Pesarean Gunung Kawi is a cultural and historical site located on the foot of Mount Kawi in East Java, Indonesia. The surrounding area is called the Wonosari Village and it is 40 KM from the city of Malang. The site itself housed a plethora of religious buildings and various forms of Javanese culture, but most importantly, it is the resting place of two local figures called Eyang Djoego and his disciple, Eyang Raden Mas Iman Soedjono (called Eyang RM Iman Soedjono henceforth). Eyang Djoego or Kyai Zakaria II was a respected religious leader and teacher in East Java, following the footsteps of his father, Kyai Zakaria I. He made a name for himself after the Diponegoro War, from which he continued his journey east, before eventually settling in an area now called the Jugo Village near Blitar, East Java.
Before Eyang Djoego passed away in 1871, he requested to his disciple, Eyang RM Iman Soedjono, that he should be buried at the foot of Mount Kawi. After the departure of his teacher, Eyang RM Iman Soedjono and some of Eyang Djoego’s other disciples decided to stay to care for their teacher’s final resting place. There are no known descendants of Eyang Djoego, and he was never officially married to anybody, deciding to devote himself to his religion and community.
Eyang RM Iman Soedjono himself came from an aristocratic family, being one of Sultan Hamengkubuwono I’s great-grandchildren. He was in Pangeran Diponegoro’s Laskar during the Diponegoro War and Eyang Djoego’s dearest disciple, being appointed as his Putra Kinasih, akin to being adopted as his son. During his time tending to Eyang Djoego’s final resting place, he also planted a variety of trees and hosted guests who came from near and afar to pay their respects to his departed teacher. One of the trees that he planted was a type of Cerme, called the Dewandaru Tree. To this day, the fruit, leaf, and twigs from this particular tree in the Pendopo Pesarean’s area are believed to be able to bring luck and riches to the person near it.
In 1876, Eyang RM Iman Soedjono was laid to rest next to his teacher, and the tradition of tending to the respected resting place is continued by his descendants and family to this day. Throughout the year, Pesarean Gunung Kawi has gone through several alterations, but the core of the place has always been kept safe and preserved with utmost care. Ever since 1871, the Pesarean has been visited by people from all over the world. Some came to pay their respects or to hear about the legends. Some are seeking peace, and others are seeking clarity. Some like yours truly, are coming home after a long year being out in the world. For the many reasons that Pesarean Gunung Kawi exists for the community, the caretaker of the place has been doing their best to accommodate the variety of visitors that Pesarean Gunung Kawi has hosted over the years.
From the addition of the mosque to the addition of the praying altars to Kwan Im (Guan Yin) and the Tie Kong, to the addition of amenities such as restaurants and hotels, there has been an upward effort to keep Pesarean Gunung Kawi as a place of comfort for everyone in the area, visitors and residents alike. Moving forward, we would like to keep this warmhearted spirit alive, as well as preserve the many cultures our ancestors have given us. Pesarean Gunung Kawi is not only the house of religious figures and its pilgrims, it is also a place where the youth learn the art of the gamelan, traditional dances, wayang, al-banjari, and many more. Each year, the community comes together to keep these traditions alive, passing on the knowledge and skills of generations past to the youth of the nation. We hope you come to visit us and find your peace at Pesarean Gunung Kawi.
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