Sunan Kalijaga Kedundang Mosque

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A. Overview

Kedundang Mosque is situated in Kedundang Village, Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta. The mosque is attractive as a religious tour object because they say that it was used by Sunan Kalijaga for missionary endeavor in Kulonprogo. Thus, the mosque is sacred. Today, the villagers still occasionally conduct a ceremony in the mosque to ask for God’s blessings through Sunan Kalijaga’s spirit.

The origin of the mosque began from a ceremony held by a rich widow in memory of the seventh day of her husband’s death. She sacrificed a cow for the rite. While all the housewives are busy at the kitchen, along came a beggar to the house and begged money. Arrogantly, the widow told him to go away.

On the fortieth day, she held an extravagant ceremony once again. The same story happened. The beggar came. This time the widow hurled a coin to him and told him to go away.

On the hundredth night of her husband’s death, a more extravagant ceremony than the previous one was conducted. While the widow was standing by the door to welcome her guests, she was mesmerized by an old man all in white and wearing a turban. Then she asked him to lead her and the guests to say the prayer. Since the prayer he said was too short, as soon as the ceremony ended, she came to him. She expressed her disappointment over the very short prayer. To her, it did not compare to the cost she had expend for the ceremony.

The man then explained her that whatever prayer and however short or long it was, as long as said with all the heart and soul, would be heard and accepted by God. He also revealed that she did not conduct the ceremonies in earnest, except for the sake of compliments. Moreover, she asked him to lead the prayer only because of the fine clothes he wore.

Subsequently, the man took off his robe and turban, handed them over her, and said, “These are all you want. Please, take them. May you be proud of these things.” Then off he went.

Afterwards, the widow felt guilty because the man appeared to be the beggar. She ran after him and asked for forgiveness. She told him that she would do anything to replace her mistake.

So the widow was buried alive in a hole. The following day she turned out to remain alive. According to her, in the hole she was tortured by an unknown figure and when she was about to be hit by a hot bludgeon, she was saved by a coin that could broke the bludgeon. The coin turned out to be the one she once gave to the beggar.

Eventually, the widow figured out that the man was Sunan Kalijaga. To compensate for her wrongdoing, she granted all of her wealth in the right ways, one of which was by building a mosque that became the Mosque of Sunan Kalijaga Kedundang.

B. Features

Sunan Kalijaga Mosque in Kedundang Village is special for the local people and for tourists as well. One thing for sure is that the mosque has a strong religious connection with Sunan Kalijaga, a figure who is believed to be a holy person by the Javanese.

C. Location

Sunan Kalijaga Kedundang Mosque lies in Kedundang Village, Temon District, Kulonprogo Regency, Yogyakarta.

D. Access

To reach Sunan Kalijaga Kedundang Mosque is easy, either by personal or public transportation. From Giwangan Bus Station, Yogyakarta, you just take the bus to Kulonprogo and stop at Kulonprogo Bus Station. Then you should continue your trip to Kendundang Village by a cab. If you are lost and confused, you can ask the villager to show you the location of the mosque.

E. Ticket

The access to Sunan Kalijaga Kedundang Mosque is free. You are only demanded to behave in the mosque.

F. Accommodations and Other Facilities

Sunan Kalijaga Kedundang Mosque has some service, namely: the takmir (keepers) of the mosque who can tell you the history of the mosque and guide you to pray, a convenient room to say a prayer, a place to have a wudhu (ritual ablution before prayers), and lavatory.

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