History, Heritage, Glory & Destruction
Kalinga Kingdom – The kingdom in Indonesia with a Hindu-Buddhist pattern and developed rapidly in the 16th to 17th centuries on the north coast of Central Java.
Historians estimate that the center of the kingdom which is also known as Ho-Iing These are located in the Pekalongan and Jepara areas.
Most of the people during this kingdom were Buddhists and Hindus. Only a few adhere to the beliefs of their ancestors.
All kingdoms that experienced success during the leadership Empress Shima it uses Sanskrit and Old Malay as the everyday language.
In the history of the Kalingga Kingdom, the king, legacy and heyday of Queen Maharani Shima is known as a leader who is very obedient to royal regulations and is very firm.
Maharani Shima himself ruled from 674 to 732 AD. Initially, the existence of the Ho-Ing kingdom was informed by a priest and explorer named I-Tsing.
King Ho-Ig himself lived in a storied building with a palm-leaf roof and a throne made of ivory.
Some of the residents of the kingdom were good at making liquor and had several commodities that were often offered, such as silver, gold, elephant ivory, rhino horn and turtle skin.
Relics of the Kalinga Kingdom
As one of the major kingdoms in Indonesia where most of the population are Hindus and Buddhists, the Kalingga Kingdom has historical heritage with the religious style of its adherents.
Moreover, starting in the 7th century, which was during the reign of Queen Shima, the Ho-Iing kingdom had become the center of Hinayana Buddhist culture.
The Kalingga Kingdom also has relics in the form of inscriptions, temples and historical sites, including the following.
Inscription
Relics in the form of inscriptions there are two pieces found on the northern coast of the island of Java and are believed to be the original Kalingga heritage.
The inscription implies evidence that in ancient times it was true that there was a great kingdom that stood on the northern coast of Java, namely the Kalingga Kingdom.
1. Tukmas Inscription
This inscription was found on the western slope of Mount Merapi, precisely in Dakawu Hamlet, Lebak Village, Grabak District, Magelang, Central Java.
The heritage of the Kalingga Kingdom is written in Sanskrit and uses Pallawa letters.
The script used is younger when compared to the script used during the Purnawarman period.
The inscription carved on a large natural stone located adjacent to a spring around the 7th century AD.
In this Tukmas inscription there are no images of a trident, endi, chakra, axe, kalangsangka and lotus flowers which are symbols of the relationship between humans and the Hindu gods.
2. Sojomerto Inscription
This second inscription was found in Sojomerto village, Reban district, Batang district, Central Java. In this inscription found the type of Kawi script with Old Malay language and dating from the 7th century AD.
The size of the Sojomerto inscription is also quite large, which is made on andesite stone as high as 78 cm with a length of 43 cm and a thickness of 7 cm. The writings listed consist of up to 11 lines, with some of the lines damaged by age.
The contents of this Sojomerto inscription are Siwais religious which includes the family of the main character, namely Dapunta. Like his mother whose name is Bhadrawati, his father’s name is Santanu and his wife’s name is Sampula.
The main character Dapunta Salendra is the forerunner of the kings of the Syailendra swan descent who once ruled the Hindu Mataram kingdom.
The discovery of these two inscriptions is strong evidence that in the northern coastal area of Central Java, it used to be the center of the founding of the Kalingga Kingdom, a Hindu Shivaist-style kingdom led by Queen Shima.
The figure of the queen who is so disciplined and upholds all the rules that apply in the Kingdom.
Temples and Historic Sites
This kingdom with a Hindu-Buddhist background has other relics that are still preserved today. One of them is in the form of temples and various other historical sites.
These temples and historical sites are both found in the area of the peak of Mount Muria. All the temples and sites are spread over almost the entire top of the mountain. Here are some relics to be aware of.
1. Wind Temple
Candi Angin is a historic building found in Tempur Village, Keling District, Jepara Regency, Central Java.
2. Bubrah Temple
Bubrah Temple is a historic building which is also found in Tempur Village, Keling District, Jepara Regency, Central Java.
3. Sanga Likur Peak Site
Another Kalingga Kingdom heritage site is located on the top of Mount Muria, adjacent to the Keling sub-district.
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In this area, you can find four stone statues commonly known as the statues of Vishnu, Togog, Narada, and Batara Guru.
Until now, no one has been able to explain how to transport the statue to the top of the mountain, given the difficult terrain.
In addition to the four types of statues, the Yogyakarta Archeology style also managed to find the Rahtawun Inscription.
Here you can also see 6 places of worship spread from the bottom to the top of the mountain.
The six places of worship are named after wayang figures such as Bambang Sakri, Abiyoso, Onggrig Saloko, Seuktrem, Pandu Devono and Kamunoyoso.
The heyday of the Kalinga Kingdom
The kingdom, which is also often referred to as Ho-Ing, experienced a golden age during its leadership Queen Shima known for his discipline.
This made other kingdoms in the country feel ashamed, respectful and amazed at the same time curious about Queen Shima’s leadership.
At this time, the development of all kinds of culture is also very rapid, including the development of Buddhism which runs in harmony and is very harmonious.
This situation is why Queen Shima’s territory is called IN Hyang which means the place where the two beliefs of Buddhism and Hinduism unite.
In the agricultural sector, Queen Shima adopted a system from her brother-in-law’s kingdom called subak.
From this new culture, the term Tanibala was born, which is a group of people who make a living by farming (farming).
Being a Hindu-style kingdom in Central Java, the Kalingga Kingdom has very close ties to the Galuh kingdom.
This discipline and obedience attitude of Queen Shima succeeded in bringing progress and glory to Kalingga.
This condition makes the Kalingga people so prosperous and prosperous, because the Queen is very concerned about the economic development of the people.
The real proof that Queen Shima always develops the economy of her people is the construction of an irrigation and agriculture system for her people.
The Time of Destruction of the Kalinga Kingdom
After a long time of experiencing such rapid development, the Kalingga Kingdom finally experienced a setback. The kingdom experienced a setback since there was a trade competition with the Srivijaya kingdom.
Read also : Relics of the Srivijaya Kingdom
Where the Srivijaya Kingdom wanted to control all trade networks on the north coast of Java.
The attack from the Srivijaya Kingdom resulted in the Kijen government moving to eastern Java in 742-755 AD The Kijen government moved along with Tarumanegara and Malay who had also been conquered by the Sriwijaya Kingdom.
These three kingdoms were strong rivals during the trading era of the Srivijaya-Buddhist Kingdom.
After moving from one place to another, the Kalingga Kingdom experienced a setback considering that the sector that brought it to success had been controlled by another party. Of course, this is a burden for Kijen’s leadership.
From the history of the Kalingga Kingdom, the king, the legacy and the heyday above, it can be learned how good the reign of Queen Shima was who always held fast to discipline for the progress and development of her kingdom. As a result, it is the small community who get the good impact.
In addition, in the practice of life today, the history of the Kalingga Kingdom, kings, relics and the heyday of opening up to competition from the outside world is also very necessary so as not to be crushed by other parties who continue to update their knowledge and supplies in order to dominate the sector they are after.
