According to legend, in the 15th century, the ancestors of the Tenggerese people—the last princess of the Majapahit Kingdom, Roro Anteng, and her commoner husband, Joko Seger—fled to the volcanic highlands to escape the ravages of war. Although deeply in love, they suffered from years of infertility. In desperation, they prayed devoutly to the volcano god, asking for a child. The volcano god answered their plea, but on the condition that they would sacrifice their youngest child. Later, they were blessed with 25 children. However, when the time came to fulfill their promise to the volcano god, they could not bear to part with their youngest child. Enraged, the volcano god erupted. The youngest child, Kusuma, voluntarily climbed Mount Bromo and threw himself into the boiling volcanic crater to calm the volcano god’s anger and complete the delayed sacrifice.
Since then, every year, the Tenggerese people have held a grand ceremony to offer their highest respect to the volcano god who protects them and to honor the young boy who sacrificed his life for the peace of his people.
On the eve of the ceremony, Tenggerese priests perform a grand prayer ritual in the temple. People gather with offerings of fruits, vegetables, flowers, livestock, and other items. The priests chant sacred texts to bless these offerings, transforming them into holy gifts.
In the darkness before dawn, thousands of followers, holding their offerings, ascend the slopes of the volcano. Behind them lies the vast barren land, and ahead stands the active volcano, spewing thick smoke. As the first rays of sunlight touch the earth, people raise their fruits, livestock, and even money high in the air and fervently cast them into the sulfurous abyss of the volcano, praying for a bountiful harvest and peace. This is the most stirring and awe-inspiring tradition of the Bromo Mountain Ceremony.
Today, this sacred ritual attracts visitors from all over the world. Travelers from distant places ride horses through the desert under the starry sky, climb to the edge of the volcano crater, and witness how the Tenggerese people, with the most devout hearts, communicate with the fiery volcano.
