Ancient rain-praying ritual in Indonesia

Hindus and Tenggerese villagers climb Mount Bromo and gather at the summit during the Yadnya Kasada festival in Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia. (Source: Reuters)

For centuries, the ancient thanksgiving rituals of the Yadnya Kasada festival have been an integral part of the lives of the Tengger people in Indonesia.

These days, the increasingly unpredictable weather makes prayer even more important for this Hindu farming community.

The Tengger people live in numerous villages within the national park on Mount Bromo, one of Indonesia's active volcanoes. This park, a popular tourist destination, is located near the city of Probolinggo in East Java, about 800km south of the capital Jakarta.
The traditional rituals of the Tengger community (including the rain-praying ceremony) originate from the Majapahit Empire of the 13th century. They are performed to express reverence and gratitude to their ancestors and deities.
To perform the rain-making ritual, thousands of Tengger people climb to the summit of Mount Bromo, 2,329 meters high, carrying offerings such as vegetables, fruits, as well as goats and other livestock to present to the gods. At the end of the ritual, they throw the offerings into the crater.

Through this ritual, many believers say they hope their livelihoods will improve.

Asih, a 64-year-old farmer in Ngadirejo village near Mount Bromo, like many Indonesians, shared: “We pray for favorable land and weather next year, so that the crops will grow healthily and we will have a bountiful harvest.”

Asih said that in the past, her cabbage farm could yield three harvests a year, but due to scarce rainfall, she can now only harvest one crop.

Asih said, "When there's no more rain, we can't plant another crop. Once the cabbage dries up, the roots won't grow anymore."

Last year, about two-thirds of Indonesia, including all of Java, experienced its worst dry season since 2019 due to a longer-than-normal El Niño weather phenomenon, causing droughts that damaged crops and exacerbated forest fires.

While meteorologists predict more rain this year, many farmers are still struggling.

Farmers in Mount Bromo rely on rain and rainwater reservoirs for irrigation, but drier weather has forced Irawan Karyoto, 56, to plant less profitable green onions instead of potatoes on his 2-hectare plot of land.

Hoping for a more bountiful harvest season, both Asih and Irawan attended the Tenggerese procession, praying at the temple at the foot of the volcano. Asih also brought his five-year-old granddaughter along.

Suyitno, a Tenggerese spiritual leader, said: “In response to what the Almighty has conveyed through nature, people must adapt and not forget to pray.”

Bring offerings when heading towards the Luhur Poten temple. (Source: Reuters)

People play a traditional musical instrument, called a ketipung, in a ritual preceding the Yadnya Kasada festival. (Source: Reuters)

A woman holds offerings of money, bananas, and cigarettes while praying at an altar near Mount Bromo. (Source: Reuters)

Villagers stand on the slopes of Mount Bromo as they await offerings thrown down by Tenggerese Hindus during the Yadnya Kasada festival. (Source: Reuters)