How "Mbah" Maridjan Left Signs of His Dedication

Jogja (RRI News – Jogjatmosphere) - The Merapi Mount’s spiritual gatekeeper, Mbah or grandfather Maridjan (83), did his job based on taking arising phenomena seen by his instinct referring to the custom called niteni. His belief in the danger of the volcano eruption that had never encompassed Dukuh Kinahrejo, Umbulharjo Village, Cangkringan District, Sleman, Yogyakarta, before, stated a lesson of niteni that the region in south of the mount is a defensive fortification for the local residents.

Based on the cosmology in Kingdom of Yogyakarta, this earth consists of 5 levels. The central level is occupied by human beings with the kingdom taking its center. The other four levels are occupied by spirits. The king of north settles in north of the volcano, the east one in Mount Semeru, the south one in Laut Selatan (South Sea), and the west one in Sendang Ndlephi, Mount  Menoreh. However,  apart of those thoughts, there has been a belief existing among residents living around Mount Merapi that the volcano with its components and living creatures residing around it get into a community of settlers in such a way that they guard and protect each other.

When one of them gets into an activity, the settler will "sign" it one another. Therefore the signs of eruption would also be delivered to the others including to Mbah Maridjan.  It was assumed that Mbah Maridjan had not accepted any sign yet that he thought that the volcano would not show any serious activity. Mbah Maridjan finally decided not to join evacuation efforts of temporarily abandoning the mount.

Source: rri.co.id/dd/k