The JakartaPost, Jakarta, Archipelago, February 26 2014
The mystery
that shrouds Gunung Padang Megalithic Site seemed to attract President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, who went to one of the country’s most-talked about tourist
spots in Karyamukti village, Cianjur regency, recently.
The
President, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and their entourage arrived at the site,
which is located at an elevation of 885 meters above sea level, on Tuesday
noon, Antara news agency reported.
State
Secretary Sudi Silalahi, Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto, Coordinating
People’s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono and Cooperatives and Small and Medium
Scale Enterprises Minister Syariefuddin Hasan all joined the President and his
wife to climb hundreds of steep steps, which ascend five tiers.
The Mount
Padang Independent and Integrated Research Team (TTPMGP) has found evidence
that a structure, which dates back thousands of years, exists below the
mountain.
Disaster
and Social Relief Affairs presidential advisor Andi Arief, who facilitates
TTPMGP, said the tiers concealed a pyramid that predated the Egyptian pyramids
by more than 10,000 years.
Arief’s
statement had caused controversy among scientists. The team is still
researching the matter after local residents objected the excavation for fear
that the site would be damaged.
While at the
site, which measures 900 square meters, Yudhoyono said the research must be
completed so it could become a complete site like Borobudur.
“This is a
huge undertaking and needs to be planned, budgeted and scheduled. It needs
leadership and the right policy. We hope the task is finished soon,” Yudhoyono
said as quoted by Antara.
He added
that the law had given mandate to the West Java provincial administration to
manage the project. “But, the central government will assist,” said Yudhoyono.
“I express
my highest appreciation to the tireless researchers. Many of them don’t believe
it, some are annoyed but everyone is firm. This is a good beginning despite it
being unfinished,” said Yudhoyono.
Yudhoyono
and entourage were at the site for around three hours.
Gunung
Padang has become popular with domestic tourists in recent years.
At the
site’s information center visitors are told that the terraced site was first
recorded by Dutch researcher NJ Krom in 1914 before being rediscovered by local
farmers in 1979.
The
geological structure of the stones is columnar jointing, each stone varies in
size and is prismatic.
It is
believed the site was a place to carry out rituals and the top was considered
the most sacred part.
Before
undertaking ritual, people would clean themselves in a pond located in the
south of the site.
The West
Java provincial administration has called on the Cianjur regency administration
and the local community to help protect the megalithic site, especially from
vandalism, as well as to attract more tourists.
Locals are
very protective of the site and remind visitors not to litter or eat there.
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