Ramadan welcomed with cleansing ritual at Pathok Negoro Mosque

Sat, April 25, 2020 / 01:53 pm

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A boy jumps into the pool at Pathok Negoro Mosque in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta. JP/Boy T Harjanto
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The shadow on the mosque’s outer wall shows three boys making their way to the pool. JP/Boy T Harjanto
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In the padusan ritual, people bath in the mosque’s pool as a way to welcome Ramadan with a clean heart and body. JP/Boy T Harjanto
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A boy waits for his friends by the pool. JP/Boy T Harjanto
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The reflection of Pathok Negoro Mosque’s signage in the puddle. JP/Boy T Harjanto
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. Many people take part in the padusan ritual despite warnings to restrict public gatherings amid the COVID-19 outbreak. JP/Boy T Harjanto
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The mosque provides water for wudhu (ablutions) in an earthen jug. JP/Boy T Harjanto
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A worshipper stands in front of Pathok Negoro Mosque. JP/Boy T Harjanto
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The west archway of the mosque showcases the classic architectural style of the Yogyakarta sultanate. JP/Boy T Harjanto.

Boy T Harjanto

On the first day of Ramadan, dozens of people swam and bathed in the pool of Pathok Negoro Mosque on Jl. Plosokuning in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta.

The mosque was constructed between 1757 and 1758 under the initiative of then-Yogyakarta sultan, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I.

Cleansing oneself in the pool, also known as padusan, is a long-standing ritual to welcome the Islamic holy month at the decade-old mosque.

The COVID-19 pandemic has apparently not affect this tradition, as evidenced in these photos. The mosque even holds tarawih (evening Ramadan prayers) despite the government’s suggestion of praying at home to curb the spread of the virus. [yps]