In the 5th century, the Western Roman Empire collapsed by a "flood" of attacks from nations he considered barbarians, ranging from the Visigoths, Vandals, to the Hun. And at about the same time, a kingdom in West Java was also facing a flood that damaged the heart of its power. However, the disaster gave birth to the archipelago's first mega-project, and thousands of lives were saved. Okay, friends, we are still in Indonesia, West Java to be precise. And we will explore the oldest kingdom on the island of Java, which etched gold ink in history, with its ecological achievements. Come on! The flood from the river hit the palace with great ferocity. If even the palace was affected, just imagine how severe the consequences of that disaster would be... ...for the lives of the people. The Maharaja Taruma, who was famous for his wisdom, immediately launched the dredging of the river to the sea, in order to prevent flooding in the future. The river is named Candrabhaga, which researchers agree is the Bekasi river in West Java. Imagine, the river was dredged at a time when heavy equipment technology was not yet invented. It's a mega-project from ancient times, what's even more amazing is that it hasn't stalled. Who was the king who was able to create the oldest canal in the archipelago? It is Purnawarman, the great king of the Taruma kingdom, or popularly called Tarumanagara. Taruma is thought to be the oldest kingdom on the island of Java. According to archaeologist George Coedes, the letters on the Taruma inscriptions are younger than the Ancient Kutai inscriptions in South Kalimantan, so the title of the oldest kingdom in the archipelago still belongs to the Ancient Kutai. Find out more about Ancient Kutai with its king Mulawarman , who is the first crazy rich in the archipelago, you can click on the link above or in the description. You see, Mas ASISI, the oldest kingdom on the island of Java, isn't it Salakanagara? In contrast to Salakanagara whose existence is still in doubt, as we have discussed in the link in the description, the existence of the Taruma Kingdom is supported by strong historical evidence. Come on, let's explore together! EVIDENCE OF THE INscription The inscriptions left by the Taruma Kingdom are quite numerous and unique. There is an inscription affixed with the stamp of a human foot. For example, the Ciareteun inscription and the Pasir Koleangkak inscription. There is also a stamped elephant palm, such as the Kebon Kopi inscription. Others contain odd strokes that have confused researchers, such as the Muara Cianten inscription. We will discuss one by one later. Well, most Taruma inscriptions are written in Sanskrit and early pallawa letters. Thus, from the form of this writing, the Taruma Kingdom is thought to have existed around the 5th century AD. Archaeological EVIDENCE Several temples in West Java are considered to be related to Taruma because of their close location. Among them, the Batujaya temple complex, in the district of Karawang, West Java. Also the Cibuaya Site, where two statues of Vishnu were found. Another archaeological remains is the Durga-Kali statue in Tanjung Priok. Of all these archaeological remains, only the Batujaya temple complex is believed to be Taruma's legacy, because archaeologists estimate that this temple was at the same time as Tarumanagara. But that's still conjecture, yes. EVIDENCE FOR FOREIGN NEWS Records of the Liu-Song Dynasty (420-479 AD) mentions… …the existence of a kingdom in Java that sent envoys to China in 435 AD. The New History of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD)), also records the existence of a kingdom called To-lo -mo, which George Coedes interpreted as Taruma. Interesting, huh? Keep on following, my friends, we will investigate how King Purnawarman … …established his supremacy over the western side of Java? And why has this great Taruma Kingdom vanished from the stage of history? But before that, don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, and SHARE Also click the link above if you want to support us in terms of funding, To develop a channel that will enrich your perspective. From the Lebak Cidanghiang inscription, we know that Purnawarman was an officer, noble, and brave king. It is clear that Purnawarman built his empire… with a formidable military campaign and army. This is illustrated in the Pasir Koleangkak Inscription, which states that the king's armor is impenetrable to enemies. The king's strategic skills are also recognized by the Tugu inscription, which states that Purnawarman became the banner of the kings because of his brilliant intelligence and wisdom. Now, the term "kings" in the Tugu inscription … ... implies that West Java, at the time of Purnawarman, had been enlivened by the emergence of kingdoms. One of these kingdoms was named Aruteun, and it was located in the interior of West Bogor. My guess is that Aruteun was an empire, because almost every year in the period 430 - 452 AD, he diligently sent envoys to China. According to George Coedes, one of the names of the king was Srivijaya. Well, this is not the name of the famous Sumatran kingdom, huh. Maybe his name is Wijaya, so his title as maharaja is Sri Wijaya, just like Purnawarman ... ...who is called Sri Purnawarman in the Pasir Koleangkak Inscription. According to historian Slamet Mulyana, the