The Mataram Royal Graveyard Complex in Imogiri

A. Overview

The royal graveyard is situated at the top of Imogiri hill, Bantul, Yogyakarta. It stands up there as if to affirm high social and political status of the people rested in there. Indeed, the complex, that has ± 409 steps to the top, was a royal graveyard of Islamic Mataram Kingdom. For the Javanese, mountains or hills are symbols of a higher status as well as a closer position to the God Almighty.

The hill is also known as Pajimatan Wijirejo and there is an interesting story behind the construction of the graveyard. According to folklore, when Sultan Agung Hanyakrakusuma was seeking for a land to build a royal graveyard, he threw a handful of sand from Arab to the air. The sand landed at Imogiri hill, and so it was chosen as the place. In 1632, Sultan Agung appointed an architect, Kyai Tumenggung Tjitrokoesomo, to commence the construction. Thirteen years later, in 1645, the graveyard turned out to be the resting place of Sultan Agung himself.

Sultan Agung is known as the greatest ruler of Islamic Mataram Kingdom. He was the third king, succeeding Panembahan Senopati and Panembahan Seda Krapyak. Sultan Agung made his name after conquering almost all the lands in Java. He is also best known for his courageous attacks on VOC’s headquarter in Batavia in 1682 and 1629 even though he failed. The failed attacks brought about a mysterious story of a traitor that was also buried in Imogiri graveyard complex. He was Tumenggung Endranata, a Mataram kingdom official that gave away the Sultan’s attacking plans to the Dutch.

The treachery resulted in the Dutch army burning down Mataram’s rice barns intended to supply food for their expedition to Batavia, making it easy for the Dutch to hit them. Knowing that Tumenggung Endranata was the traitor, Sultan Agung sentenced him to death. He was beheaded and the body was buried in one of the steps leading to the gate of the graveyard. Pilgrims would notice a step made of a long block of stone when going up—that is the grave of the traitor. The stone step was dented as countless people have stomped on it. The monument was used as a warning for Sultan Agung’s men not to betray him.

B. Features

Visiting the royal graveyard complex, tourists will feel a supernatural atmosphere right after entering the site. And indeed, most Javanese sanctify the place. There will be scent of flowers and myrrh everywhere because the custodians always put some special kind of offerings near the kings’ tombs. Moreover, according to a custodian, Sultan Agung’s tomb is always redolent since as a human, he is considered as having reached the stage of waliyullah (God’s representative).

Beside Sultan Agung’s grave, there are 23 kings of the Sultan’s descents buried here, either from Surakarta Sunanate¹ or Yogyakarta Sultanate. The kings’ graveyard is divided into eight sections, named Kasultanan Agungan (the graves of Sultan Agung, his wife, Hamangkurat Amral, and Hamangkurat Mas); Paku Buwanan (the graves of Paku Buwono I, Hamangkurat Jawi, and Paku Buwono II); Kasuwargan Yogyakarta (the graves of Hamengku Buwono I and Hamengku Buwono III); Besiaran Yogyakarta (the graves of Hamengku Buwono IV, Hamengku Buwono V, and Hamengku Buwono VI); Saptorenggo Yogyakarta (Hamengku Buwono VII, Hamengku Buwono VIII, and Hamengku Buwono IX); Kasuwargan Surakarta (the graves of Paku Buwono VI, Paku Buwono VII, Paku Buwono VIII, and Paku Buwono IX); and Girimulya Surakarta (the graves of Paku Buwono X, Paku Buwono XI, and Paku Buwono XII).

On the whole, the complex is triangular with its upper part being the grave of Sultan Agung. On the east side, there are the graves of kings of Yogyakarta Sultanate while on the west there are those of kings of Surakarta Sunanate. The separation of the graves was subsequent to the Mataram Kingdom breakup that was caused by the resistance of Pangeran Mangkubumi (Hamengku Buwono I) to his elder brother, Paku Buwono II. The conflict added up into Giyanti Treaty (1755) that split Islamic Mataram Kingdom into two monarchs, Surakarta Sunanate and Yogyakarta Sultanate.

Because it is sacred, people can only enter the site after fulfilling the requirements. There are some particular things a pilgrim should comply with. Wearing any footwear, putting on jewelries (especially gold), bringing in camera are forbidden. Aside from these, the person must wear Javanese traditional clothes. A male pilgrim must wear a blangkon, a beskap, a particular cloth, a belt, a timang, and a samir while the female must put on a kemben and a particular long cloth. Visitors should behave politely. Moreover, hunting, cutting down a tree, taking a rod home, and pulling out or destroying the plants are forbidden.

