Bukit Siguntang, Tomb of Ancient Kings

Bukit Siguntang

Indonesia has a long history from the era of great kingdom to the occupation era. One of the ancient place that can be visited today is Siguntang Hill or Bukit Siguntang. This place is considered sacred and full of charisma since the 14-17 century. In this place there are tombs of figures descended from the Sriwijaya Kingdom. 

Not only an important historical site, Bukit Siguntang is also opened as one tourist destinations, especially regarding the history of the Sriwijaya Kingdom which was once the center of Buddhist activities in the archipelago.

History of Bukit Siguntang

The hill is located on Jalan Srijaya Negara, Keluhan Bukit Lama, Ilir Barat I District, Palembang. It is located at an altitude of about 27 meters above sea level with an area of ​​about 12.8 hectares. During the Dutch colonial period, Bukit Siguntang was considered the most beautiful place in Palembang. 

On this hill there are tombs of the descendants of the Sriwijaya Kingdom, including Segentar Alam, Princess Kembang Dadar, Princess Kembang Selako, Panglima Bagus Kuning, Panglima Bagus Karang, Panglima Tuan Junjungan, Prince Raja Batu Api, and Panglima Jago Lawang.

Segentar Alam is a figure who is considered a mighty descendant of Iskandar Zulkarnain.  He is a bearer of advice who managed to bring prosperity and glory to his region.  Not far from the tomb of Segentar Alam is the tomb of Princess Kembang Dadar.  

Etymologically, the name Puteri Kembang Dadar comes from three words, namely princess which can be interpreted as a call of honor for a woman.  While the flower can be interpreted as a flower, which is a gift of nature that many people enjoy and admire.While Dadar means a test.

So literally, Puteri Kembang Dadar is a title that can be interpreted as a princess who is glorified and admired for being able to withstand tests and all kinds of trials.

In addition to being a burial place for the descendants of the Sriwijaya Kingdom, according to historical records, Siguntang Hill since the 7th century has become a place of worship for Buddhists. This is evidenced by the discovery of a Buddha statue with a height of 2.77 meters made of granite.

Bukit Siguntang

What Makes it Unique

Here visitors can see many historical objects. Around Bukit Siguntang, you can find pottery and ceramic shards from the Tang Dynasty. The discovery of ceramic and pottery shards in the Siguntang Hill area also proves that, apart from being used as a center for Buddhist activities carried out by monks and Sanggha.

It is also believed that there are residential areas in this settlement. For the sake of preserving the objects of this discovery, they are then stored in the Balaputera Dewa Museum and partly in the Sriwijaya Museum in the Sriwijaya Royal Archaeological Park Complex. 

Going deeper, visitors will find a viewing tower located right in the middle of Bukit Siguntang.  From this tower you will clearly see the scenery around the hill. You can see around the hill by climbing tis tower.

In another part there are also reliefs that inform about many things, such as a priest who is studying Buddhism, the inscription of the founding of the Srivijaya Kingdom, the atmosphere that describes prosperity during the Sriwijaya Kingdom.

Here in Bukit Siguntang you can also find some reliefs that show the Sriwijaya ship which symbolizes his power over the sea. There is also the story about the suppression of pirates by Admiral Zheng He and his troops in the waters of the Musi River.

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