kingdom of Aruteum was finally crushed by Purnawarman's army. It seems that these two empires had long competed for dominance over West Java, so that with the defeat of Aruteum, Taruma became the only kingdom in West Java. Archaeologist Agus Aris Munandar suspects that the area of the Taruma kingdom covers almost the entire western side of Java, from Ujung Kulon to the Citarum River as the easternmost boundary, as well as the inspiration for the name "taruma". Presumably, Purnawarman's government brought stability for a long time, and this is the secret. FROM TRIBAL TO KINGDOM Prior to the entry of Indian influence, according to historian MC Ricklefs (1943 – 2019), the people of the archipelago were Austronesian speakers based on ethnicity. Ethnicity here is a social unit formed from geographical proximity. Its leaders are democratically elected based on their merits. Before Taruma became a kingdom, this was most likely the form of society that prevailed in West Java. To make it easier to understand, I use the example of the Medang Kingdom, yes, which appeared later but still preserved that structure in its reign. Java is a group of wanua-wanua, at the village level today, led by a traditional elder with the title Rama. Because these women are easy to fight, a number of women also form alliances to face common problems. In the Medang era, this alliance was called character and was led by a rakai, with an independent government. When the concept of a kingdom from India entered the archipelago, the character changed into a kingdom, then these kingdoms also joined in the kemaharajaan, namely a mandala led by a maharaja. All wanua obey the rules set by the maharaja, and enjoy his protection. Although this concept from India promises stability, not all of it is absorbed by the people of the archipelago. The leader of the wanua is still democratically elected, although the position of Maharaja may be hereditary in order to maintain government stability. Even so, a maharaja must prove his worthiness to rule, by protecting and prospering his mandala members, and subjugating those who refuse to join. If the successor is weak, be prepared to be abandoned by his character and wanua, and the mandala will be dispersed. So, the concept of mandalas in the ancient archipelago is very different from the concept of a state that we have known since the colonial era. Details about the concept of this mandala, which also answers whether Majapahit's power ... was as wide as the archipelago or not, can be checked at the link above or in the description. PURNAWARMAN THE DEWARAJA Obedience to the empire, apart from being for the common good, was also legitimized by the concept of Dewaraja introduced by India. The king is considered the incarnation of a god on earth... ...and becomes the center of the mandala. The Kebon Kopi inscription, for example, equates Raja Purnawarman's elephant with Airawata, the mount of Dewa Indra. Meanwhile, the Ciaruteun inscription equates the soles of the king's feet with the palms of Lord Vishnu. Obviously, King Purnawarman declared himself… as the incarnation of Lord Indra and Lord Vishnu. Interestingly, both of these gods are related to water: Indra is the god of rain while Vishnu is the god of water. This could be because there are many rivers in the Taruma area. Although rivers are important for farming, rain and runoff can turn into very destructive floods. Lord Indra and Lord Vishnu were probably chosen to protect Taruma from the flood disaster. Second, in mythology… these gods are often depicted as destroying a nation of giants. I suspect that the giants here are women who refuse to submit to Taruma. The Pasir Koleangkak Inscription also emphasized that King Purnawarman was a thorn in the flesh for his enemies. But there is an even more epic possibility. AGAINST THE INTERNAL TRIBE It could be that the giant nation in question… is the Austronesian tribes that was attacked by King Purnawarman. On the Ciaruteun Inscription, there is a symbol that is thought to be a spider in front of King Purnawarman's feet. Well, friends, you need to know, in Austronesian culture, the spider symbolizes the spirit of a dead human. It was as if King Purnawarman had declared that the spirits were under his feet. The Muara Cianten inscription also contains line and image configurations, which, according to Edward McKinnon, have magical powers, like tattoos in Austronesian culture. Maybe you know ... ... this configuration was installed in order to stem the magical power of the Austronesian people in the interior. I was reminded of the Telaga Batu Inscription in Sumatra, when the king of Srivijaya fought a magical attack with magical powers too. Want to know the thrill of the magical war of the archipelago? Please watch later on the link above, or in the description. It is clear to me, yes, a war between King Purnawarman and the Austronesian tribes in the interior of West Java, is very likely to happen. RIVER ENGINEERING MEGAPROJECTS Raja Purnawarman is not only famous for his conquests, but also for the great works he did for the welfare of the people. The most phenomenal action was recorded in the Tugu Inscription, when the king launched a river dredging mega project. The first project that produces the Bekasi River, I told you at the beginning, yes. The timeline is unclear, but