Ancient rain-praying ritual in Indonesia

Hindus and Tenggerese villagers climb Mount Bromo and gather at the summit during the Yadnya Kasada festival in Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia. (Source: Reuters)

For centuries, the ancient thanksgiving rituals of the Yadnya Kasada festival have been a part of life for the Tengger people of Indonesia.

These days, increasingly erratic weather makes prayer even more important for this Hindu farming community.

The Tengger people live in several villages within the Mount Bromo National Park, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes. The park is a popular tourist destination near the city of Probolinggo in East Java, about 800km south of the capital Jakarta.
The traditional rituals of the Tengger community (including the rain-praying ceremony) date back to the Majapahit Empire in the 13th century. They are performed to express their devotion and gratitude to their ancestors and gods.
To perform the rain-praying ritual, thousands of Tengger people climb the 2,329m-high Mount Bromo, carrying offerings of vegetables, fruits, goats and other livestock to the gods. At the end of the ritual, they throw the offerings into the crater of the volcano.

Through this ritual, many believers said they hope their livelihoods will improve.

Asih, a 64-year-old farmer in Ngadirejo village near Mount Bromo, like many Indonesians, said: “We pray for the land and the weather next year to be favorable, for the plants to grow healthily and for a good harvest.”

Asih said that previously, her cabbage farm could harvest three crops a year, but due to the scarcity of rain, she can now only harvest one crop.

“When there is no rain, we cannot grow another crop,” Asih said. “Once the cabbage dries up, the roots will not grow.”

Last year, about two-thirds of Indonesia, including all of Java, experienced its worst dry season since 2019 as the El Nino weather phenomenon lasted longer than usual and caused drought that damaged crops and worsened forest fires.

While meteorologists predict more rain this year, many farmers are still struggling.

Farmers in Mount Bromo rely on rain and rainwater ponds for irrigation, but drier weather has forced Irawan Karyoto, 56, to grow less profitable green onions instead of potatoes on his 2-hectare plot.

Hoping for a better harvest, both Asih and Irawan attended the Tenggerese procession and prayed at the shrine at the foot of the volcano. Asih also brought her five-year-old granddaughter.

“In response to what the Almighty has conveyed through nature, people must adapt and not forget to pray,” said Suyitno, a spiritual leader of the Tenggerese people.

Carrying offerings as they walk towards the Luhur Poten temple. (Source: Reuters)

People play a traditional musical instrument, called a ketipung, during a ceremony ahead of the Yadnya Kasada festival. (Source: Reuters)

A woman holds offerings of money, bananas and cigarettes as she prays at an altar near Mount Bromo. (Source: Reuters)

Villagers stand on the slopes of Mount Bromo volcano as they wait for offerings thrown by Tenggerese Hindus during the Yadnya Kasada festival. (Source: Reuters)