In addition to making pilgrimage, tourists can also see four large barrels (padhasan) that are gifts from associating kingdoms to Sultan Agung. The barrels are called Nyai Siyem (from Siam), Kyai Mendung (from Rum/Turkey), Kyai Danumaya (from Aceh), and Nyai Danumurti (from Palembang). Water from the barrels is believed to have some kind of power that could give health and success. It is for these purposes that many pilgrims drink the water on the spot or take it home.

If you want to visit the site at night, you should come on Thursday night before Friday Kliwon (the name of one of the days in Javanese calendar, considered as the best time for rituals) or on Tuesday Kliwon. On the particular nights, there are even more pilgrims come there to do rituals around the graveyard, especially on midnight. The pilgrims are asking for various purposes, such as luck, success in career, or certain paranormal power.

C. Location

The Imogiri Royal Graveyard Complex is situated in Dusun Pajimatan, Desa Girirejo, Kecamatan Imogiri, Bantul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The graveyard is open for public in some certain days as follows:

- Sunday (10 a.m. – 1 p.m. West Indonesian Time)

- Monday (10 a.m. – 1 p.m. West Indonesian Time)

- Friday (10 a.m. – 1 p.m. West Indonesian Time)

- On 1st and 8th of Shawwal month (10 a.m. – 1 p.m. West Indonesian Time)

- On 10th of Besar/Dhu al-Hijjah (10 a.m. – 1 p.m. West Indonesian Time)

On other days, people can also visit the graveyard but cannot enter the royal graves. Pilgrims can only get in the area if they have permission from Keraton Yogyakarta, Keraton Surakarta, or the head of custodians.

D. Access

To reach the complex, you can use private vehicles as well as public transportation (bus and taxi are available) to go to the south of Yogyakarta City. By bus, you can use buses operating on Yogyakarta-Panggang or Yogyakarta-Petoyan routes from Giwangan Station, Yogyakarta at a rate of Rp. 5000,-. After taking 20 minutes (+ 20 km), you will arrive at Imogiri Station, Bantul. Then you can walk 250 meters to the first of the steps heading to the graves. Using an ojek (motorcycle taxi) to get there, you will have to pay between Rp. 3.000 –Rp. 5.000 (rates by October 2008).

E. Ticket Rate

The graveyard complex does not apply ticketing system. Each visitor only have to fill the guestbook (to register) and give voluntary donation to the custodians. Such donation also applies when you want to get sacred water from the barrels. Likewise, in front of the mosque right below the first step, you will have to give some money for collection for the mosque maintenance.

F. Accommodation and Other Facilities

Guides are available in Imogiri Bus Station or around the mosque. The guides will tell you about the history of the graves and the kings. There are also three small books (copies) containing information about the history of Mataram Kings Graveyard in Imogiri, the architectural schemes of the graveyard, and also the history of Mataram Kings Graveyard in Kotagede. The books are offered in one package for Rp. 3.000,- (by October 2008).

For the visitors who are to enter the graves of the kings, the custodians rent out Javanese traditional clothes. One suit of clothes is rented for Rp. 5.000,-. In case you want to take home the sacred barrel water, there are also available bottles for Rp. 1.000 per bottle of 1,5 liter volume (by October 2008). Furthermore, the graveyard complex is equipped with some facilities, such as a mosque, places for Islamic washing rite and toilet. There is also a hall for resting place.

Around the site, there are taverns providing various kinds of foods and beverages such as wedang uwoh, jadah, tempe, tahu bacem, and also steamed banana. For gifts for those at home, wedang uwoh is recommended and offered in ready-to-use packages sold at Rp. 1.000,- each (by October 2008). Wedang uwoh is known as having power to bring back stamina, warm the body, and protect the body from cold—it is good to drink after exhausting walks up and down the graveyard steps.

 

[1] Translator’s note: “Sunanate” is translated from the Javanese word “Kasunanan” which is a kingdom equivalent to a Sultanate. As Mataram Kingdom split into two monarchs, Yogyakarta adopts the name “Kasultanan” (Sultanate) and Surakarta uses the name “Kasunanan”.

Text: Lukman Solihin
Photo(s): Collection of Jogjatrip.com
Translation: Reza Daffi
(Primary data and various sources)

If you are from outside Yogyakarta and want to visit this place by travel agency services,
please contact:

Maharatu Tour and Travel

Jl. Sisingamangaraja No. 27 Yogyakarta.
Telp. +62 274 8373005. Fax. +62 274 379250
Email : maharatu@maharatu.com -maharatu257@yahoo.com
Website : www.maharatu.com

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