it looks like the project will take up a lot of time and resources. Well, the second project takes place in the 22nd year of King Purnawarman's reign, which confirms how long he has been on the throne. This time the dredged is a tributary called Gomati, presumably at this time the Cakung Lama River. It takes 21 days to produce a 12 kilometer long river. Wow! When he was still named Gomati in the Purnawarman era, the Cakung Lama River was told to flow beautifully and have clear water. Is the condition still the same now? How is the condition of the Bekasi River too? Who knows, please share in the comments. RELIGION & PURNAWARMAN TOLERANCE Now, to celebrate the success of the second project, the Brahmins held a celebration accompanied by the offering of 1000 cows which were presented by the king. Similar to King Mulawarman from Ancient Kutai, yes, who offered 20 thousand cows for the ceremony of the brahmins. So, it is possible that Purnawarman's religion was the same as that of the ancient Kutai king, namely the early Vedic Hindus, the difference being that Purnawarman worshiped Lord Indra as the god of water. Well, some historians argue, this kingdom in West Java also upholds tolerance. Although King Purnawarman was an early Vedic believer, one of the temples that is strongly suspected is the legacy of the Taruma kingdom, namely the Batu Jaya Temple , which has a very Buddhist nuance. The arrival of Gunawarman, a Buddhist teacher during the Tarumanagara era… …also helped make this teaching grow rapidly in Java. 12 KING TARUMA AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ANCIENT KUTAI If you search for Tarumanagara on the internet, you will surely find a narrative that mentions the 12 kings of Tarumanagara, complete with the year of their reign. Well, friends, you need to know, the 12 kings of Tarumanagara must have come from the Wangsakerta Manuscript, which according to historians is a fake manuscript that was only written by modern people in the 20th century. Regarding the irregularities and problems of the Wangsakerta Manuscript, including the existence of Salakanagara, you can check later on the link above or in the description. Well, according to the Wangsakerta text, the founder of Taruma was Jayasingawarman, an Indian, Dewawarman's son-in-law from the Salakanagara Kingdom who was also an Indian. Dewawarman is also said to have a son named Aswawarman, who became Kudungga's son-in-law in East Kalimantan, and founded the ancient Kutai kingdom. So, according to the Wangsakerta Manuscript, there is a family relationship between the Salakanagara Kingdom, Ancient Kutai, and Tarumanagara. Maybe one of them, because all kings use the last name "warman". Even though the similarity of names is just a coincidence, because at that time, warman was an honorary title. Not only the Pallawa Dynasty in India, several kings in Southeast Asia also bear the title of warman. For example, King Bhadrawarman I (380 - 413 AD) of Champa and several other kings. Even Gunawarman, a Buddhist priest who is also a Kashmiri prince uses it. So, I see. We need to remember, the only name of the king mentioned in the primary source of Tarumanagara history, namely the inscription, is Purnawarman. No other. Who is Purnawarman's ancestor, even his successor, no one knows. The inscription does not include his reign. And, strangely enough, although Purnawarman was diligent in publishing inscriptions, suddenly the publication of inscriptions stopped, and the Taruma kingdom disappeared into the darkness of history. THE COLLAPSE OF TARUMANAGARA At the beginning of the video I mentioned the To-lo-mo kingdom which was recorded as sending envoys to China in the 7th century. Some historians consider To-lo-mo to be Taruma, and that this kingdom lasted until the 7th century. But that's just a guess. It could be that Taruma's sustainability is not as smooth as we think. Judging from Taruma's inscriptions which do not contain Purnawarman's successors, perhaps this kingdom ended with the defeat of the king. It could be that To-lo-mo is a different kingdom, or still descendants of Purnawarman who survived and tried to revive Taruma's greatness. Unfortunately, that attempt failed, because after 669 AD no more envoys were sent to China. Some suspect that the cause was the Srivijaya attack, because at almost the same time, namely in 686 AD, the Kota Kapur Inscription reported the existence of a Srivijaya military expedition to the island of Java. So, it looks like there is a fairly long void in Tarumanagara's history. And, apparently, this is what the author of the Wangsakerta Manuscripts was trying to fill … …by creating the 12 kings of Taruma. In fact, King Purnawarman is still shrouded in mystery, his origins cannot be traced and also when he died. But in that momentary presence, King Purnawarman did what was best for his people. Dredging kilometers of rivers, was certainly not an easy job, in the midst of the limitations of technology at that time. However, King Purnawarman was able to build a prosperous country in a location that was always targeted by floods. A true leader will not let any reason stop him from doing his best. So, come on, let's not only be smart in arranging words, but also prove it with real actions, so that our existence can be a blessing for nature and others in all aspects of our lives.