Sunday, September 18, 2011

Kediri City-location of the Kediri Kingdom; a Hindu Kingdom in the 11th century.

My recent (29th-31st July, 2011) travel to Kediri City and the nearby provincial cities.


Kediri City is located near the Brantas River in the province of East Java. Geographically, Kediri City lays between 110˚ 47’ 05” – 112˚ 18’ 20” East Longitude and 7˚ 36’ 12” – 8˚ 00’ 32” South Latitude. It is bordered with Gampengrejo Sub districts in the north, Wates Sub district and Gurah in the east, Grogol Sub district in the west and Kandat Sub district in the south. The City area is about 63.40 Km2 and is 105KM from Surabaya City; which is about 3-4 hours bus ride. The city is a major trade center for the Indonesian sugar and cigarette industry. Cigarette brand Kretek is from this city.

In front of the hotel, Kediri City

Today Kediri City is well known to both domestics and foreign tourists for its beautiful tourism objects and historical value. This area is surrounded by mountain and has a lot of nature scenery which makes its air cold and fresher than elsewhere. Kerajaan Kediri (Kediri Kingdom) is one of old the oldest kingdom in Java Island. Archaeological artifact’s discovered in 2007 appeared to indicate that the region around Kediri may have been the location of the Kediri kingdom, a Hindu kingdom in the 11th century.

Kediri was a Hindu Kingdom based in East Java from 1045 to 1221. In 1045 Airlangga divided Kahuripan into two Kingdoms, Janggala (based on contemporary Malang) and Kediri, abdicates in favor of his sons to live the life of an ascetic. He died four years later. In 1068, Virarajendra, the Chola king of Coromandel, conquered Kedah from Srivijaya. The Cholas continued a series of raids and conquests throughout what is now Indonesia and Malaysia for the next 20 years. Although the Chola invasion was ultimately unsuccessful, it gravely weakened the Srivijayan hegemony and enabled the formation of regional kingdoms based, like Kediri, on agriculture rather than trade.

In front of "Monument Gumul, Simpang Lima". This is the ‘exact’ replica of L’Arch de Triomphe Paris. The main purpose of this monument was a center of activity in the city which is marked by a large building and also use for multi-function hall. This building has meeting rooms, the auditorium and decorated by the dome on the top.

Kediri collected spices from tributaries in southern Kalimantan and the Maluku Islands, known to the West as the Spice Islands or Moluccas. Indian and Southeast Asian merchants among others then transported the spices to Mediterranean and Chinese markets by way of the Spice Route that linked a chain of ports from the Indian Ocean to southern China. In 1117 Kamesvara became king of Kediri and ruled until 1130. He married a princess of Janggala and reunited the two kingdoms founded by Airlangga.

 
As usual where ever I went I'll have 2-3 ladies by my side to 'make-my-day'. Picture taken on the 31st July, 2011 with the Kediri maidens in front of Monument Simpang Lima Gumul. It is one of the newest iconic buildings in Kediri City.

In 1135 Joyoboyo acceded to the throne of Kediri and ruled until 1157. Joyoboyo's reign was a golden age of Old Javanese literature. The 'Prelambang Joyoboyo', a prophetic book ascribed to Joyoboyo, predicted that Indonesia would be ruled by a white race for a long time, then a yellow face for a short time, and then gets independent. The Joyoboyo prophecies also mention Ratu Adil, the Just Prince, a recurring figure in Javanese folklore. Many other literary works were produced, including Bharatajuddha Kakawin, a Javanese version of the Mahabarata by Mpu Sedah and his brother Mpu Panuluh. This work was published in 1157. During the reign, Ternate was a vassal state of Kediri.

Bukit Daun Hotel and Resort is the best hotel in Kediri. The resort is close to the hill of Willis Mountain, has a big swimming pool with water boom. This time I had 4 ladies in waiting.

Kediri fell in 1221 when Ken Arok, the lord of Tumapel, defeated the forces of Kediri at the Battle of Genter and founded the new kingdom of Singhasari.

1 comment:

  1. Lovely place with long history. I am very sure that the Indonesian govt is very proud of the long history and will not modify or change them like what we are doing. Compared to Indonesia, our politicians are like frogs-in-wells.

    Please send my regards to your four "anak perempuan".... hehehe!!!

    ReplyDelete