Zuarsa was visiting the megalithic site of Mount Padang in Karyamukti in Cianjur, West Java.

The trip was special, the 48-year-old said.

'€œMy last excursion to this site was in 1979, when I was a sixth grader,'€ said Zuarsa, sitting on a large stones on Mt. Padang with neighbors and former classmates reminiscing about their school days.

Zuarsa said that not much had changed, except for the decreasing foliage on the mountain, which is more appropriately called a hill, due to its height of only 900 meters.

'€œIn the past, large trees were growing around the megaliths, so that the site was darker in the morning and afternoon. Only at midday, when the sun was overhead, was this area illuminated,'€ Zuarsa said.

'€œThe site thus had a very spooky appearance. We were frequently playing on the mountain top only at noon after school. But we still had no idea about the historical aspect of the stone structures here. We only knew it was a place for rituals,'€ added Zuarsa.

The site, previously frequented by pilgrims seeking fame, fortune, and power, has been regarded as a hidden masterpiece of the archipelago'€™s ancient civilization since its '€œrediscovery'€ in 2012.

Carbon-dating test show that structure at the site could date to 14,000 BC '€” or even earlier.

The megalith, believed to be the biggest in Southeast Asia, is scattered with large stones of various sizes. Some are neatly arranged, others are in heaps.

The placement of the rocks has so far remained a mystery.

Some stones are suggestive of human intervention, which has led to the notion that Mt. Padang had a ritual function rather than a residential one.

The large number of visitors to the megalithic area and worse still, the many food and beverage seller as well as smokers, pose a threat to the preservation of the historic site.

Mt. Padang is accessible by taking the train from Paledang station, in Bogor, West Java, to Lampegan, Cianjur.

From Lampegan, travelers can proceed to the site by motorcycle taxi for Rp 30,000 (US$2.46).

Tourists can also go by bus from Jakarta to Cianjur.

Mt. Padang is around 40 kilometers from Cianjur, which can be reached by '€œtravel'€ minivans heading for Babegahan before transferring to another van or motorcycle taxi.

Those who prefer to go by private car should note that the parking lot available is a long way from the site. Visitors can walk to the location or go by motorcycle taxi for only Rp 5,000.

- Text and Images by JP/P.J. Leo

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