The Mysterious Ragasemangsang Tomb stands firmly in the middle of the three intersections of Jalan Ragasemangsang, Sokanegara Village, Purwokerto, Indonesia. This tomb is located directly adjacent to the Banyumas Regent's Hall Complex. The shape is said to be similar to an ancient fort.
Even though it is in the middle of the city's road, the tomb still feels haunted. This square-shaped building measuring 2.5 x 1.5 meters looks like a small fort, with a roof tightly covered with cast.
 |
| Image credit: Liputan6 |
A 70 cm barred door with a curved roof is on the south side and vents on the west and east sides allow the public to see inside.
The roof is tightly covered by a cast that was built during the Colonial era.
 |
| Image credit: Google Map |
Residents of Purwokerto are familiar with this ancient building which is considered sacred.
 |
| Image credit: Liputan6 |
If you look inside, you will sometimes find a scattering of roses, remains of burning incense and incense which shows that this is not an ordinary building.
The Ragasemangsang Tomb, which is known to have existed since the Dutch colonial period, turned out to have several interesting stories.
It is known that there are various versions of the story about the origin of the Ragasemangsang tomb which is believed by the public.
The first story that developed in local people, it is the tomb of a powerful man whose name is unknown. He possessed magnificent ability called Pancasona, invulnerability skill that grows in the land of ancient Java. People who have that ability if injured will recover instantly. The owner of Pancasona can die only if he does not touch the ground.
The powerful man then fought with Kiai Pekih, who was said to be a community leader who lived in the same area. Because he was considered unsettling, Kiai Pekih then fought with the mysterious man who owned the Pancasona ability.
Knowing his weakness, Kyai Pekih then beat him by hanging him from a big tree. Residents who saw this then called the hanging figure, Ragasemangsang. In Javanese, Raga means physical body, while semangsang means to be hanged.
"According to the story of people here, because of his supernatural powers and local people fear of anything happening, the place where Ragasemangsang died was left untouched and a grave was made for him," said Karto.
Meanwhile, Kiai Pekih's grave is in the alley west of the Banyumas Regent's pavilion. It is as if the two graves are a reminder of virtue against evil in the city center which is nicknamed Satria City.
The second version that developed in society was set during the struggle against the colonial invaders. However, it is also not clear which colonialist was in power at that time.
"During the colonial period, there was a fighter who parachuted. But he died stuck in a tree," he said.
As a tribute to the warrior's service, the place where he breathed his last breath was made into a tomb and looked after. From these fighters did not find personal data. Therefore, people call it Ragasemangsang.
Around 1962, Karto testified that Ragasemangsang's grave was not in the middle of the T-junction road as it is now. Previously, it was located on the edge of a small road that had not been paved.
Around 1963-1964, there was an expansion of the road around Ragasemangsang's grave. Because seeing the tomb was a mystery and given special respect by the previous community, in the end the tomb was not moved. Although in the end the grave was right at the fork in the road.
There have been countless attempts by the local government to move the sacred tomb which is said to be disrupting traffic. However, attempts to move the old tomb always failed. Contractors, even regional officials, are said to have dreamed of meeting "grave dwellers" who did not want to be moved.
The risk for the grave diggers is also great. It is said that one time, a worker suddenly fainted while digging around the sacred tomb area in the middle of the road. Several others said they became suddenly ill, even to the point of death.
A local resident named Karto Suwito said that it was not known exactly when the tomb was built. What is certain is that since the Dutch colonial era, this building has existed.
This tomb is also sacred. State officials who want to be promoted must place offerings at this place.
Head of the tourism sector at the Banyumas Youth Sports Culture and Tourism Service (Dinporabudpar), Deskart Sotyo Jatmiko, said that there were no definite records about the story of the Ragasemangsang's Tomb.
References:
Please don't put your website link in Comment section. This is for discussion article related only. Thank you :)