Gentala Arasy (clock tower and bridge)

Name of the famous clock tower in the City of Jambi.

The below video shows the construction phases of the famous clock tower / bridge combination in the City of Jambi. The construction was started in July 2012 and was completed in Jan. of 2015. Read our previous article about the clock tower with this link, to obtain information on the origin and meaning of “Gentala Arasy.”

Indonesians are very proud of projects like this. It gives them a sense of development and a step up toward a more modern lifestyle.

 

No MacDonalds in Jambi

Are there American Restaurants in Jambi?

McDelivery
This picture was taken in Jambi. The guy on the right is wearing a MacDonalds delivery advertisement. The jacket must have come from the City of Jakarta or Bandung because there are no MacDonald’s restaurants in Jambi. Deliveries by MacDonalds & Pizza Hut in Indonesia are made with motorcycles.

The following American restaurants are present:

⇒A & W Root Beer

⇒Pizza Hut (2 of them)

⇒KFC: Kentucky Fried Chicken (3 of them)

⇒Dunkin Donuts

⇒Black Canyon

There are no MacDonalds or Burger King restaurants.

 

Releasing Chickens (ayam lepas)

Releasing Chickens (or other animals)

[Ayam Lepas]

Ayam Lepas
This is a very old batik pattern we found at the business called Siti Hajir.

After praying at a grave, and receiving the blessing prayed for, it is said that people need to ensure they fulfill any vow they may have made. Some people will release animals before their blessing is received, and some will do it afterwards. If it is a chicken they release, it is referred to as “ayam lepas” (chicken release). Chickens are the most common, but people also release:

• Goats
• Cows
• Water Buffalo
• Geese and Ducks
• Fish are released into rivers.
• Eggs are placed by the graves, specifically eggs from a black chicken.

Sometimes these animals are merely released and other times they are potong(ed), that is, their necks are cut as a sacrifice and the blood is drained into a hole in the ground. The animals are then eaten by the one sacrificing it, and often shared with others in the neighborhood.

Sacred Grave of Panglima Kuning (husband)

The caretaker (juru kunci) of the sacred graves of Panglima Kuning and Panglima Hitam, said that after the people release chickens at the grave, the chickens will wonder around the village like all the other chickens. The “released” chickens will eventually be eaten by him and his family when they need it for a meal.

We were told that people who release chickens at the grave of Orang Kayo Hitam (translated: black rich person) must release a black chicken, in accordance with the name of the person buried there. Some say that by releasing a black chicken you are symbolically and intentionally involving yourself with black magic.

There are no clear methods or directions given on how to pray or offer these sacrifices at graves. Different villages will release animals in different ways.

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Praying at Sacred Graves

Makam Keramat

(sacred graves)

Sacred graves are common in Indonesia, as many people are known to travel to them (bezirarah) and pray for every imaginable desire or need.

Grave of Datuk Paduka Berhala

Here are a few of the things people will pray for at these graves:

• To pass a test in school.
• To cause someone to fall in love with them (love spell).
  • This will make them appear more beautiful to others.
  • This is also done to help them find a marriage partner.
• To receive healing.
• To bless a business.
• To bless land prior to it being cleared and planted.
  • This special prayer is for obtaining permission from spirits that reside in and around this piece of land. The prayer could also be for the purpose of clearing the area of any spirits that would hinder the prosperity of that land.
• Prior to entering into battles with enemies.
• Protection from evil spirits.
• Protection from any type of danger.
• Winning gambling numbers.
  • Some say that when your prayers have evil motives, like to gamble or to hurt others, the evil will come back to haunt you.
  • People at the grave called “Makam Syech Keramat Tinggi,” say that people who’ve prayed for winning gambling numbers, or for other evil purposes, have reported that fierce tigers have rushed out of the brush and attacked them. Others reported that they were attacked by giant centipedes.