Tenggerese celebrate final day of the Yadnya Kasada Festival

This Friday marks the last day of the Yadnya Kasada Festival -- a Hindu celebration observed by the Tenggerese peoples.

In Indonesia, the Yadnya Kasada Festival lasts about a month. On the fourteenth day, the Tenggerese make the journey to Mount Bromo to make offerings of rice, fruits, vegetables, flowers and livestock to the mountain gods by throwing them into the volcano's center.

The origins of the event emerged in the 15th century after a princess named Roro Anteng started the principality of Tengger with her husband when the couple asked the mountain gods for help in bearing children. Legend says the gods granted them 24 children but only if the 25th was tossed into the volcano as a sacrifice. The 25th child, Kesuma, was finally sacrificed in this way after an initial refusal. The tradition of throwing sacrifices into the caldera to appease the mountain gods continues to this day.

Take a look above at the stunning photos of the event captured by photographer Ulet Ifansasti.


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