahahahaa.....).


Buffaloes used as a gift to close family. And one day when your family, as example your cousin held the funeral party, you will return the Tedong with the same price as he/she gave before. WOW!


Beside, Tedong as the animal for funeral, there is also another animal that used for the party. It is pig. 


Pig is showing lowest level of society or show that you are only a neighbor. But, Toraja people will shy to give this pig in the funeral because this is show your low level. However, in the party pigs still needed to serve the guests. 


Want to try to held party like this? Well, visit Toraja and join their party.


Sometimes, tourists who visit Toraja will join the party, and they will buy some buffalo in group....and here they come...join the party. Want to try? Just visit Toraja - South Sulawesi, Indonesia, South East Asia.


Want to know more about many stories....well..don't leave this blog. Keep on log on to jantifitri-allstories.blogspot.com, we'll give you all stories here.

Ganjuran - Yogyakarta

By: Janti Fitri

Have you ever visit Yogyakarta - Java? well, I think that name is familiar in tourist destination when we travel to Indonesia. Here, one of place that will bring you in the "deepest of silent" ( I mean...you are silent because you are praying...hahhahahahahaaaa.......). Ganjuran actually is a Roman Catholic church which is adapted with local tradition.

A corner in Ganjuran Temple

 Yogyakarta known as many Hindu temple such as Prambanan, Prabu Boko temple and so on. So that's why this Roman Catholic church used the idea to build the church (maybe..not sure, just a look...hahahahahahaa...hm...not good). 

When the first time i came to this place, all what I found is silent. It was very quiet. I thought no body was there, but I was wrong! Many people prayed there. They were silent in their private prayers.

I even did not believe that this place is sited in the center of a crowded town. But it was kind of magic that when I was in the location, I almost couldn't hear the beeping of the vehicles out there. What I could hear was the sound of the pine trees which are stood stronger there in the location. 

Yogyakarta was shook by the big earthquake five years a go. By the year of 2006, a great earth quake shook Yogyakarta, and this place was in the center of the earth quake. So many building was broken and many people are died, but this place is still stood up to now. Even the main church building and workshop buildings broken, but the prayers location is still.  

Pines trees make Ganjuran Church shaded

Many people believe that the water or mineral from the well of this church is useful to cure people from many illness. Some people said that this water is high mineral. So, no wonder if the water could cure  people from the illness (remind me to Aang cartoon...xixixixixiiii.....).

So, give a try to the water? Well, you better go there and try it your self.  I was there and it was wonderful!

 How if I want to get there? Maybe that is your question. Well, it is easy. Just redirect your flight to Yogyakarta then you can rent car or motorbike or u can go by bus to Bantul.

Ganjuran is located in Bantul-Yogyakarta. It is around 30 minutes from the airport. Many transportation that will drive you in this location. Because Bantul is not only famous with this temple. Bantul has many tourist object such as handcraft. Bantul has some village where the people are doing Batik. Batik in Bantul is doing by hand. People draw the motif of the batik on a fabric with their hands. Besides, there were some village which are specialized making statues, topeng or call as mask and many more.

People used this building for praying. Sometimes in a special occasion this building used to held religious service, such as Christmas or Easter and so on  

Ganjuran Temple, people believe that the water of this temple useful for any case such as  healing the sick people and so on, as it is known that the mineral of the water is high

The prayers

So, spend your holiday here. You will add more knowledge about culture and religious where the people live in local wise (Maksudnya kearifan lokal...apa itu bahasa inggrisnya..jiaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh...hahahahahahahhahahaa)

Want to know more about Indonesia? well, keep on reading this blog.

Toraja - Animal for The Funeral

By: Janti Fitri

This buffalo expensive too, but not expensive as the Tedong Bonga

What do you think when you see this big pink buffalo? 
You will say, wow...what a big animal? or wow...what a pink animal? (hahahaa...not so funny i guess...jejeejjeje)


Well....for me, I might say...wow..what an expensive animal!! why so?

• 

Tedong Bonga with lower price

The lowest price buffalo from all Tedong prices

Well..well...in Toraja animals are showing the level of society. There are two animals that used to show the level of society. There are buffaloes and pigs. There are many types of buffaloes that will show your level. The most expensive buffalo that will show your high level is Tedong Bonga. Tedong means buffalo. Tedong bonga is buffalo which has two different color. Tedong bonga's appearance look like dairy cattle. It is white with the black dot (so...please be careful if you are white and have black dots...could be sold...hahahahahaaa......LoL).

Tedong Bonga the expensive one

The rate of the buffaloes amazed me. One buffalo type of Tedong Bonga can be sold with the price of sixty million rupiah (Rp 60,000,000.00 ) or around 6,315.79 USD ( I can buy a house with this amount  of money...hahahahhaa....)
No wonder if this animal used to show the high level of society.


And the most surprising thing for me is, when the funeral ceremony held, people not only need a buffalo, but they need more buffaloes. Because when the funeral ceremony held, all people are invited, including tourist. So, you can imagine, how much money will be needed here to held the funeral party (make me headache...hahahahaa.....).


Buffaloes used as a gift to close family. And one day when your family, as example your cousin held the funeral party, you will return the Tedong with the same price as he/she gave before. WOW!


Beside Tedong as the animal for funeral, there is also another animal that used for the party. It is pig. 


Pig is showing lowest level of society or show that you are only a neighbor. But, Toraja people will shy to give this pig in the funeral because this is show your low level. However, in the party pigs still needed to serve the guests. 


Want to try to held party like this? Well, visit Toraja and join their party.


Sometimes, tourists who visit Toraja will join the party, and they will buy some buffalo in group....and here they come...join the party. Want to try? Just visit Toraja - South Sulawesi, Indonesia, South East Asia.


