Tangkuban Perahu is an active volcano at 6.77S, 107.60E which is 30 km north of the city of Bandung, the provincial capital of West Java, Indonesia. It is a popular tourist attraction where tourists can hike or ride to the edge of the crater to view the hot water springs upclose, and buy eggs cooked on its hot surface. It is 2084 meters tall, or 6836 feet. This stratovolcano is on the island of Java and last erupted in 1983.

In April 2005 the Directorate of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation raised an alert, forbidding visitors from going up the volcano. "Sensors on the slopes of the two mountains - Anak Krakatoa on the southern tip of Sumatra Island and Tangkuban Perahu in Java - picked up an increase in volcanic activity and a build up of gases, said government volcanologist Syamsul Rizal." [1]

History

The name translates roughly to "fell place of (a) boat" in Sundanese, referring to the local legend of its creation. The story tells of "Dayang Sumbi", a beauty who lived in West Java. She cast away her son "Sangkuriang" for disobedience, and in her sadness was granted the power of eternal youth by the gods. After many years in exile, Sangkuriang decided to return to his home, long after the two had forgotten and failed to recognize each other. Sangkuriang fell in love with Dayang Sumbi and planned to marry her, only for Dayang Sumbi to recognize his birthmark just as he was about to go hunting.

In order to prevent the marriage from taking place, Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang to (1) build a dam on the river Citarum, and to (2) build a large boat to cross the river, both of which has to be competed before the sunrise. Sangkuriang meditated and summoned mythical creatures to do his bidding. Dayang Sumbi saw that the tasks were almost completed and called on her workers to spread red silk cloths east of the city, to give the impression of impending sunrise. Sangkuriang was fooled, and upon believing that he had failed, kicked the dam and the boat in construction, resulting in severe flooding and the creation of Tangkuban Perahu from the hull of the boat.

See also

• Talang

External links and references

• April 14, 2005 News "Mount Tangkuban Perahu in West Java is becoming more active, prompting the Directorate of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation on Wednesday to raise an alert, forbidding visitors from going up the volcano."
• edu site "Tangkubanparahu is an active stratovolcano within the Sunda Caldera, west Java. Tangkubanparahu has erupted about seventeen times since 1826. The city of Bandung, population 1.6 million, is 18 miles (30 km) south of the volcano. This photograph shows Ratu fumarole field and crater. The most recent activity at this vent was a small phreatic eruption in 1983. Photograph by John Dvorak, U.S. Geological Survey, March 16, 1982."