Tolerance Flowers Bloom beneath Mount Lawu

Name: Tolerance Flowers Bloom beneath Mount Lawu
Uploaded: 2023-03-23T01:30:45Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: Tolerance makes differences look like colorful flowers. This understanding is nurtured by residents at the foot of Mount Lawu. The seeds of harmony were sown a long time ago so the flowers of tolerance are blooming.

Tolerance makes differences look like colorful flowers. This understanding is nurtured by residents at the foot of Mount Lawu. The seeds of harmony were sown a long time ago so the flowers of tolerance are blooming.

NINO CITRA ANUGRAHANTO

· 5 minutes read

The rain pouring down Jlono hamlet, Kemuning village, Ngargoyoso district, Karanganyar regency, Central Java on Wednesday afternoon (22/3/2023) had just abated. Three men went out of their homes and walked around the village, which was totally quiet. There was no sound of the residents’ activity whatsoever.

The three stepped gently. They took care not to make much noise. Their eyes were focused on every house they passed by. They wanted to make sure that every door was properly locked by its houseowner.

“This is the tradition in our hamlet when Nyepi [Day of Silence] is observed. Many residents perform their worship at the local temple so they leave their houses vacant. Residents professing other faiths are keeping watch until they finish their practice of silence,” said deputy head of Neighborhood Unit (RT) 001-Neighborhood Community (RW) 015 of Jlono hamlet, Cipto, 47, who joined the patrol.

Also read:

> Nyepi, Ogoh-ogoh and Message to the World

Jlono hamlet is only within a radius of 8 kilometers from the peak of Mount Lawu. Approximately 200 residents live in this hamlet, 30-35 percent of whom embrace Hinduism while the rest are Muslim and Christian. The other believers voluntarily engaged in guarding and patrolling the neighborhood while the Hindus observed their seclusion at Jonggol Shanti Loka Temple on the fringe of the hamlet.

As it got dark, many more residents were on guard. During the day, most residents worked. In the evening, all residents switched off road lamps until the completion of the Nyepi worship. Night guard and patrol operation is important.

“This is in appreciation of fellow Hindu residents executing their silence obligation. All lamps must be turned off. Although there’s no lighting, a number of residents remain watchful, patrolling along the road. There are indeed one or two houses with their lamps on, usually because they have small children,” said Cipto.

The practice of silence this time coincided with the first Tarawih (evening prayers) for Muslims now entering the fasting month of Ramadan. The mosque management lowered the loudspeaker’s volume when carrying out the Tarawih.

The local community is accustomed to respecting differences. All residents make mutual adaptations. Interfaith cooperation has also become something normal. For instance, when Muslims celebrate Idul Fitri, Hindus keep watch as their fellow residents attend prayers. The same applies to Christians.

“It’s tolerance. We have maintained this harmony. Differences only arise while performing religious duties. Other than that, we are fellow humans in need of each other. So, it makes me wonder if in other places there are still those in dispute over religions,” said Cipto.

Also read:

> Forget the Hustle and Bustle for a While

> Nyepi and Human Complexity

Jonggol Shanti Loka Temple Manager Gimanto said the Hindu community never demanded local residents to understand those observing their silence obligation. The residents’ concern has just grown naturally. Tolerance has been prompted by the experience of coexistence for a long time. The custom of mutual guarding has also emerged naturally so that it’s the hamlet’s current tradition.

There’s also the practice of Hindus there to make friendly visits to fellow residents after observing their silence. They ask for forgiveness in case they have made any mistakes over the past year. It is like the gathering for mutual forgiveness during Idul Fitri. Therefore, it has been widely perceived that residents of the hamlet can celebrate Idul Fitri twice in one year.

“We realize that we don’t live with Hindus only. We also live with other people who are non-Hindus. We all are getting in touch and we may also make mistakes. So, we also apologize to fellow residents of other faiths,” said Gimanto when visited on Tuesday (21/3).

However, the door-to-door visits this time had to be delayed, because the completion of seclusion coincided with the first day of fasting. According to plan, the visits will be carried out on Idul Fitri holidays.

Character of diversity

Chairman of the Karya Bineka Bakti Youth Association of Jlono hamlet, Agus Suparno, said diversity had become the character of the residents in this hamlet. The awareness to recognize diverse backgrounds is cultivated in every individual. For instance, when holding Quran recitation sessions residents choose lecturers with moderate outlooks for the sake of preserving the spirit of unity.

The strong character of diversity, indicated Agus, could be noticed in his family professing different faiths. His father and mother are Hindus. Agus and his first older brother is a Muslim, while his second older brother is a Christian. The differences just strengthen the bond of kinship.

Half-jokingly he said he could celebrate Idul Fitri three times on the religious holidays of his family members.

“It’s my hope that this cohesion and harmony will always be preserved. We don’t need to care about different religions. Living in society should practice mutual assistance and be in harmony,” said Agus.

What happens in Jlono hamlet is in fact the peak of tolerance.

Contacted separately, Setara Institute Research Director Halili said the practice of diversity in Jlono hamlet should be imitated by urban communities that had lately been prone to be influenced by religious conservatism with political factors.

The strong political dimensions cause hardened identities. This condition triggers tension to the point of division amid such a pluralist society as that of Indonesia.

“What happens in Jlono hamlet is in fact the peak of tolerance. There’s the feeling of mutual need. This is what is called inclusion. They regard fellow residents as a part of them for the improvement of their life. For this reason, they maintain open association,” added Halili.

This article was translated by Aris Prawira.

Editor:

SYAHNAN RANGKUTI

tolerance nyepi the flowers of tolerance jlono hamlet kemuning village ngargoyoso district