Photos: Thousands climb Indonesian volcano for ritual sacrifice

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Photos: Thousands climb Indonesian volcano for ritual sacrifice

Worshippers hope of pleasing ancestors and bringing prosperity to their communities

Published: June 28, 2021 16:17 AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — Probolinggo: Thousands of worshippers trudged up an active Indonesian volcano Saturday to cast livestock and other offerings down its smouldering crater in a centuries-old religious ceremony. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — Every year people from the Tengger tribe gather from the surrounding highlands to throw fruit, vegetables, flowers and even livestock such as goats and chickens into Mount Bromo's crater as part of the Yadnya Kasada festival. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — A long line of worshippers, some with goats slung across their backs, made their way to the top in the hopes of pleasing ancestors and Hindu gods - and bringing prosperity to their communities. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — Another worshipper, Wantoko, carried his own crops in the hopes that casting them into the volcano would bring good luck. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — Standing on the crater's steep slopes, other villagers - who are not members of the Tengger tribe - try to catch the offerings using nets and sarongs before they disappear into the billowing smoke. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — This is not technically part of the ritual but reflects local frugal urges not to waste the offerings. The ritual marked the second Yadnya Kasada festival since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indonesia. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — "It can't be held in another place or be done virtually," said Bambang Suprapto, head of the area's Hindu community association. "But organisers applied strict health protocols and they've been tested for the virus so we can protect everyone who attended." Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — The month-long festival dates back to the 15th-century legends of the Javanese Hindu Majapahit kingdom's princess and her husband. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — Unable to bear children after years of marriage, the couple begged the gods for help. Their prayers were answered and they were promised 25 children, as long as they agreed to sacrifice their youngest child by throwing him into Mount Bromo. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — Legend has it this son willingly jumped into the volcano to guarantee the prosperity of the Tengger people. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — The sacrifice tradition continues to this day - though the Tengger sacrifice their harvest and farm animals instead of humans. Image Credit: AFP

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Ritual sacrifice gallery — People try to catch offerings thrown by Tengger tribe people. Image Credit: AFP

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