Village of Stone-carving Tamanagung, Muntilan

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A. Overview

Tamanagung is one of stone-carving centers quite renowned in Magelang Regency, Central Java. In four out of sixteen hamlets in the village, the majority of residents work as a stone carver. The four hamlets are Ngawisan, Ngadiretno, Tejowarno, and Prumpung with the latest being the first to trigger the stone-carving activities in Tamanagung. Since a long time ago, the people have been known as adept stone-carvers with andesite as the main materials. Such kind of volcanic rock is abundant here for it is located near Merapi Volcano.

People say that the materials for Borobudur restoration were taken from the slope of Merapi. Back then, Prumpung was used for a transit for the materials before taken to Borobudur. It was indeed a strategic place being right in the middle of Merapi slope and the temple. In 1930, three stone-carvers from Prumpung were employed by Theodoor Van Erp to renovate Borobudur. One of then was Salim Djajapawiro whose children were those who first developed stone-carving in Prumpung.

Doelkamid Djajaprana, better known as Djajaprana, was the son of Salim Djajapawiro who started his stone-carving business in 1953. Djajaprana got his two brothers, Ali Rahmad and Karin to make Buddha head statues with him by modeling those in Borobudur. At the beginning, they were doubtful mainly because they did not want to be considered sinners for violating Buddhist rules. But they did it anyway and finally managed to make a Buddha head. They then sold it to a merchant from Sumatra for Rp 150. After that, they decided to found Sanjaya Stone-carving Workshop in 1960.

Later on, Djajaprana and brothers only made Buddha head statue. But after he got financial support from General Gatot Subroto, his business started to develop and produced new model of stonework, i.e. gate model. Following the success, people around the village began to come to Djajaprana to learn stone-carving. Prumpung was getting more populated with carvers and its name was changed into Sidoharjo, which means “to become crowded”. They then started to create new models, such as temple miniature, Buddha full-body statue, gupala statue, ganesh statue, Vishnu and Shiva statue, mortar, pestle, stone table and chair, lantern, basin, ancient-model gate, etc.

In the 1970s, a Balinese carver, I Nyoman Alim Musthapa, who married a woman from Sidoharjo, came to the village and brought in a new creation with Balinese classic style. With his new creation, I Nyoman could make way to modern market. He created decoration for Sheraton Solo Hotel, Sheraton Surabaya Hotel, Senggigi Hotel, Bali Imperial Hotel, and many others. Subsequently, works from Sidoharjo started to spread out to different cities like Yogyakarta, Bandung, Jakarta, Semarang, and even to Holland, Austria, Japan, Hongkong, United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Chile, Germany, and so on.

The favorite of foreign buyers are the statues of Buddha, Devi Sri, and Devi Tara, while domestic buyers prefer classic statues or the new ones, such as the lantern. The prices of the stonework vary, depending on the sellers and the kind, size, and quality of the work itself. It ranges from tens of thousand rupiahs to hundreds of million rupiahs.

B. Features

Tamanagung Village is one of tourists’ favorite village resorts in the area, either domestic or foreign. In the village, there are hundreds of stone-carving workshops that produce stonework in various kinds, shapes, and sizes made of limestone, granites, or volcanic rock. Not only can tourists see the stonework, they can also order some of them. The design is often discussed by the carver and buyer before being processed.

The stonecarver can make statues starting from 50 cm high to tens of meters. They often receive orders of making miniatures of historical constructions in different countries like Cambodia’s Angkor Watt, Myanmar’s Dagong Shwe Pagoda, and Tibet’s Potala Palace. Moreover, they can also make stonework for both interior and exterior decoration of hotels, offices, monasteries, or temples.

Tourists can watch the making process of the stonework. The carvers use a variety of techniques, often a distinguished one. To make their works look old, they usually apply tea, turmeric, gambier, and clay to them. But some of the carvers also add battery acid to the compound to enlarge the stone pores. After smearing the compound to all over a statue, they would then burn the statue using firewood. Another unique technique is by burying a statue over a year after smearing it with the compound.

C. Location

Tamanagung lies in Muntilan District, Magelang Regency, Central Java.

D. Access

Village of Stonecarving Tamanagung is about 29 km north of Yogyakarta, 12 km from Borobudur, or 125 km to the south of Semarang. Visitors could use either public or private transportation. From Yogyakarta, you can take a bus heading for Semarang at Giwangan Bus Station or Jombor Bus Station.

E. Ticket

Tamanagung does not apply admission charge for visitors.

F. Accommodations and Other Facilities

The village is located near Borobudur Temple. Hotels, restaurants, and souvenirs shops will be easy to find.

Text: Samsuni
Photo(s): Collections of Jogjatrip.com
Translation: Reza Daffi
(Primary data and various sources)

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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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