History of Taman Sari Cave Sunyaragi
From the history and origin of the establishment of this unique artificial cave, as the description written on Wikipedia, has two versions. The first is sourced from a hereditary story conveyed by the Cirebon nobles called the Carub Kanda version. Carub Kandha said that Sunyaragi Cave is Taman Sari which was built to replace the Giri Nur Sapta Rengga Pesanggrahan whose function was changed to become the burial area of the kings of Cirebon and is now called Astana Gunung Jati.
The second version is called the Caruban Nagari version because it is taken from the Purwaka Caruban Nagari Book which was handwritten by Prince Arya Carbon or Prince Kararangen in 1720. The book explains that the Sunyaragi Cave was built in 1703 AD, during the reign of Prince Kararangen who was the great-grandson of Sunan Gunung Jati. Because this second version refers to books from the past which are more reliable, the tour guides also prefer the second version to be used as a reference. Until now, it is not known for certain what the original form of the Sunyaragi Cave will be, because there is no blueprint or blueprint image that can be used as a guide when carrying out renovations, while renovations have been carried out repeatedly.
The first repair was carried out by Sultan Adiwijaya in 1852, after 1787 Tamansari was destroyed by the Dutch because it was used as a fortress. The renovation for the first time was led by a Chinese architect named Tan Sam Cay, who was eventually killed for leaking the secrets of the cave to the Dutch. The next restoration activity that carried out was the Dutch colonial government in 1937-1938, where the entire implementation was handed over to Krisjman, an official of the Semarang Culture Service at that time. In the restoration, Krisjman changed some of the original forms of the cave with the aim of not endangering the building as a whole. The changes made have indeed strengthened the condition of the building, but on the other hand have made the condition of the building further away from the condition when it was first built.
During 1976-1984, the Directorate of Protection and Development of History and Antiquities also carried out restoration work which was followed up with a series of observation and maintenance activities on the Sunyaragi complex. In 1997 the management of this cave by the government was handed over to the Kasepuhan Palace Stakeholder. Due to the lack of maintenance costs, Sunyaragi was neglected for several years before finally being revitalized by the West Java Provincial Government in 2014 which spent a budget of Rp.2.46 billion. This revitalization activity, apart from renovating certain parts of the Sunyaragi Cave complex, also added several facilities. Some of the additional facilities such as the construction of a large parking area and giving a new touch to the front of the tourist attraction in the form of the construction of a Cultural Stage for Cirebon Arts performances.
The route to get to the location is very easy, just take a becak for approximately 20 minutes if you get off at Prujakan and Kejaksan Stations or about 10 minutes if you get off at Cirebon Bus Terminal. To be able to enjoy the uniqueness of this historical site, tourists can visit the location from 08.00 – 17.30 by paying an entrance ticket of Rp. 10,000. The HTM does not include parking fees for motorbikes of Rp. 2,000 and cars around Rp. 5,000.
If you want to use the services of a tour guide to find out about the story, genealogy of the king of Cirebon, and various information such as legends, myths, and mysteries about the cave, visitors have to spend another Rp. 40,000 to Rp. 50,000. Seeing the history of the existence of Sunyaragi Cave, the function of this cave complex from time to time is always changing, according to the will of the rulers of that era.
The purpose of establishing this cave complex is to be used as a Tamansari as well as a place for palace officials and soldiers to meditate and perform by Kanuragan. The name of the cave complex is "Sunyaragi" which comes from two words: "Sunya" and "Ragi" which means "Desolate" and "Raga". The meaning of the word and the meaning of "Sunyaragi" is a place for rest and meditation. That's why until now the atmosphere in the cave complex still seems sacred and mystical.
By visiting Sunyaragi Cave, besides being able to enjoy its beauty and uniqueness, you can also feel the mystical atmosphere that emanates from the 12 parts of the cave complex. The twelve sections are: Ward Jinem, MandePack Complex, and ten caves, namely Guard Cave, Pandekamasang, Simanyang, Tangse, Peteng, Arga Jumud, Padang Ati, Kelanggengan, Lawa Cave and Pawon Cave.
