This article is written to express our gratitude to Ms. Ratih Kumala, the author of Gadis Kretek who had included Pesarean Gunung Kawi in her writing as a plot device. The book itself was first published in 2012 and has since been translated into English, Egyptian, and German. 10 years after its release, the book has now made its way to the silver screen, launching at this year’s Busan International Film Festival (4-13 October 2023), and on Netflix this coming November. The story follows a family who owns a cigarette company, where the sons are looking for a mysterious woman from their father’s past. Pesarean Gunung Kawi has been known since the early 1900s and has been a popular place for pilgrims who are looking for motivation and ideas to start their business during the nation’s infancy. This is the part that has been highlighted by Ms Ratih Kumala in her book, Gadis Kretek.
Pesarean Gunung Kawi was featured during the rising action of the narrative, where the protagonist was advised to visit the area to get clarity by doing tirakat, an activity not unlike meditation. Many aspects of this part of the book surprised us. Not only did the author describe the area in detail, but she also included an accurate experience of what it might feel like when a person first visited Pesarean Gunung Kawi. During the period of the book’s settings, it was common for pilgrims to stay for days and rent a room in the nearby villages while they explored their purpose, found their inner peace, and came to their enlightenment. The depth of emotions that the protagonist experiences, from his skepticism to his acknowledgment of the way that tirakat works is refreshing to read for us who know Pesarean Gunung Kawi like the back of our hands.
Ms. Ratih Kumala’s version of Pesarean Gunung Kawi can be considered as one in a million since more often than not, Pesarean Gunung Kawi is depicted as a mystical and scary place to be. While everyone may have a different experience while visiting the area, the core of the place never budged in the 150+ years that it has existed. It is a place people visit to gain a spiritual experience, by reflecting on themselves with the facilities that the place has provided for them. For this, we would like to once again thank Ms. Ratih Kumala for including a piece of local history in her narrative, and we wish her all the best in life. If you are curious about the rest of the story, Gadis Kretek by Ms. Ratih Kumala is available to purchase and read, and if you want to know more about Pesarean Gunung Kawi, visit and contact us through our social media! We hope to see you soon in Pesarean Gunung Kawi, striving towards a better future and finding your peace.
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