Tasikmalaya Regency
Whilst the single word of the name does not convey any apparent meaning in its local languages, many believed that the name Tasikmalaya means either "a large area of sand" or "a large area of mountains".
It presumed to begin at Sukapura, a place at earlier time called Tawang or Tawang-Galunggung. Tawang means paddy fields, or literary "a wide range of an open space". When Mount Galunggung erupted and left its volcanic deposits everywhere nearby, the open space of Sukapura became mountainous or hilly, by mounds of sand scattered over its land. These new contours of the land are believed to be the beginning of the naming Tasikmalaya. It is either derived from a conflation of Sundanese language tasik and layah, meaning, literary "an ocean of hills", or from Sundanese language tasik, jeung, and laya, meaning "large tracts of sand" (Sundanese: keusik ngalayah, Indonesian: hamparan pasir). Other believes that the name is also defined as "an ocean of hills" but with different theory, where Tasikmalaya is believed to be originated from Sundanese language tasik (lake, sea), and malaya (a chain of mountains or highlands). However, there isn't such certain information of when the name was 1st originated.
As from the 7th century to the 8th, there was living in this Regency, a known realm with an unknown form of governance that had its central located nearby Mount Galunggung. This realm has a power of authority to officiate coronations for heads of particular kingdoms, namely for the sovereigns of Galuh Kingdom. The rulers of the realm who charged during those centuries were Batara Semplakwaja, Batara Kuncung Putih, Batara Kawindu, Batara Wastuhayu, and the last, to whom this governance later changed into monarchy, is Batari Hyang.
This Kingdom was named Galunggung, taken from the name of the mountain where the kingdom resides. According to Geger Hanjuang inscription, this kingdom was established on 13th Bhadrapada 1033 Shaka or 21 August 1111, and Batari Hyang was the 1st Galunggung Kingdom's accession to the throne. The Queen owned a famous teaching, known as Sang Hyang Siksakanda ng Kareksian. This teaching of Batari Hyang was still used as an official doctrine in the era of Prabu Siliwangi who reigns Pakuan Pajajaran. The Kingdom of Galunggung was lasted to its next 6th ruler, each from its hereditary succession.
Further events in the course of the Regency's history, are when the future governance of Tasikmalaya Regency, Sukakerta, was facing an opportunity to secede from its sovereign ruler, Pajajaran Kingdom. Prabu Surawisesa, the new succeeding king Sri Baduga Maharaja Prabu Siliwangi, was ruled Pajajaran Kingdom at that time. His Kingdom was encountered an expansive threat from Banten Sultanate and Demak. This expansion had initiated the lower region to secede from the Kingdom. However, Sukakerta, is believed, to had already been liberated itself from Pajajaran.
Other focal events happened after a 10 years-long fight in the region of Priangan. It was when three major forces having conflicts in the island of Java in the early 17th century. Wirawangsa as the head of Sukakerta, was assigned as the Regent of Sukapura and was honoured a nobility name of Wiradadaha I by Sultan Agung of Mataram. Upon the promotion of its leader, the regency changed its name to Sukapura and the capital of the regency, where earlier located at Dayeuh tengah, was moved to Leuwiloa, Sukaraja.
Years later, under the governance of Raden Tumenggung Surialaga the capital of the regency was brought to Tasikmalaya, but in 1832, under the governance of Wiradadaha VIII, its capital was moved to Manonjaya. Next, after some consideration, particularly economically, the capital of the regency was again switched back to Tasikmalaya. In 1913, the name of the Regency, Sukapura, was finally changed hereafter into Tasikmalaya by the government regent R.A.A Wiratanuningrat (1908รข€"1937).
The date of August 21 has been assigned to be the date of Tasikmalaya Regency's anniversary, following the fact revealed on the Geger Hanjuang inscription. The inscription, as it tells, had been made to mark the establishment of the Kingdom of Galunggung and as the mark of the inauguration of its 1st sovereign, Queen Batari Hyang. The inscription tells that the Kingdom was established on 21 August 1111, as well as the Queen's inauguration.
Tasikmalaya Regency is divided into 39 local Districts and Singaparna resides as the Regency's capital subdistrict. These 39 Subdistricts are subdivided into 351 villages.
The land of the Regency is predominantly hilly, especially in the southern area of the Regency. Some are mountainous, as appeared in the northwestern part where Galunggung highlands reside. It is only 13.05% of the region of where its low-lying areas are elevated from zero to 200 metres. Meanwhile, the average elevation of the regency is 200 to 500 metres. The rest is elevated into the highest point of Mount Galunggung 2,168 metres.
The Regency is traversed by volcanic chains of Java island, where land naturally grants rich and fertile soil, and provides an abundance of water resources. Tasikmalaya Regency is also lied on a low-cavity mountainside, which supplies the Regency more rainfall catchment and water absorption area. These advantages are supported by the Regency's tropical rainforest climate where the region experiences heavy rainfall.
The area is known for producing silk goods printed with batik, paper umbrellas, and handbags woven by hand from bamboo and pandanus leaves. The production of handicrafts for domestic and international consumption is an important local industry; in 1998 and 1999, export of handicrafts earned 2.6 billion rupiah for the region.
Tasikmalaya Regency is one of Indonesian foremost tourist destinations. It has a number of tourist attractions. They are accessible, even though most of them are located deep in the rural area of the Regency. Tasikmalaya Regency's tourist destinations mainly offer their local and natural beauty other than established recreational facility. In the southern area, where the Regency borders to Indian Ocean, tourist destinations are primarily the coastline of the Regency, which features caves and a number of beaches. To the interior where the land mostly hilly and characterised by tropical rainforest, waterfall, natural hot springs, and archaeological sites are the tourist most visited places. Among Tasikmalaya Regency's tourist destinations are Kampung Naga. It features an exotic and idyllic traditional village where the inhabitant lives within a strong ancient Sundanese tradition. Whilst Mount Galunggung's volcanic crater offers a magnificent scenery, featuring a tranquil lake surrounded by rainforests. A number of natural hot springs are issued nearby the mountain, and became parts of the Regency's tourist destinations.
There are more than 70 spots of tourist destinations in Tasikmalaya Regency, some of them are listed below.
At Pasirgintung village, Cibuniasih subdistrict, Pancatengah district there are a lot of Red Jasper rocks previously, but now only about 120 rocks. The administration will conserve it as Jasper Geopark. Jasper has class-7 hardness.
Related Sites for Tasikmalaya Regency
- Tasikmalaya Regency in Encyclopedia read Tasikmalaya Regency
- Tasikmalaya Regency - Wilujeng Sumping read Tasikmalaya Regency
- Tasikmalaya Tourism - Travel to Indonesia : Maps - Hotels and ... read Tasikmalaya Regency
- Tasikmalaya Regency - SOLUTION NINE read Tasikmalaya Regency
