Story of Mount Bromo, Joko Seger and Roro

Anteng
1:53 AM  | Labels: Folklore

     

               Mount Bromo, together with Mount Tengger

and Mount Semeru, is one of the most beautiful places of
interest in East Java. Watching the sun rises from the
crest of Mount Bromo is a very exciting experience for
the tourists coming to this mountain. To reach the area,
which is about 2392 m above sea level, people usually
take a bus or a car as far as the village of Ngadisari.
From there, a pony ride will take tourists to the rim of the
mountain. It is an active volcano, and the people from
surrounding areas bring various things as a sacrifice to
the fire god, Betoro Bromo. The legend goes as follows.
               Hundreds of years ago, during the reign of the
last king of Majapahit, Brawijaya, one of the King’s wives
gave birth to a girl, who was named Roro Anteng. Later
this young princess married Joko Seger, who came from
a Brahman caste. Because of an unfortunate situation
the couple was forced to leave the kingdom. They settled
down in the mountain area. They ruled the area and
named it “Tengger”, which was derived from the couple’s
names: Roro Anteng and Joko Seger.
               After several years the region flourished in
prosperity, but Roro Anteng and Joko Seger were
unhappy because they did not have a child. Frustrated,
they climbed the top of the mountain and prayed night
and day hoping that the gods would listen. The prayer
was heard and Betoro Bromo promised them many
children. However, the couple had to promise that they
would sacrifice their youngest children return.
                Roro Anteng gave birth to a child, then
another, and another. In the end Roro Anteng and Joko
Seger got 25 children. Soon it was time for them to
sacrifice the youngest child, Kesuma, but the parents just
could not do it. They tried to hide the child, but an
eruption happened, and Kesuma fell into the crater.
There was silence before they heard a voice:”I have to
be sacrificed so that you will all stay alive. From now on,
you should arrange an annual offering ceremony on the
14th of Kesodo (the twelfth month of Tenggerese
calendar).” It was Kesuma’s voice.
               Kesuma’s brothers and sisters held the offering
ceremony every year, instead of human being, these
people collected fruit, vegetables, rice and meat to be
offered to the gods. And this has been done generation
after generation until today.