Malang Favorites

Favorite thing: Many literary works have been written by Javanese authors. These include Ken Arok and Ken Dedes, the story of the orphan who usurped his King and married the Queen of the ancient Javanese kingdom. My favourite legend of East-Java! Of whom I enjoyed the painting, seen at Singosari.

Traditionally this unprecedented feat was prompted by forbidden love; one day, so the story goes, the young Ken Arok met Ratu Tunggul Ametung's (1222 A.D. - 1292 A.D.) wife Ken Dedes, who happened to be the regency's Beauty Queen, at the sight of whose legs he vowed to blast anyone and anything in his way to make her his.

Fondest memory: The famous Queen Ken Dedes has been regarded as the ancestress of the East-Java people. And it was at this time that the exceptional personality of a guy named Ken Arok, suddenly entered into the area neighboring the Singasari kingdom. It turned out later that he was not Javanese. Ken Arok was interested in contacting powerful wizards and seers. He traveled with Empu Gandring a Hindu-wizard who taught him all sorts of crafts (black arts, witchcraft). On Ken Arok's orders Ratu Tunggul Ametung was assassinated with a "Kris" (the mystic blade of Indonesia) provided by wizard Empu Gandring, and given to the assassin. The assassin was then immediately put to death by Ken Arok, who then took Ken Dedes as his wife and ascended onto the throne becoming Ratu of Singasari. This then was the beginning of the most famous empire ever in East Java the Majapahit. Including beauty, the "kris" legend and ... morder!

Ken Dedes

Favorite thing: Proud to represent my upmost dearest aunt Arsia and her great son Imam. Their home is on the slope of the Gunung Arjuna close to Batu - Malang. When resting at the back-yard you may enjoy the view at Selecta, a small peaceful mountain village and, also nestled on the side of Gunung Arjuna. Watch the painting ... huge waves of the Indian Ocean!

Fondest memory: Because of its high, bracing climate my family choose to build their home on the slopes of Gunung Arjuna. They live in Puger, East java, too. No need to tell my best memory when away from Batu - Malang ...

Favorite thing: Whenever I visit Java (and I always include Java travelling to Indonesia), I am looking forward to do the Jatim-tour (Java Timor = East Java). Meeting my family is one of the upmost nicest part of Indonesia trips ...

Mostly we start our visit in Jakarta, Pelabuhan Ratu and, travelling to the East of Java we go up for Batu - Malang. There is a lot to do, to see and to hike.

Fondest memory: Once a taxi-driver told me about the legendary Spirit-queen of the Indian Ocean. He knew a man who had stayed for 3 days and nights beneath water surface of the ocean within the Palace of the Queen ...

I asked the man if he believed the remarkable story and, he wisely responded that these kind of tellings will "keep alive the myth of the Javanese Goddess Ratu Kidul".

I love this kind of thinking ...
miss you already Batu - Malang - Jatim!

Favorite thing: All of my VT Pages seem to link with the very South and the magic of it. Also Pulau Sempu, South East-Java, which you can reach from Sendang Biru Village (for Sendangbiru take a minibus to Sumbermanjing Wetan from Gadang station in Malang, from Sumbermanjing, motor-cyclists will bring you to Sendangbiru). Permits are available from the PHPA office on the beach in Sendangbiru.

SENDANGBIRU

Fondest memory: Make a boat-trip for about 20$ around the Island of Sempu. For sure you will enjoy this stunning prahu-trip to area's where not that many tourist have been! Friendly people, decorative sailing-boats, terrific legends, sailing along the South-coast Java in a true prahu/sailing-boat... thanks!

PULAU SEMPU

Favorite thing: This is the famous Prajnaparamita statue, known as the Goddess Of Transcendent Wisdom. All over the world people have considered this statue as one of the most beautiful expressions of Javanese art. The statue got well-known in 1818, when the Dutch D. Monnereau pointed at the statue named by the Javanese Putri Dedes (Princess Dedes), the first Queen of Singosari. About 1844 the statue got transported to Holland, Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, Leiden.

Fondest memory: Januar 1978 the statue got returned to Indonesia by the Dutch (after Prajnaparamita drew up in duplicate) and put in the Museum National, Jakarta. Nobody knows the exact stories about Putri Ken Dedes and, we only can read some out of the Chronicle Pararaton by "The myth of Ken Angrok and Putri Ken Dedes". I've enjoyed the Prajnaparamita Statue in Amsterdam and, happy holidays in Batu - Malang always get invigorated by the idea this beautiful lady belongs to these area's ...

thanks to Lady Prajnaparamita!

Favorite thing: Apple tree in Indonesia (especially in Malang) began to be known about the year 1908 before Indonesia proclaimed the independence. The Ducth was the first people who broughtit, and rearched good areas for apple growing. Batu is one of them, and above all it is the most suitable. The first apple variety grown in Batu was Rome Beauty.
About 1969, after Indonesia got its independence, the "Banaran Garden Institution" found a new apple variety,namely Manalagi Apple. The man who found it is Mr. Surahmat Kusumo, a senior fruittracker from "Balai Penelitian Hortikultura Pasar Minggu" (Horticultural Research Institution Pasar Minggu) Jakarta. This new variety was from Gandon village, because this variety was not found in Holand and other parts of the world; so this variety was finally considered as an Indonesian Apple. And, because of its nice taste, this apple is called "Manalagi" (Javanese, means: give me more)

Specification:
· Manalagi Apple = ( Makus SylvesTriss Mill)
· Colour
- :Skin. = whitish green or greenish white
- Meat = white
· Taste: sweet and gives good & nice smell.

Favorite thing: This Salaca, a special kind of tropical fruit produced at the village of SUWARU for the first time, and then popularized around the village, now has been well-known all over Indonesia.
We can find this fruit not only in Malang, but also in Surabaya, Mojokerto, Kediri, Jember, Gresik, Banyuwangi, and many other cities in East Java.
This fruit has a special taste, good aroma and very nice. The location of Agribusiness "SALAKA" Group is at Suwaru village, belonging to Gondanglegi Sub District (+ 25 kms away to the south of Malang). Phone. (0341) 879451.

The qualification
- AA Class 10 to 12 fruits / kg
- AB Class 13 to 15 fruits / kg
- C Class 16 to 20 fruits / kg.