Want to know more about many stories....well..don't leave this blog. Keep on log on to jantifitri-allstories.blogspot.com, we'll give you all stories here.

Old Grave in Toraja

By: Janti Fitri

Londa, Old grave in Toraja

Are you hunting a destination to visit? (roaar.....let's go to hunting place......yaaaakkkk....lol). Maybe you are boring to visit Bali, Jogjakarta or even Jakarta, because you have been visited them every holiday. Let's go to another part in Indonesia. It is South Sulawesi. Where is South Sulawesi? Well...do you know Bunaken-Manado? Well...it is very far from it...(Waaaaakkkk..........lol....nothing to do with that...hahaha) But one thing, South Sulawesi and Manado are in the same island. (Well...at least there's some connection....jiaaaaaaahhh....hmm).

Toraja is located in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, South East Asia. So many interesting things to see there in Toraja, such as the beautiful scenery, the parties, the culture, the food and the famous one is the graves! Why grave?

There are so many ways for Toraja people to "bury" the death body. Some of them will be bury in the ground (well, it is normal way...i guess), in the cave and on the TREE! (WOW..........!)

Ketekesu Grave yard with many human bones all around your visit

There are three gave yard I visited on my last holiday. There are Londa, Ketekesu and Kambira Baby Grave.

For Londa it self has some sad romance. It said, that once upon a time, there were two young couple in love. But because of their love was not agreed by the parents, both of them went to a cave. They were suicide! The guide told me that, their death body hanged up together in a rope. What a tragic love story!

I could feel the mystical aura when the first time I entered the Londa cave. The aura was different than when I entered Ketekesu graveyard. even though Ketekesu cave is older than Londa, but the Ketekesu graveyard is not scary as Londa. ( I mean it is to me....I don't know about you....maybe you don't feel anything...hahahaha).

Kambira Baby Grave, see the tree inside the gate.

Go to another graveyard, it is called as Kambira Baby Grave.

As what it named, it is a Baby Grave. The grave is "in the tree".

The baby that buried here is the baby under 3 years old or toddler. The Toraja people made some small room in the tree then, positioning babies like when they were in the womb. It seems like the baby back to mother's womb and the mother is the tree! (Wow....amazing!)

so, I think there are so many things to visit in Toraja. But you must waiting for another posting. I will tell you more about Toraja.

So, don't miss any posting here. Keep log on to jantifitri-allstories.blogspot.com.

Soroako in pictures - English Version

By: Janti Fitri

matano lake

Matano Lake

If you think that Soroako is a place that is unknown in the map..well..you have to see this one.

Soroako is a nickel mining area that have been ruled by INCO or Valle Indonesia nowadays.

Besides, Soroako is not only fame with the mining area, but Soroako is famous with the lake.

matano lake

The lake is known as the deepest lake in Asia....WOW!!! scary! (Cannot imagine what is lying under there...in the dark of the lake.....rrrrrrrghhhhh)

But, even though this is a lake, but local people call the lake as BEACH! So, Matano Lake also called as Ide Beach.

Who live in Soroako?
If you ask who live in Soroako, I will answer, lots of people around the world.

You can imagine, not only from Sabang to Merauke who live here, but people around the world like America, India, Japan, China etc.

Want to know more about Soroako and another stories? So don't go any where because we give you the best stories we have.

So keep log on to http://jantifitri-allstories.blogspot.com

soroako in pictures

By: Janti Fitri

Danau Matano dilihat dari atas Bukit Poci

Jika anda mengira bahwa Soroako adalah suatu daerah yang tidak ada di peta (Waaaakkk...just kidding...hehe) maka anda harus melihat ini.

Soroako merupakan sebuah area pertambangan nikel yang dikelola oleh pihak swasta yang beberapa waktu yang lalu bernama Inco yang kemudian berganti nama menjadi Valle Indonesia.

Perubahan nama menjadi Valle Indonesia terjadi sejak pemegang saham terbesar yang tidak lain adalah Valle yang merupakan warga negara Brazil ini, memegang saham yang terbesar, sekitar 60% dari keseluruhan saham (Wow....bagian kita berapa nich...jiaaahhhhhhh).

Soroako memiliki danau yang katanya danau terdalam se-Asia Tenggara (wuits....!!syerem! mungkin ndak ya ada dinosaurusnya.....jiaaaaaaaahhhhhh...). Danau ini bernama Danau Matano, tetapi penduduk lokal lebih menyebutnya sebagai Pantai Ide.

Pantai Timah

Keindahan Danau Matano memang sangat mempesona. Danau ini mempunyai pesona yaitu kita dapat melihat Sunrise dan Sunset (bagaimana bisa? caranya? kunjungilah Soroako).

Selain Pantai Ide, Soroako juga memiliki pantai lain yang disebut dengan Pantai Timah (hmmmm...mungkin ada timahnya kali ya....?) Sekali lagi, anda jangan terjebak dengan istilah pantai, karena walaupun diberi nama pantai, tetapi tetap saja itu merupakan hamparan danau yang sangat luasssssss.............

Soroako adalah kota kecil dengan penduduk yang bervariasi. Soroako merupakan sebuah area internasional. Dari Sabang sampai Merauke, bahkan dari berbagai negara, orang-orang berkumpul di sini untuk meraup dollar (maaf bukan bermaksud melecehkan tetapi sebuah fakta bahwa di Soroako uang 500 perak tidak diterima, jika anda berbelanja siap-siap saja uang 500 rupiah anda akan berganti dengan permen......yaiiiiiiiiiikkkkkk).

Ingin tahu info mengenai Soroako lainnya? Pantengin terus blog ini....so don't be late to click on us. jantifitri-allstories.blogspot.com