Astana Giribangun

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Astana Giribangun, (also "Giri Bangun"), is a mausoleum complex for the Suharto family of former President of the Republic of Indonesia. It is located in Karang Bangun, Kecamatan Matesih, Kabupaten (Regency) Karanganyar, Central Java Province approximately 35 kilometres from the city of Solo. The archaic Javanese prose title translates as "Palace of the Arisen mountain" ^[1].

The building is in traditional Javanese architectural style and occupying parts of the Mangkunegaran Royal Cemetery complex, it is approximately 300 metres from the burial sites of the Solonese royals Mangkunegara I, II and III. Former Indonesian President Soeharto was buried in Astana Giribangun following his death on the 28th of January 2008 with full State military honours, beside his late wife, Madame Tien Soeharto (Siti Hartianah Suharto, who passed away earlier on April 28, 1996) and her late mother Mrs. Soehjarto.^[2]

The actual site was controversial at the time as many Javanese believed Madame Suharto not to be of true noble blood, but the descendent of a faithful court servant (who was born a commoner). The Mangkunegaran Court reconciled this controversy and decreed Suharto may indeed build his Astana, but may not be built any higher than a pre-existing Royal tomb. Astana Mangadeg, where Astana Giribangun is sited, was considered a powerful location by many dukun, spiritualists and soothsayers for the strongly kejawen or kebatinan Suharto to meditate and derive charisma or sakti (magicks).^[3]

The Astana Giribangun complex may be seen on Wiki Maps at this location ^[4].

[edit] References

^ kompas.com
^ tempointeraktif.com
^ Astana Giribangun. Panduan Peziarah. Yayasan Mangadeg Surakarta. 1996
^ http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-7.651922&lon=111.070758&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2&show=/sys/edit_wiki3/%02id%016763821%00lng%010%00old_lng%0154

[edit] Further reading

Astana Giribangun. Panduan Peziarah. Yayasan Mangadeg Surakarta. 1996.(Indonesian language) ISBN- unknown.
Indonesia, Justine Varsulis. Lonely Planet, 2007: 206. ISBN 1741044359
Dewi Sri in Village Garb: Fertility, Myth, and Ritual in Northeast Java, Journal article by Rens Heringa; in Asian Folklore Studies Vol. 56. Asian Folklore Studies 1997.
Self and Self-Conduct among the Javanese "priyayi" Elite, translated from Indonesian by J. Joseph Errington. American Ethnologist, Vol. 11, No. 2 (May, 1984), pp.