Sendangsono, Serenity of Limestone Spring

[caption id="attachment_41700" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Gudeg.net"][/caption] In this modern age, most Indonesians still maintain strongly their religious and spiritual aspect of life. They are practicing ritual of inherited or believed religious tradition. It could be the best explanation on how many people still find pilgrimage sites attractive. For its accomodative culture to various belief systems, Yogyakarta has a strong tradition of Christianity. Its believers can easily find pilgrimage sites here. Yet, there is one pilgrimage site closely related to history of the birth of Christianity among locals. The name is Sendangsono. Sendangsono is situated on Semagung hamlet of Banjaroyo village, Kalibawang subdistrict, Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta. It lies on arid karts area to the south slope of Manoreh mountain range. One will have to drive some 45 kilometers passing either Jalan Magelang or Jalan Godean to reach it from Yogyakarta. The name Sendangsono is derived from two words in Javanese, Sendang and Sono. Sendang is a local word for fountain. Sono comes from the name of two large Pterocarpus indica trees growing nearby the fountain. [caption id="attachment_41704" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Yogyes.com"][/caption] According to locals, the fountain was an important stop for Buddhist monks taking pause on journey to south from Borobudur. It was also as a place for Kejawen, a form of Javanese asceticism, believers to meditate before accepted as a Catholic pilgrimage site. For Catholic believers in Java, Sendangsono has a special meaning as the place of birth. It was where Father Fransiscus van Lith SJ took holy water from for baptizing some 170 natives whom are the first native Catholics in Java. For this reason, Sendangsono was officially appointed as the Church's pilgrimage site in 1929. Large trees, fountain, the sound of dripping water to the river with limestone accent below enchantingfully chirping birds on top naturally create a meditative aura. Today, thicker sense of spiritual comfort radiates from its eco-architectural concept that maintain its original topography. It is YB Mangunwijaya, locally famous as Romo Mangun, a Catholic monk as well as cultural observer who designed the concept applied on Sendangsono complex. For its decent architectural concept, Sendangsono was awarded Aga Khan Awards in 1991 for the category of building for special purpose. [caption id="attachment_41707" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Yogyes.com"][/caption] Seats for prayers are made of hexagonal concrete bricks stacked uniquely in leveled rows according to the natural contour. The complex is shaped like an amphitheater with an altar in middle front part next to the cave. Right in front of them, there is a level floor for anyone who wants to pray his devotion to Mother Mary. Behind the cave exists a higher ground surface. There is a small open chapel with roof bearing the native design of Joglo. A large cross is standing nearby it on the part locally associated to Golgota hill. There is a cemetery not far from Golgota where early Catholics on the area buried their beloved people. To whoever in search of peaceful mind and soul, Sendangsono is likely one of the recommended places in Yogyakarta. Filled with plenty symbols from Christianity, Sendangsono, however, offers serenity with spiritually relieving atmosphere. Simplicity of surrounding villages will absorb all burden of life in the city. Also published here