Ah, Indonesia

Episode 24 Pateh Jonoto (Ganesha)

During my duty trip to East Java, I visited a statue of Ganesha at Desa Karang Kates, Kec. Sumberpucung, Kab. Malang, Jatim on October 18, 2006 which is near a guest house of Water Service Corporation (Jasa Tirta). In 1986-87 we stay the guest house and we have visited the Ganesha during taking for a walk with our children who were still small kids. This statue, called as "Pateh Jonoto" had been respected by villagers until a few tens years ago. Numbers of villagers has reduced in parallel with spreading Islam in the village. The Ganesha has not been recognized as a national artifact, then its keeper collected found for maintain the statue. The place was so clean that we may sit down on the floor of the area.

Front View

From Western side

From Eastern side

Back side

The keeper provided a stand for incense by himself, but not original one. The keeper told me that the statue was not provided on grave yard but long time ago the Ganesha walked by himself and has stood this place until now. The government tried to carry the Ganesha during Dutch colonial and after independence. At these occasion, there were many troubles such as injuries of workers for this project and so one. It is peculiar that the Ganesha warped from a truck which carried the Ganesha and the Ganesha return to the original place. After this incident, the government forgave to transport the Ganesha. It is rather difficult to get protection by the government, since most of Indonesians are Muslims but not Hinduism. The ivories were taken by a mischief. Men who act mischief died suddenly after the act. Recently young policeman urinated the Ganesha swell his berry and died. After these incidents, less sightseeners visited this site and remained forgotten. The standing Ganesha is rarely found in the world. There is a big stone in front of Sutami Hydropower station is from the same kind of material of the Ganesha, the keeper told me. But it is not true, since the stone is conglomerate but the Ganesha is from sandstone During the construction stage of the powerstation in 70th, they tried to remove the stone with spherical shape with 3 m diameter, many times by dynamite or pulling by bulldozers but they failed. Still now we can see the stone in a pond. It may be the statue of model of Kalachakra, which mixed up Hindu and Buddha. The base plate with sculls has been weathered but the lower side of Ganesha is still fresh and we can see details of patterns of curving on the statue. I will report you about the Ganesha at next visit.

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Well, This is a report of "Next time" 　I visited the Ganesha on January 07. 2007 during my duty trip to Karang Kates Dam and succeeded to interview the keeper and measured dimensions of the Ganesha. Of course I served incense. 　Dimensions of the Ganesha are as shown below and the statue faces 40 degrees from north to east.

The keeper, Mr.. Mualim (72), photo below, replied my interview as follows:

Mr. Mualim beside Pateh Jonoto

My ancestor of five generation before myself immigrated here about 150 years ago. There was bamboo bush surrounded by natural forest. They found an empty place which locates about 5 meters toward south. They tried to dig out the Ganesha and failed when they dig out up to breast of the Ganesha. When they found the Ganesha, the Ganesha faced about 20 degrees toward west than now. There were ivories on the Ganesha. At one night after they forgave to dig out the statue, the Ganesha walked from the buried position to the present position by himself He has been standing at the same place until now. 　Dutch military shot the Ganesha during training in 1930, and the Ganesha lost his ivories. Since long time ago, there were less victims of epidemics in this village than the surrounding villagers. The villagers have believed that the Ganesha protected the villagers from any unfortunate. Still now some of villagers visited the Ganesha to pray the fortune of new bride couple. 　The stone in front of the power station "Watu Tempuh", reported above,　was called as a brother of Ganesha forced to relocated the dam by a few hundred meters upstream side. During construction of Sutami Dam, the terrace for the Ganesha was restored as we can see now.

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They say that the Ganesha faces to a Kraton (Candi) Gunung Kawi, but I could not been convinced and check the location on a map. Candi at Gunung Kawi locates at 08 00'　11.6"S、11229'　09.2"E、Pateh Jonoto locates at 08 09'　30"S, 112 26' 40"S as show left. Results of my investigation intimated that,　the Ganesha faced to Gunung Kawi while the Ganesha has been buried, but now the Ganesha faces to Malang and Pasuruan. The facing direction is called "Ushi-tora" in Fengsui. It may intimate something that we have not recognized.

The place was isolated　from inhabit places at 150 years ago. It is sure that paddy field ends at the eastern side of the Karang Kates Village and western side of the village forms　a cliff to Brantas River by a hundred meters. This place is not suitable for cultivating paddy. However, the place located at middle point of ancient road connecting Tulungagung with Banyuwangi through Blitar and Malang. The main road was replaced with a motor way at southern part of the Ganesha. 　Curving at lower half of the Ganesha is still remained sharp. This means to say that the Ganesha was buried in dry soil for long time but not exposed in air. And the Ganesha might prove that there was rich society to sponsor the establishment and maintenance of the Ganesha. The Ganesha was found in standing position. This report suggested that the Ganesha was buried with volcanic ashes but not earth quake. Gunung Semeru, Kelud or Kawi might erupt about hundreds years ago. Islam immersed this place about a few tens years before. Why does the Pateh Jonoto appears in the era of Misery for him.

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2007-05-15 作成
2014-04-05 再編集