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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourist destinations in West Sumatra (Sumbar) are quite abundant, including the ones for religious tourism.
Sumbar is one of the popular tourist destinations, such as Jam Gadang in Bukittinggi City, Rajo Basa Palace in Tanah Datar Regency, Lake Singkarak, and the Mentawai Islands which are among the world's best surfing spots.
Not to mention, religious tourism is also a favorite among tourists. It is no wonder that Sumbar is called one of the tourists' paradises.
In addition to natural and cultural tourism, Sumbar is also known for its religious tourism. The strong Islamic culture also influences the existence of religious tourism in the form of mosques. Here are the religious tourist destinations in West Sumatra.
1. Grand Mosque of West Sumatra
The Grand Mosque of West Sumatra is located in the city center, precisely on Jalan Khatib Sulaiman, North Padang District, Padang City. The solidly standing mosque with unique architecture has attracted the attention of many parties. This mosque has won the award for the best architectural building.
In daily life, the Minangkabau community is very close to the values of customs and culture. This is reflected in the architecture of the Grand Mosque, which mimics the roof of the traditional Rumah Gadang (big house).
The mosque, which stands on an area of more than 40,000 square meters, has a spacious, neatly arranged, and clean yard, making it suitable for taking selfies.
2. Ganting Grand Mosque
The Ganting Grand Mosque is located in Ganting Village, Padang City. The front of the mosque exhibits neoclassical architecture. The mosque's area is estimated to be around 30x30 square meters with 25 sokoguru (pillars) and can accommodate up to 4,000 worshipers.
The number of pillars symbolizes the number of prophets and messengers in Islam. The names of the 25 prophets and messengers are carved in Arabic calligraphy, giving artistic and religious value to the mosque building.
The Ganting Grand Mosque, which was built in the 19th century, has a rich and important history in the context of the culture and struggle of the people of West Sumatra. According to the book "Padang Riwayatmu Dulu" (Padang,Your Past History) by Rusli Amran, the Ganting Grand Mosque was built in 1866, making it the oldest mosque in Padang City.
The Ganting Grand Mosque was designated as one of the cultural heritages in Padang City. This is evidenced by the Decree of the Mayor of Padang Number 25 of 1998 concerning Cultural Heritage. The mosque is also one of the historical evidence of the struggle of the people of West Sumatra in gaining independence for Indonesia. Since its construction, the mosque has been renovated twice, in 1970 and 2007.
3. Al - Hakim Mosque
The Al Hakim Mosque stands majestically on the edge of the beach in Padang City. The mosque is white with gold accents on the inside. Its location near the beach makes this mosque a busy place for visitors every day.
There are cleanliness officers ready to maintain the mosque's cleanliness. Thus, visitors can comfortably worship in this place. As evening approaches, the terrace of the mosque is often crowded with people who want to witness the sunset over the sea of Padang. It is also easy to find food here, as there are many vendors selling various snacks, sugarcane juice, and traditional dishes.
4. Muhammadan Mosque
The Muhammadan Mosque is located at Jalan Pasar Batipuh No. 19, South Padang, Padang City. The mosque is located in the midst of a densely populated area. At first glance, there is nothing special about this mosque, but after learning its history, it turns out that this mosque was built by three Muslims from India.
The mosque, which witnessed the silent spread of Islam in Padang City, is estimated to be 3 centuries old, or was built around the years 1700-1800 AD. In addition, there is a story circulating that initially, the construction of this mosque did not use cement as a wall binder, but instead used egg whites mixed with limestone.
5. Lubuk Bauk Surau
The Lubuk Bauk Surau (A surau is an Islamic assembly building) located in Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra, tells an invaluable cultural story. This is where the great scholar and Minangkabau statesman, Buya Hamka, studied and sought knowledge of Islam during his childhood. Due to its historical value, this surau has been designated as a cultural heritage by the local tourism office. The Lubuk Bauk Surau, which has 3 levels of roofs with 2 roofs in the shape of a pyramid and one roof resembling the roof of the Rumah Gadang as the characteristic of Minangkabau traditional houses.
6. Gadang Syekh Burhanuddin Surau
Gadang Syekh Burhanuddin Surau is named after one of its founders, Syekh Burhanuddin. This surau is known as the oldest surau in West Sumatra. The surau is located in Taluak Nibung Tanjung Medan, Sandi Ulakan Village, Ulakan Tapakis District, Padang Pariaman Regency.Bustami Tuanku Khatib Majolelo, the trustee of this grand surau, stated that Surau Gadang was built by Syekh Burhanuddin in 1680. The building, mostly made of wood, was renovated after an earthquake in 2007.Those are some of the mosques that can be recommended for religious tourism, offering various unique features with high cultural and historical values.
7. Sukarno's Resting Place during the Japanese Era
Vice Chair of the Minangkabau Cultural Foundation, Hasril Chaniago, said that when Sukarno and Fatmawati were exiled by the Dutch in Bengkulu, the Japanese landed in Sumatra in 1942. The Dutch then took Sukarno and his entourage to Painan, and they were picked up by the Hizbul Wathan (HW) warriors using a cart pulled by a cow.
The HW entourage that picked up Sukarno was led by Dahlan Datuk Junjungan, who was the father of the Indonesian Minister of Information in 1998, Muhammad Alwi Dahlan. "I got this story directly from Mr. Alwi Dahlan," said Hasril to Tempo last week.
According to Hasril, there are many versions regarding Sukarno's residence in Padang. Some say that Sukarno lived for a long time in the house of Waworuntu, a Dutch veterinarian. "There are many versions, some say at the Waworuntu's house, and some also at Egon Hakim's house," he said.
Fachri Hamzah, Kakak Indra Purnama, and Tiara Juwita contributed for this article.
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