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Lakshmi at Belahan

Keywords : King Airlangga, Belahan, Lakshmi, Mount Penanggungan

Site common nameBelahan
Type of artworkSculpture
VillageMount Penanggungan
Province/CityMalang
StateEast Java
CountryIndonesia
Geographic Coordinates
Decimal degree
Lat : -7.607222
Long : 112.651389

History of productionBelahan is located in the east of Penangkungan, a holy mountain in Eastern Java art. It is believd that ashes of King Ailangga was buried under this pond. Digging the pond to bury king’s ashes is a unique characteristic of Eastern Java. The father of king Ailangga also dug a pond to bury his own ashes as well. The pond is of square shape and receieves water from a small stream. The wall cuts into a mountain and is barraged by bricks. This directs the water to flow through sculpture inside the niches. There are three niches. The middle one enshrines Vishanu on Garuda ( now moved to Trowulan Museum). The other two niches enshine Laksami and Sri, both of which are Vishanu’s consorts and the goddess of luck.
ArtThe wife wears curvy pattern costume and a lot of ornaments. Also, there is kanok pattern at the back. All of these represent the essense of being “Eastern Java”.
PeriodHistorical Period
Art periodEastern Javanese Art
Age16-20 centuries BE.
ReligionBrahmanism-Hinduism
SectDevaraja Cult, Vishanu
Religion and beliefBurying ashes with the god sculpture is a tradition of “Teveraja” which beleives that kings are the disguise of the gods. When a king dies, he will be reunited with the god. King Ailangga respects Vishanu as the most holy god; therefore, Vishanu sculpture may represent king Ailangga and Garuda may represent his ministers. Laksami and Sri may represnt king Ailangga’s two wives.
Related artworkLakshimi is the goddess of fertility. This is related to her gender and breasts. One of her follower holds her breats that have a hole for water to flow through. Breasts show maternity and feritility of the universe. The water flowing through will become holy water for people who use it to bath and drink it.

Type of LicenseAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
RightsPrincess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation2015-07-00
Record creatorChedha Tingsanchali