29 Journal of Comparative Cultural Studies in Architecture JCCS-A
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Journal of Comparative Cultural Studies in Architecture 12/2019 – pp. 29–34 JCCS-a Ema Y. TITISARI, ANTARIKSA, Lisa D. WULANDARI & SURJONO Understanding the Significance of Heritage Building: Candi Sumberawan in the Context of Urban Culture Die Bedeutung des Kulturerbes verstehen: Candi Sumberawan im Kontext der urbanen Kultur ABSTRACT ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Candi Sumberawan in Singosari, Malang is still used Candi Sumberawan in Singosari, Malang, wird bis as a place of worship until now. Historically, its heute als Kultstätte genutzt. Historisch ist seine existence is related to Sumberawan water sources. Existenz mit den Sumberawan-Wasserquellen In the context of society, it is very important to verbunden. Im gesellschaftlichen Kontext ist es understand the significance of this building es- sehr wichtig, die Bedeutung dieses Gebäudes pecially for today’s society (including those with insbesondere für die heutige Gesellschaft (ein- different religious and cultural backgrounds) due schließlich derjenigen mit unterschiedlichem to the increasingly urbanized cultural dynamics. religiösen und kulturellen Hintergrund) aufgrund This is intended to make the preservation of his- der zunehmend urbanisierten kulturellen Dynamik toric buildings has more benefits and significances zu verstehen. Dadurch soll die Erhaltung histori- for the community. By using descriptive-qualita- scher Gebäude mehr Nutzen und Bedeutung für die tive methods, in-depth interviews, observation Gemeinschaft bekommen. Durch die Verwendung on people, activities, and space, as well as inter- deskriptiver-qualitativer Methoden, eingehender preting the meanings, the researchers found that Interviews, Beobachtung von Personen, Aktivitäten Candi Sumberawan has an important significance und des Raumes, sowie durch Interpretation der in preserving water resources and environmental Bedeutungen fanden die Forscher heraus, dass sustainability from the cosmological aspect. Candi Sumberawan eine wichtige Bedeutung für die Erhaltung der Wasserressourcen und die öko- Keywords: significance, heritage building, urban logische Nachhaltigkeit auch aus kosmologischer culture Sicht hat. Schlüsselworte: Signifikanz, bauliches Erbe, urbane Kultur JCCS-a 12/2019 29 Understanding the Significance of Heritage Building: Candi Sumberawan in the TITISARI et al. Context of Urban Culture 1. INTRODUCTION 2. METHODS The aim of this study is to find the significance This research uses qualitative- descriptive method of Candi Sumberawan (Sumberawan Temple) for (Moleong, 2015). The researchers make observa- today’s society. Indonesian people, of whom tran- tions on space, people, and activities. The time sitioning from traditional culture to modern culture of observation becomes a context related to the (Santosa, 2008), often not ready when facing build- space, people, and activities. The observations ing conservation issue, especially in the case of are made on objects, either fixed, semi-fixed, temple preservation. Many temple conservation or non-fixed elements (Rapoport, 1990). In ad- activities were ‘stopped’ after building restoration dition to these field observations, the data were activities. The temple became an abandoned old also collected through in-depth interviews with the building in the midst of “new” buildings and people. key informants: religious ritual leaders, individual Moreover, many of them are not supported with ritual practitioners, temple caretakers, and com- good landscape arrangement. The temples become munity leaders. These data are then collected and ancient artifacts that are separated from the in- grouped into categories and analyzed inductively. creasingly urbanized communities. The interpretation of relationships that may occur between groups of categories is done to answer the Ideally, the conservation of historical buildings will research question that is the significance of Candi benefit the community, especially the surround- Sumberawan according to the today’s society. ing communities. It cannot be denied that cultural dynamics is one of the reasons for the separation of ancient buildings and its surrounding environ- 3. DISCUSSION ment. In the midst of a society that wants to be more ‘modern’, cultural and identities issues be- 3.1 Traditional (Pre-modern) and Modern come very important. According to Krakow Charter Culture 2000 and ICOMOS 1982, building conservation is not only aimed to preserve the tangible heritage The changes of traditional to the modern way of but also intangible heritage. Intangible heritage is thinking have an impact on the ‘loss’ of sacred spac- not only limited to oral traditions, skills, and ancient es and changes in the center of life or the center of knowledge, but rather on cultural values or cultural the world. Pre-modern (traditional) society has a meanings (Titisari et al., 2016). In line with the desire to stay near the ‘center’ of the world, a space conservation objectives of the Indonesian Heritage that connects the God (Pugh, T., no