Grave Pilgrimage
How can a tomb become a sacred tomb or holy tomb to which it is important to do a pilgrimage?
Ahmad Najib Burhani
One of the religious traditions that strongly lives in Indonesian society is the grave pilgrimage. This is not only done by Muslims but also followers of other religions. This tradition is very visible just before Ramadan, in the month of ruwah in the Javanese calendar, during Idul Fitri and also during Christmas. People gather in a certain place or come to the grave to read the Quran, pray for ancestors, perform tahlil (recitations), while cleaning the tombs and placing flowers on them.
In addition to holidays, some people in Java also make a grave pilgrimage every Friday or when having certain intentions or needs, such as to do well on school exams or before marriage and other life ceremonies. Even though there are some religious groups, both in Islam and Christianity, who do not do visit the graves of family members or even oppose the practice, this tradition carries on, is cared for and develops in other groups of people.