Enjoying the Uniqueness of the Cave
By entering the Sunyaragi Cave complex, anyone will be immediately stunned by the extraordinary architectural design and very character, far beyond its era. Today's creations are not necessarily able to match the features of this building. It is not wrong if many say that entering this tourist complex is like entering a fairy tale land because almost all parts of the cave are built from piles of rocks. That's why, once you enter the Sunyaragi Cave complex, prepare a camera to record every corner of the location, both in the form of photos and video images.
The beauty and uniqueness of the buildings in this tourist spot, because it combines various architectural styles, ranging from Hindu or Classical Indonesian styles to Islamic or Middle Eastern, Ancient Chinese, and European styles. Classical Hindu or Indonesian architectural styles can be found in 3 joglo buildings, namely the Pesanggrahan Building, Mande Beling, and Bale Kambang.
While the form of the gate and several statues at the location are elephants and snake statues wrapped around a human statue with the head of an eagle. All the ornaments of the buildings here, even though they are cultural syncretism from all over the world, are all influenced by the Classical Indonesian architectural style. Various flower-shaped carvings, such as lotus flowers, sunflowers, and peach blossoms show the influence of the Ancient Chinese style.
The exterior of this cave complex used to be decorated with Chinese ceramic ornaments that have long been lost, so it is not known with certainty what the pattern was. The influence of China can also be seen in the existence of Chinese graves which are not a place to bury someone. However, it is a monument that was used as a place of prayer by the guards and escorts of the Chinese Princess who was married to Sunan Gunung Jati, namely Ong Tien Nio who later changed her name to Ratu rara Sumanding. The influence of Islamic or Middle Eastern architectural styles is because the rulers of the Cirebon Palace are followers of Islam and religious leaders. The influence of Islam can be seen from the shape of the niches on the walls of the building, the existence of pawudlon or ablution places, and symbols or Qibla signs on the chapter or prayer room. In addition, the back side of the Jinem Ward looks like a Kaaba building.
The influence of European or Dutch architectural styles is not only since this building complex was founded during the Dutch colonial period, but also because it was restored by the Dutch colonial government in 1937-1938. This European style can be found in the form of the Pesanggrahan Building, the window shape of the Kaputren Building, and the rotating staircase in the Arga Jumud Cave. Apart from the overall description of the existence of the Sunyaragi Cave, several unique and special spots need special attention while at the location. One of them is Balai Kambang which was used as a place for gamelan players to welcome guests.
The building is in the form of a pavilion, formerly floating on the surface of the water and located above a pool that is about half the size of an Olympic swimming pool. To go to Balai Kambang itself, first, you have to use a rowed canoe. But now, the pool around Balai Kambang is dry, so Balai Kambang must be supported by concrete, and to get to that place, 2 bridges are built which are also made of concrete.
The use of the floating building concept at Balai Kambang which makes a building float on the surface of the water is an extraordinary architectural technology because it was made in the 17th century. Therefore, Japanese architects who carry the concept of the Green Float Project to create floating buildings in the future, seem they need to learn a lot from the architecture of the Sunyaragi Cave. Tourists who want to see a place where the Sultans are imprisoned can go to Peteng Cave. Besides being narrow, the top of this cave is rather low, forcing those who enter it to have to walk with a bow.
The philosophy of this bowed walk is respect for ancestors. He said, the Sultans of Cirebon in the past, while imprisoned, could release their souls and travel to other places, while their bodies were still left in Goa. Right in front of Peteng Cave, there is a pond and a long stone statue named "The Sunti Virgin". It is said that every woman who touches the statue is said to be kept away from her mate.
Regardless of whether the myth is true or not, the statue of the "Sunti Virgin" at the location is just a replica, because the original statue is currently stored in one of the museums in the Netherlands. Another interesting building is the Jinem Ward whose back shape resembles the Kaaba. The most magnificent building in the Sunyaragi complex used to serve as the resting place of the Sultan. In this place, the Sultan used to supervise his soldiers while they were training for war.
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