thehistory_of_singosari.htm

Malang inherited many ancient “candi”; beautiful remains of kingdoms from many hundreds years ago, not only in the Island of Java but also other parts of Southeast Asia. Candi are sacred buildings that were usually built as memorial shrines for deceased members of the royal families. In memory of the deceased, a stone image of a god or goddess, with whom the deceased royal figure had been identified in life, was fashioned as an ideal portrait and placed within the candi.

As a fertile region, Malang and its surrounding was once the centre of political power of the 8th century Kanjuruhan Kingdom, which explains why Malang region has many archaeological relics. Even after the collapse of the Kingdom of Singosari, Malang region remained to be an important region for the following dynasties of East Java. Among the remains of the greatness of these kingdoms are Candi Kidal, Candi Jago, and Candi Singosari, and others.

Candi Singosari located about 12 kilometers north of Malang, is one of the monuments built in memory of Kertanagara, last king of Singosari, who died when his palace was seized by a usurper in 1292. The temple was partially restored in the 1930's. The roof, in its original state, would have mirrored the cosmic Mt. Mahameru of Hindu mythology, four lesser pinnacles on each side surrounding a taller, central 'peak'. Yet it seems that the temple was never completed.

The impressive kala heads, highly detailed on the roof, become mere outlines above the entrance and wall niches lower down, showing that the fine carving was executed from the top downwards. For unknown reasons, the artists appear to have abandoned their work.

West of the temple, at a distance of some 200 meters, two enormous guardian figures stand on either side of the road. It has been suggested that the location of these statues may be the site of the original entrance to the palace of Singosari.

THE HISTORY

The center of art at Tumpang Malang

Singhasari was a kingdom located in east Java between the 1222 and the 1292.

Singhasari was founded by Ken Arok, whose story is a popular children's tale in Central and East Java. Ken Anrok was an orphan who grew up in Kediri and a cunning thief. His reputation was such that Kertajaya of Kediri ordered the ruler of Tumapel, Tunggul Ametung to arrest him.

Tunggul Ametung had a beautiful wife, Ken Dedes whom he took by force. Ken Arok happened upon her by chance, and had a premonition that he had to have her as his wife at all costs. To accomplish this, Ken Arok went to a famous swordsmith Mpu Gandring and asked him to make a sacred Keris to use for this mission. The process of making a sacred sword involved performing rituals and took longer than Ken Arok had the patience for. In his anger he took the unfinished sword from Mpu Gandring and killed him with it. With his last breath, Mpu Gandring cursed Ken Angrok and the next 7 generations of his descendants to death by the same sword.

Ken Arok managed to kill Tunggul Ametung and blamed another petty thief for the murder. He presented himself as a jagoan, a champion of the people, took Ken Dedes as his wife and made himself ruler of Tumapel. At this time Ken Dedes was pregnant with Tunggul Ametung's child.

The ambition of Ken Arok did not stop in Tumapel. In 1222, at the battle of Ganter he defeated Kertajaya of Kediri and founded the new kingdom of Singhasari. Kediri became a fief under the kingdom of Singhasari.

Ken Arok was the first king of Singhasari, and true to the curse was killed by his son in law, Anusapati, using the keris of Mpu Gandring. Anusapati was killed in turn with the same Keris. He was killed by Panji Tohjaya, son of Ken Arok and his concubine Ken Umang.

The Fall of Singhasari

In Kertanegara's reign, an embassy from the Mongol Khan, Kubilai Khan came to Singhasari and demanded submission. Kertanegara took the order as an insult and slashed the envoys' faces before allowing them to return to Beijing. In preparation for the invasion threat from the powerful Emperor of Yuan Dynasty, Kertanegara sent a huge portion of his army to conquer Malay Peninsula to stop the Chinese Invasion from land. This expedition was called the Pamelayu expedition. In the mean time, Jayakatwang, one of his vassal, Lord of Kediri, a fief of Singhasari, rebelled and killed Kertanegara with a surprise attack during a Holy Festival.

When the Mongol fleet arrived, Kertanegara's son in law and supreme commander, himself a descendant of Ken Anrok, Raden Wijaya, manipulated them into fighting the usurper Jayakatwang. The Mongols didn't realize that they destroyed a different kingdom. Before they realized what had happened, Wijaya attacked his former allies when they were feasting in victory, thus drove them from Java. Wijaya founded the new kingdom of Majapahit.