Tangkuban perahu. ©2012 Merdeka.com/andrian salam wiyono
Bandung is the repository of age old legends and history, due to its standing as the home to one of Indonesia’s oldest civilizations
9 November 2015 21:00
Brilio.net/en - Bandung is the repository of age old legends and history, due to its standing as the home to one of Indonesias oldest civilizations. Among the places that are replete with both are some of the mountains that are part of the ranges that surround the city. According to some legend, Bandung was once a large lake that was shaped by the eruption of Mount Tangkuban Perahu thousands of years ago.
The eruption formed the mountain ranges that straddle Bandung from the south to the north. Seen from heights afar, the mountain ranges look like a giant bowl with Bandung right in the middle of it.
A traditional legend recounting this geological formation is that of Sangkuriang, a handsome youth who tried to build a dam and a boat as part of the conditions to win the hand of his beloved, Dayang Sumbi, in marriage. The legend went on to say that he managed the feat of damming the Citareum River in a night, with a little help from a jinn he enlisted. His story is closely related to that of other mountains around Bandung.
Mount Bukit Tunggul
Sangkuriang reputedly made a boat from trees growing in the east. Legend has it believe that the stumps from the logged wood later became know as Mount Bukit Tunggul. Tunggul (stump in the Sundanese language) refers to the rest of the wood that was felled and remained embedded in the ground.
Mount Burangrang
This mountain located to the West of Bandung is reputedly believed to make up the remainder of the pile of wood used in building the boat and dam. Its easy to see why, as the shape of Mount Burangrang is not conical like that of other mountains.
Mount Tangkuban Parahu
According to the story existing, Mount Tangkuban Perahu was the boat Sangkuriang wanted to use to sail on the lake with Dayang Sumbi. However, he failed in his quest and kicked the boat upside down in his rage. Since then, according to the legend, it became the mountain known as Tangkuban Perahu. A view from Bandung shows that the mountain does look like an inverted boat.
Mount Manglayang
Compared to Mount Burangrang, Tangkuban Perahu, and Bukit Tunggul, Mount Manglayang is the smallest of the mountains surrounding Bandung as it reached upt to a height of 1818 mdpl.
The legend of Sangkuriang recounts that he broke through the lake dam in Sanghyang Tikoro because he was failed to build it before the sunrise. He threw the barriers of the lake towards the East and it turned into Mount Manglayang. This mountains beautiful views make it a popular destination for nature buffs, many of whom saw it as a great place to start climbing.
