A Temple in the Middle of the Lake

Some time ago, I went to the Cangkuang Temple in my mom's hometown Garut, West Java. I and several cousins ​​had to use rafts to cross the lake to the island where the temple is situated.

Cangkuang temple was first discovered on December 9, 1966 but after going through various research, suffered refurbishment in 1974 to 1976.

The story of Temple Cangkuang not be separated from the history of religion in Indonesia.

It is the story of the 17th century, where local people still adhered to Hindu religion. But there is a change in the century after a warlord of the Kingdom of Mataram called Mbah Dalem Arief Muhammad did not return to his kingdom when successfully beaten back by soldiers of the VOC in Batavia. Arief Muhammad was finally settled in the village of Cangkuang and began to spread Islam, so that the local community fully converted to Islam.

Cangkuang Temple that stood in the middle of the island is an evidence of the ancestral heritage embraces Hinduism. Inside the temple kept a statue of Lord Shiva, which have a well with a depth of seven meters below the statue. You can see the historical evidence: the existence of the tomb of Muhammad Arief Mbah Dalem right beside the temple, and some tombs of the ancient army soldiers.

In the island, near the temple, there is a village called Kampung Pulo. The village has its own uniqueness.

Within this complex of buildings which stood 7 consists of 6 houses and a mosque and a well that is used for ablution. Villagers have the customary prohibition, which is not allowed to keep four-legged animals, should not be beating the drum, and should not be building a house in addition to seven existing buildings.

The houses are inherited from generation to generation to the eldest daughter. The sons who are married have to live outside the village.

You know what, the scenery is amazing, with the court a clean and neat, which was cool by trees hundreds of years old!

Wanna go there? :D