Mount Bromo (from Sanskrit / Ancient Java: Brahma, one of the Main Hindu Gods), is an active volcano and best known as a tourist attraction in East Java, Indonesia. As a tourism destination in Indonesia, Mount Bromo is attractive because of its status as an active volcano that is still active. In addition, the Kasodo tradition of the Tengger tribe really gives us a spiritual and mystical experience.

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Bromo has a height of 2392 meters above sea level, located in four regions, namely Kabupaten Probolinggo, Pasuruan, Lumajang, and Malang Regency. Mount Bromo shape mesh between valleys and canyons with the caldera or the ocean of sand covering around 10 square kilometers.

Pura Poten of the Tenggerese photo by blueplanet_2009

Bromo is included in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. It has a type of sub-montane ecosystems, montane and sub-alphin with hundreds of years old large trees. Some plant species found in the National Park include jamuju (Dacrycarpus imbricatus), mountain pine (Casuarina sp.) Eidelweis (Anaphalis javanica), various species of orchids and rare species of grass (Styphelia pungieus).

There are approximately 137 species of birds, 22 species of mammals and 4 species of reptile in this national park.

View in Bromo National Park Indonesia photo by chmod999

Protected rare animals found in this national parks, among others, mongoose (Pardofelis marmorata), deer (Cervus timorensis), long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), kijang (Muntiacus muntjak), red jungle chicken (Gallus gallus), leopard (Panthera pardus), ajag (Cuon alpinus), and various species of birds such as alap-alap birds (Accipiter virgatus), hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros silvestris), bido serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela bido), black thrush (Dicrurus macrocercus), Scaly-breasted falcon (Haliastur indus), and grouse that live in Ranu Pani, Ranu Regulo, and Ranu Kumbolo.
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Tengger Tribal communities in the area of the Semeru and Bromo Mount in East Java holds Yadnya Kasada or Kasodo cerermony every year. This cultural event is a worth event to witness among ceremonies like Sekaten and Ruwatan. For this year the rite were held at Friday (9/4/09). They held the initial ceremony that is called Piodalan, a purification ceremony for temple Pura Luhur Poten located in the Tengger Sand sea (desert) as one of the preparation procession of Kasodo.

The Kasada ceremony is held at the temple which was under the northern foot of Mount Bromo and continued to Bromo mountain. It was held at midnight until the early morning of each full moon around the 14th or 15th day of the month Kasodo according to the Javanese calendar.

Kasodo Ceremony photo by Docae

Led by a number of shamans pandhita, the Tengger people gathered at the temple to pray. Various offerings (sacrifice) placed on the altar, including holy water or tirta that will be used to wash (purify) the temple and the Tengger people at the end of the ceremony.

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Water is taken from three springs, the Widodaren in the sand sea (lautan pasir) of Tengger, Madakaripura Waterfall in Lumbang-Probolinggo District, and Watu Plosot on Mount Semeru. The ceremony to get the water is called Mendak Tirta, mendak means to get, tirta means water. This ceremony is held a day before the Piodalan ceremony.

At the end of the ceremony, the Tengger will throw their offerings/sacrifices into the crater of Mount Bromo, located about 400 meters from the temple.

The Legend of Kasada

Kasodo ceremony is derived from the legend of Rara Anteng and Jaka Seger. They are believed as the first people of Tengger. This legend took place when the king Brawijaya took the throne. Rara Anteng was Brawijaya daughter.

Though Rara Anteng and Jaka Seger have already married for long time, the couple had not been blessed with children. So, they went up to Mount Bromo to pray to the gods asking for a child.

The God blessed them and grant children but in one condition that the last child has to be sacrificed to the crater of Mount Bromo. Finally, Rara Anteng and Jaka Seger blessed with 25 children.

Kasada Rite photo by Docae

To keep their promise, the couple took their last child to be sacrificed to the crater of Mount Bromo. Shortly after, the boy’s voice from inside the crater said that they asked to hold a memorial ceremony every month Kasodo on day 14th. In the Tengger calendar, Kasodo is the last month (the tenth).
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