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the construction of pesantrens in areas As in pre-Islamic Majapahit, the king the Islamization process of the local Islamic higher knowledge (Van der Chijs A cosmopolitan milieu
that were traditionally designated for of Mataram appointed scholars in communities (Fokkens, 1886: 483; 1864: 218). at the Batavia Harbor.
religious purposes, the so-called Desa particular villages with certain duties Steenbrink 1984: 169). It is thus not surprising that Pesantren For Southeast Asians,
Perdikan, villages under the royal including guarding the royal elites’ Pesantren Tegalsari is a good example. Tegalsari became an important place for being Muslims means
authority that were granted special cemetery, teaching Islam, and organizing Located in what are now called Madiun the teaching of Islam to the political elites to be a member of the
autonomy for religious functions and religious activities in the villages’ and Ponorogo in East Java, Tegalsari and the royal family of Mataram. Raden economic community of
exempted from taxes. Like the “Hindu mosques. In these villages, clerics were was officially founded as a Perdikan Ngabehi Ronggowarsito (1802-1874) is international commerce.
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village” in the pre-Islamic times where authorized to regulate all things related village during the reign of Pakubuwono a fine example in this regard. Born in Source: Atlas Sejarah
religious leaders and astrologists were of the villages’ problems, up to the II (1726 - 1749) of Mataram. The royal Bulawarti, Surakarta, Ronggowarsito Indonesia Masa Islam
responsible for harmonizing the cosmic level where they acted like the owners decree of the Penghulu Ageng in came from the family of Yosodipuro, the (Historical Atlas of
system (Crawford 1820: II, 266), the of the villages only accountable to the Surakarta, Tapsir Anom Adiningrat (on great poet of the Mataram Kingdom in Indonesia’s Islamic
Perdikan Village had a cultural meaning king of Mataram. Perdikan Villages behalf of the King of Mataram) states that Surakarta. His nickname was Bagus Period), 2011.
within the Javanese cultural and political formed religious communities under the King declared Tegalsari a Perdikan Burham and he lived in Surakarta
system. The king’s major concern was the leadership of a religious scholar, village, and he appointed a cleric, until he was 12. He was then sent to
the creation and supervision of the where Islamic regulations were created Yahya, along with two of his brothers, Pesantren Tegalsari to study Islam under
state-system, in which religion played and applied. Pesantrens were initially Kasan Besari and Moekibat, as village the supervision of the famous scholar
the important role of “a vital way for established in these Perdikan Villages. leaders. The royal decree also stated Kasan Besari. Having mastered Islamic
balancing [harmony between macrocosm Fokkens (1886: 478-480) explained the the main tasks of the villages’ leaders knowledge and Javanese esotericism
and microcosm] and therefore should which included creating social order, (kebatinan), Burham returned to Mataram
be included into the government goal” locations of these villages in detail and teach Islam to society and organize in 1819 to become a clerk. After several
(Moertono 1968: 83). 2 he referred to the fact that the teaching
of Islam in pesantren was one of the religious duties, and engage in the years of service during the reign of
1. Perdikan villages (literally “a village exempted settlement of social problems (Fokkens, Pakubuwono VII (1830-58), Burham
from the obligation of paying either taxes or most important aspects of the villages
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tribute”) originated from pre-Islamic times. They social life. Therefore, Perdikan Villages 1886: 489-497). These tasks, especially reached the height of his career when
consist of land granted by the ruler to religious are considered to have contributed to those related to Islamic teachings, later he was appointed chief clerk (panewu
leaders for religious purposes. Perdikan villages evolved into institutionalized teaching sadasa kadipaten anom) in 1826, and
continued to exist during the time of the Islamic mosque rehabilitations within the kingdom, and
kingdom of Mataram with almost the same granting land to religious leaders. See Carey in what is now knows as a pesantren. later was given the title Raden Ngabehi
functions. For further discussions of Perdikan (1980: 170-176). Tegalsari became a famous Pesantren Ronggowarsito III, succeeding his father
villages, see Schrieke (1919: 319-432); Fokkens 3. According to Fokkens, Perdikan villages in Java. A Dutch survey on education in Ronggowarsito II (Simuh 1983: 38-40).
(1886: 477-517) and Steenbrink (1984: 165-172). included desa pakoentjen (villages responsible for
2. Archive sources of the Mataram court in the maintenance of the graves of members of the the archipelago in 1819 mentioned the Ronggowarsito was certainly not the only
Yogyakarta from the 18 century show that royal families and aristocrats) and desa keputihan importance of Madiun and Ponorogo, the poet to have studied in a pesantren. His
th
religious affairs were one of the main interests of (villages in the center of religious communities). location of Pesantren Tegalsari as one grandfather, Yosodipuro I (died 1803),
the Javanese rulers, like the payment of alms by They existed in Java, especially during the
the court to religious groups, support for pilgrims existance of the Kingdom of Mataram and they had of the most important centers of Islamic was reported to have been educated
for their trip from Java to Mecca and back, funding a similar special position as Perdikan villages. teaching, where students came to learn at a Pesantren in Kedu, and it was

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