A long trek, a humble offering, and blessings for the future
In Indonesia's mountainous region of East Java, in the middle of a vast plain called the "Sea of Sand," sits a stately volcanic complex. Within it is Mount Bromo, which may not stand out as the tallest or the most striking of bunch, but nonetheless holds great significance for the local Tengger tribe.
Long exposure view of Mount Bromo and Mount Batok alight during the Kasada Ceremony in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia. | (Agung Parameswara)
Tenggerese people walk to a temple during the Kasada ceremony, Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia. | (Agung Parameswara)
Once a year, the Tengger people travel across the Sea of Sand and up the volcano's muddy terrain to the lip of the crater. There, looking into the volcano's steaming mouth, hundreds, sometimes thousands, of worshipers throw offerings to the mountain gods. Indonesian photographer Agung Parameswara was there in 2012 and 2015 to capture the ritual, called the Yadnya Kasada.
Tenggerese people sit on a truck as they arrive at Poten Temple during the Kasada Ceremony in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia. | (Agung Parameswara)
A Tenggerese man makes an offering of fruits and vegetables for the Kasada Ceremony in Ngadisari Village, Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia. | (Agung Parameswara)
The Tengger people are believed to be descendants of an ancient Javanese empire. When the empire collapsed around the 15th century, the Hindu populations fled across modern-day Indonesia, and a small group settled near Mount Bromo.
These refugees brought with them a strong connection to animals and the natural world, believing spirits lived in the flora and fauna around them. "The Tenggerese were known to pray to deities in caves and many sacred places in the natural world," Parameswara said. "This was a way of life, and, today, many continue this tradition inherited so many centuries ago."
Tenggerese people walk to Widodaren cave, a sacred site situated in the neighboring eponymous mountain, to collect holy water before heading to the Bromo's crater during the Kasada ceremony. | (Agung Parameswara)
Tenggerese men collect holy water using plastic bottles in the Widodaren cave. | (Agung Parameswara)
A worshiper treks across the Sea of Sand to give his offerings to Mount Bromo. | (Agung Parameswara)
Legend has it that after settling, the Princess Roro Anteng and her husband Joko Seger ("Tengger" comes from the combination of the couple's names) were unable to have children. They prayed to the mountain gods, who blessed them with 24 children, but demanded the 25th child be thrown into the volcano as a sacrifice. They complied and so began the annual sacrificial tradition.
Today, the Tenggerese offer food from the harvest, money, and, occasionally, livestock into the crater in exchange for the blessing of safety and prosperity for the community.
The offerings don't get too far, however. Some people, positioned rather precariously on the inside of the crater, use nets, blankets, and even the sarongs they wear to catch the goods they believe will give them luck.
Worshipers make their way across the Sea of Sand and up the base of the mountain. | (Agung Parameswara)
A villager holds a net as he waits to catch offerings thrown by Hindu worshipers. | (Agung Parameswara)
Hindu worshipers and tourists stand on the crater of Mount Bromo. | (Agung Parameswara)
Two Tenggerese men hold a cow during the Yadnya Kasada Festival at the crater of Mount Bromo. | (Agung Parameswara)
See more of Agung Parameswara's photography on his website or follow him on Instagram.