A mong the traditional literature relating to the Wali Songo the name of Sunan Giri is especially prominent. Furthermore, his names are many, among them Raden Paku, Sultan Abdul Fakih, Maulana ‘Ainul Yaqin, as well as Joko Samudra. This last name is connected with the semi- legendary account of his early years.
The story goes that he was born from the marriage of a Muslim scholar named Maulana Ishak with a princess of the East Javanese kingdom of Blambangan. Forced to abandon the child shortly after his birth, his mother set him adrift on the ocean from where he was rescued by sailors and brought to Gresik. Here he was adopted by a woman named Nyai Gede Pinatih, who was a ship owner and the sailors’ employer.
She subsequently named the young boy Joko Samudra, ‘Samudra’ meaning ocean. When he was old enough, Joko Samudra was taken by his mother to Surabaya, where he began receiving religious instructions from Sunan Ampel. It was not long before the teacher discovered the boy’s true identity and thus, when he considered that the student had learned enough, sent him, together with his own son Makhdum Ibrahim (later to be known as Sunan Bonang), to broaden his education further afield. It is said that the two travelled to Aceh, or possibly Malacca, where they were received by Maulana lshak. Here, Joko Samudra, or Raden Paku as he was known by now, learned of his real parents and the story of his abandonment. After three years of study with his father, Raden Paku returned to Gresik, where he founded a religious institution on the hill at Giri.
sources : www.eastjava.com
July 28th, 2006
If Maulana Malik Ibrahim community in Java, then Sunan Ampel of Surabaya is recognized as the figure who cultivated and consolidated the influence of his predecessor. Tradition has it that Sunan Ampel was a kind of ‘older brother’, to whom the other walls went for guidance. Indeed, two members of the Wali Songo, Sunan Bonang and Sunan Drajat, were his own sons. It is said further that Sunan Ampel was the spiritual force behind the founding of Java’s first Islamic kingdom in Demak. As to the origins of Sunan Ampel, it is believed that his father Syekh Maulana Ibrahim Asmorokondi,who came from the Middle East or somewhere in Central Asia, married a princess of Campa, from where the young Raden Rachmad (Sunan Ampel) arrived in Java early in the 15th century. He died in A.D. 1479 and was buried at Ngampeldenta, Surabaya.
July 28th, 2006
Maulana Malik Ibrahim, also known as Syekh Maghribi, is generally considered to be the ‘father’of the Wali Songo. Little is known about his origins, although it has. been suggested that he came either from Persia, Turkey, or Northern India. A possible date for his arrival in Java is A.D. 1404. As one of Indonesia’s pioneers in the spreading of the Islamic faith, he was based in East Java and attracted converts in the region of Gresik, where he died in 822 H. (A.D. 1419). His tombstone is of particular interest, since it was not made locally but ordered and shipped to Java from Gujarat in north western India. The stone, carved from white marble and intricately inscribed with Arabic letters, is one of a very few which have found their way to Indonesia. Other examples are known to exist in Palembang and in the North Sumatran province of Aceh.
July 28th, 2006
Climbing Permit
Concerning the letter of the Director of National Park and Recreation Forest on March 5.1986 Nomor : 176/TN-1/1980 about recreation permit, an issuing of entrance permit to the park is authority of the Head of National Park/ Bureau of Nature Conservation office on location.
The condition of climbing permit requirement to Mount Semeru is as follows :
For Students
Request of a permit letter know/approved by the head master ot school
For Graduate Students
Request of a permit letter known/approved by the Dean of university
For Nature Lover
Request of a permit letter know/approved by the leader of nature Lover
For Public
Request of a permit letter know/approved by the leader of community
Request of a permit letter should contains :
a. Name and address of requester
b. Destination
c. Date and duration of climbing
d. Number of climbers including a list of name, address, gender and age
The request of a permit letter addressed to :
Bromo Tengger Sermeru National Park Office :
JI. Raden Intan No.6, PO. Box. 54, Malang.
Phone (0341) 491 828, Fax (034l) 490 885
The request of a permit letter which is addressed to the Head of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park should be received in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park office at least 1 (one) day before the date of doing climbing activ-ity. The climbing permit letter is issued by the head of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park after climbers pay entrance tickets and accident insurance.
 Helpful Hints for Day Hiking
Just getting started in the outdoors?
Even expert hikers enjoy a day hike from time to time-ranging from a few hours to a full day on mild to moderate terrain.
Dayhiking can be one of the easiest and most quickly rewarding ways for you and your family to enjoy your time in state or national parks and many other outdoor locales, especially if you follow these simple guidelines:
Acquaint yourself with the area and its trails ahead of time so you can set a reasonable timetable. Many guidebooks give time estimates for trails.
To save fuel and avoid the nuisance of shuttling cars, plan hikes that begin and end at the same parking area.
Carry more water than you think you’ll need, as much as you can comfortably carry. Fill your canteens before you leave. Backcountry water sources are unpredictable.
Carry more food than you think you will need. It’s better to take extra snacks home with you than to go hungry on the trail. Store your clothing and food in different colored sacks in your pack so you can find them easily.
Put the items you need most frequently, such as your water bottle, guidebook or jacket, at the top of your pack.
Weather on the trail can change quickly, especially in the mountains.
Layer your garments, and be prepared for severe weather.
If you are driving into remote regions, make sure your vehicle is in good running order and top off your gas tank.
Start off slow to avoid fatigue partway through your hike. Take frequent breaks.
Let the slowest member of your group set the pace. If skill levels are dramatically different, break into groups and meet at agreed-upon locations.
Practice low-impact hiking. Carry out whatever you pack in so others can enjoy the surroundings, too.
To increase your chance of seeing wildlife, choose less traveled trails and start your hike early in the morning. (When you choose less traveled trails, you also help reduce erosion on overused ones.)
Leave your itinerary with someone you trust, and check in with them when you return.
sources : www.eastjava.com
July 28th, 2006