Volcano Tangkuban Parahu

Tangkuban Parahu is an active volcano located just 16 miles north of the city of Bandung and 60 miles southeast of Jakarta, too close for comfort. This stratovolcano is about 7000 feet high and was last erupted in 1983.

In 2005, Tangkuban Parahu had a series of earthquakes measuring 5 to 6 on the Richter scale. There are 70 active volcanoes in Indonesia among hundreds of inactive ones. This is a satellite picture of Tangkuban Parahu from bing.com.

Tangkuban Parahu is a popular tourist attraction where you can ride in a vehicle to the edge of the crater to view the hot springs and the steam vents up close. It is also common in this part of the world to bring eggs and cook them on the hot surface.

Here is an infrared photo taken by someone showing the temperature gradients on the hot surfaces of the volcano.

Though the volcano rim is rugged, there is this legend of "Sangkuriang" which can be translated to mean the "capsizing" or "upturning of a boat". This is a long story so hang on ....

The legend tells of "Dayang Sumbi", a beauty who lived in West Java. She cast away her son "Sangkuriang" for disobedience, and in her sadness was granted the power of eternal youth by the gods. After many years in exile, Sangkuriang decided to return to his home, long after the two had forgotten and failed to recognize each other. Sangkuriang fell in love with Dayang Sumbi and planned to marry her, only for Dayang Sumbi to recognize his birthmark just as he was about to go hunting. In order to prevent the marriage from taking place, Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang to build a dam on the river Citarum and build a large boat to cross the river, both before the sunrise. Sangkuriang meditated and summoned mythical ogre-like green giants to do his bidding. Dayang Sumbi saw that the tasks were almost completed and called on her workers to spread red silk cloths east of the city, to give the impression of impending sunrise and tricked the roosters to crow earlier, so Sangkuriang would think that the time was up. Sangkuriang was fooled, and upon believing that he had failed, kicked the dam and the unfinished boat, resulting in severe flooding and the creation of Tangkuban Parahu from the hull of the boat.

Tangkuban therefore, in Java Sundanese means upturned or upside down, and Parahu means boat. And now you know the rest of the story.

Despite the devastation of earthquakes and volcanic activities, volcanoes have played a vital role in the geological and human history of Java. As a result of lava flows, land is created on Java. Ash deposits, and mud flows contribute to the fertility of the land, as natural erosion transports volcanic material forming thick layers of fertile sediment.

Tea plantations and other agriculture activities are found below the volcano and into the plains where businesses and people are flourishing.

Here is a beautiful mosque Masjid Jami Saadah located within a few miles of the volcano.

Other benefits of the volcano in the region include Cintar Spa who offers a non-sulfur smell "soda hot springs" to visitors to rejuvenate and enjoy. There were a choice of hot, warm and cold spring water. You can probably trace my whereabouts from my wet footprints in the foreground.