Hoards of visitors and locals crowd the path leading to the Mount Bromo crater.
Yadnya Kasada, the annual ceremony at Mount Bromo in East Java, is a sacred time for the Tengger tribe who live just below the mystical mountain.
Not only do Hindus celebrate the annual ritual, but Muslims and Christians also join in celebrations that take place on Sept. 5 and 6.
After prayers at a nearby temple, a group of Hindus march to the top of Mount Bromo to throw their offerings, comprising either crops or livestock, into the crater.
Legend has it the offerings are intended to pay respects to the sacrifice of their ancestor. According to the legend, Dewa Kusuma, the son of Rara Anteng and Jaka Seger, was offered to the spirits of Mount Bromo and in return the tribe has received protection and fertile soil.
Today, many of the offerings never reach the crater because local people catch them using sarongs, baskets or fish nets. Although dangerous, every year more and more people try their luck, and the spectacle has begun to attract domestic and foreign tourists.
- Text and photos by Indra Harsaputra/The Jakarta Post
