Babad Dipanagara: Background and Textual Analysis

Babad Dipanagara is possibly the first autobiography in modern Javanese

literature. It is the account of Prince Pangeran Dipanagaro, a Javanese nobleman and
Indonesian national hero, written by himself. Prince Diponagaro is literally translated as
‘The Light of the Country’ of Yogyakarta. He is the grandson of the first Sultan of
Jogjakarta, Amangkubuwana I (Sultan Swargi) with a wife of lower rank. He is largely
brought up by his grandmother who carried the title Ratu Ateng. It was under the Ratu
Ageng's guidance that Dipanagaro first became seriously concerned with religion. He
was well acquainted with both Islamic and mystical elements. Diponagaro was denied of
his right to the throne after the death of his father, Amangkubuwana III in November
1814 as it was given to the thirteen year-old Mas Ambjah (Amangkubuwana IV), whose
mother was the Sultan's queen. However, there is enough evidence to suggest that
Diponagaro had been promised the throne if his brother died while still a minor or if he
had conducted himself improperly. Amangkubuwana IV did die as a minor but he was
not followed by Diponagaro but by his three-year-old son, under a Regency council.
Dipanagaro broke from the government of Jogjakarta three years after and started the
Java War.

With Diponagaro as its central figure, the Java War, also known as the
Diponagaro War, is the last resistance of the Javanese nobility to Dutch rule during the
period of the Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) also known as the Dutch East
India Company in the late 16th century. Diponagaro had access to the aristocracy, as a
mystic to the religious community, and as a rural dweller to the masses in the
countryside that he was able to easily mobilize the nobilities and the common people to
go against the Dutch. The direct cause of the revolt was the decision of the Dutch to
build a road that crosses a piece of Dipanagaro’s property that housed a sacred tomb
and his disappointed ambitions. The war was also due to the resentment of the
aristocrat landlords of Yogyakarta whose lease contracts to their lands where nulled by
the governor-general. The war was supported by Islamic leaders and the anticipation of
the emergence of a Just Ruler who would restore peace in the kingdom. Diponagaro
sought a Dutch-free Java. The guerrilla caused the death of about 200,000 Javanese
from fighting or from indirect causes. The uprising ended after the Dutch implemented
the “fortress sytem” wherein small troops were posted in forts scattered throughout the
territory in 1830. They arrested the Prince and exiled him at a peace conference in
North Sulawesi (Celebes) then to Makassar where he spent the last of his days.

Babad Dipanagara illustrates Dipanagara’s journey to spiritual growth. It started

with his narrative about his life onto his journey to practice severe self-discipline and
self-purification. He travelled from cave to cave towards the South Coast of Java to
encounter the greatest spiritual forces in Central Java. He journeyed through the
countryside and named himself as Sheik Ngabdurahkim, an Arabic name that reflected
his religion Islam, and went on to live as a religious mendicant who only serves God.
Dipanagara visited a number of holy sites in Java as a traditional practice for
there live malevolent and benevolent spirits whose influences can directly affect the
traveller. He travelled through mountains and coastlines and slept and meditated in
caves. These natural features render some symbolisms according to Islamic beliefs
such as the mountains of which he passes through represent the challenges and
obstacles that he faces and could face. The verse recounts the times that he submits
himself to the protection of God as he enters and sleeps in caves and become one with
Him. He also spent seven nights in Bengkung, a pond that sat atop the stairway of the
royal graves at Imagiri, possibly, as a body of water, as a ritual of purification and to rid
himself of vanity to appear as a servant of God. Water in Islam symbolizes rebirth and
spiritual awakening, life and knowledge. The number seven could also represent the
seven heavens of Islam. His descent down the staircase to the mosque at Imagiri
implies of him repenting his sins. Lastly, Imagiri, the royal burial ground or simply the
graveyard, with his purpose of asceticism, implies his reflection on the words of truth,
wisdom, knowledge, admonition and devotion.
Dipanagara experienced his first visitation in the cave of Song Kamal, which he
sought for during Ramadan where he faced a trial and was tested, when an apparition
of Sunan Kali, one of the nine walis (apostles) of Islam in Java and the agent of the
division of the kingdom during the Mataram dynasty, who revealed to Dipanagara that
he was to be the future king. Upon Sunan Kali’s disappearance, Dipanagara again went
across the countryside, distracted by his contemplation of God’s love, perplexed within
his heart and arrived at Bengkung to join them for the Friday prayer. He journeyed to
the cave of Langse, a famous cave where Ratu Kidul, the princess of all spirits of Java,
is said to appear. He was in a trance when he encountered Ratu Kidul that he could not
recall of what happened. Entering a trance meant achieving the ultimate meditative
state. Ratu Kidul promised Dipanagara to come to him when the time comes for she is
an ally to all the great rulers of Java. Her aid is also a big step of an investment in
Dipanagara’s future as king for her support is only given to kings. Dipanagara then
bathed at Parangaritis to wash away his sins and meditated against a stone in
Parangkusuma where his last visitation occurs. The Goddess of the Southern Ocean
spoke to him speaking of his change of name to Ngabdulkamit derived from the Arabic
name Abd Al-Hamid, the name of the Ottoman sultan that reigned in 1774-1789 though
the reason for the choice of name is not clear same as his former name Ngabdurahkim.
The Goddess expressed the fall of Jogjakarta through the capture of the court by the
British Indian forces under the leadership of Raffles in 1812. She determined that
Dipanagara is to be the means of God’s destruction of Java (Java War). Dipanagara
was warned decline to be made as the Crown Prince because it may be a plan to set
him up as an independent prince; it is a warning to renounce himself from court. The
Goddess also hinted that his father’s reign as the result of Jogjakarta’s fall and excile of
Hamengkubuwana III is to short-lived and thus, advised him to return home to fulfil the
prophecy of being cast as the “Just King” (Ratu Adil) who will cause a great devastation
that will lead to the restoration of the moral order in Java. Near the end of Dipanagara’s
journey, he stopped by the Setjang cave which became his main strongpoint during the
Java War.
The prophetic visions of Java’s spirits and apostle he experienced signified that
the outcome of his asceticism practice and self-purification had been his determination
by God to be the king who will purify Java. He had gained the support and blessing of
the spirits and enriched his faith and connection to God.

Sources:

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of the Java War (1825-1830): The Surakarta Court Version of the Babad Dipanagara
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