date; Elliade, Conservation Charter 2003, this cultural meaning M., 1987). A home not only serves as a place to live can connect the disconnected enclaves. For a better but also as a representation of the cosmos. The de- future, understanding the meaning of this culture velopment process is the sacred process associated can be used as a tool to deal with the rapid dy- with the new life process (cosmogony). namics of the culture (Ashworth, 1991; Adhisakti, 2008; Mahuri, 2012) Modern culture places home as a mass industrial product that simply to meet the needs of shelter Candi Sumberawan is located at the foot of Mount (Tuan, 1990). The development of knowledge and Arjuno that is close to a cool and abundant water the changes of oral culture into writing culture source. It is assumed that this temple was built slowly make the material objects only appreci- at the end of Majapahit Era (14th century). In ated by their physical-empirical form and ignores Kakawin Negarakertagama, this temple is written their meta-empirical elements (Klassen, W., 1992; with the name of Kasurangganan (paradise garden Pangarsa, G.W., 2006; Rappenglück, 2013). of angels). The community believes that the water is a tirta amerta thus inviting many people to per- form various rituals. They are not only Buddhists 3.2 Activities at Candi Sumberawan and Kejawen but also adherents of other religions who believe in the miracle of Sumberawan tirta The story of Tirta amerta (Amerta water) is a amerta. Every year, the residents of Toyomerto vil- myth that strengthens the existence of a place lage and the users of this water source hold a ritual (Mazumdar and Mazumdar, 2004). The efficacy of or ceremony called as Slametan Banyu. This ritual tirta amerta is to make those who drink can live is done as a sign of gratitude as well as a request eternally. Tirta amerta can cure diseases, bring to God to make the water continue to flow. miracles, give prosperity, improve rank and career, prevent bad luck, provide youthfulness, and offer Besides the visitors who come to do pilgrimages beauty. Someone who wants to get all the things and worship, there are many visitors who come above must perform several rituals such as medi- for sightseeing, doing research, sports, photo tating and taking a bath (kungkum, slulup, raup, shoots, study tours, or just looking around. In re- etc) conforming to the efforts of the Gods to stir cent years, arts and cultural activities have been Samudera Mantana to get amerta water (in the held in the area of Candi Sumberawan such as story of Tirta amerta). traditional dance, cultural festivals, and other art performances. According to the informants, Telaga Sumberawan (Sumberawan Lake) has been used as a place It is known that economic activity began to grow of ritual long before the temple was built. In the in Candi Sumberawan. This activity can have a book of Negarakertagama, the name Sumberawan positive impact on increasing the income of local is known as Kasurangganan (paradise garden of communities but can be a threat to the conserva- angels). In Negarakertagama, it is written that the tion activities of historic buildings. Therefore, the King of Majapahit, Hayam Wuruk, visited the place aim of this study is to formulate the significance of on his pilgrimage in the 14th century. In the story, Candi Sumberawan for the increasingly urbanized there is no mention of a temple; there is only a society who have different cultural backgrounds place called as Kasurangganan. Experts believed and beliefs. that Kasurangganan is a term for Sumberawan Lake (Suwardono, 2003) Figure 1 30 JCCS-a 12/2019 Die Bedeutung des Kulturerbes verstehen: Candi Sumberawan im Kontext der urbanen Kultur TITISARI et al. The strong belief of the people of Tirta Amerta b) Individual or group ritual Sumberawan makes them name the local village as Toyomerto Village. This belief cannot be separated This ritual is carried out at certain times such as from Mt. Arjuno that is one of the holy mountains Friday night, Friday, Suro month, or on certain in East Java. According to the Tantu Panggelaran, dates according to the day and day of birth. This Mt. Arjuno is part of Mt. Mahameru that is stretched ritual is done by praying or meditating near the out throughout Java Island because Semar moved stone ruins at the top of the stupa. The top of the Mahameru from India (Jambudwipa) to Java stupa is believed to be the most sacred part of the (Yawadwipa) (Marsudi, 2017). The water that temple. comes out of the holy mountain automatically becomes holy. Some informants found that the Candi Sumberawan is damaged at its peak. function of the temple is to transform the moun- Archaeologists have not found the authentic data tain water to become equivalent with Amerta water. to restore this problem. The ruins of the top of the While on the other hand, other informants said that stupa are arranged at the north of the temple. The this water source is already equivalent with Amerta pilgrims put incense and flowers on the stones and water so that there is no need to transform again. pray to face the temple. The temple is merely functioned as a religious sym- bolic element.