Batanghari River water overflowed parts of the Muaro Jambi National Cultural Heritage Area (KCBN). However, a number of visitors actually seemed to enjoy the conditions by going around by canoe in the area which is a legacy of the Sriwijaya Kingdom. Occasionally they stop to eat snacks offered by sellers like transactions on a floating market.
KCBN Muaro Jambi is located on an area of 3,981 hectares. In this historic place there are nine temples and some of them have been restored, namely Astano Temple, Kembarbatu Temple, Tinggi Temple, Tinggi I Temple, Gumpung Temple, Gumpung I Temple, Gedong I Temple, Gedong II Temple, and Kedaton Temple.
Based on research, the existence of several temple buildings with different shapes in this complex is a sign that the temple complex is not just a temple complex used as a place of worship. However, the Muaro Jambi Temple Complex was the center of Buddhist civilization in the 7th century.
This is proven by existing findings, such as the statues of Dwarapala (door guard), Gadjasimha (elephant with the body of a lion), Umpak Batu, Lumpang Batu, and Prajnaparamita as the embodiment of the goddess of perfection and wisdom which is often found in Buddhist temples.
Not only that, the discovery of evidence of the visit of a number of monks from Bhutan, Nepal and several other countries to worship at this place some time ago further confirms that the Muaro Jambi Temple Complex was truly the center of Buddhist civilization in the past.
Head of the Cultural Preservation Center (BPK) Region V Jambi, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) Agus Widiatmoko, said that the monks had their own manuscripts and legends about how Buddhist civilization was in the past, one of which developed in the temple complex.
The naming of Kedaton Temple is not a name given by people today. The name of the temple comes from the narrative of local community figures obtained from their ancestors. Thus, the name Kedaton has been known by the local community for generations..
Not only architecture, several histories also mention that the typical Betawi culinary delights that use pucung or keluak fruit, called Gabus Pucung, were a type of culinary delight brought by people from Sriwijaya who lived on the banks of the Batanghari River to the Jakarta area at that time. This culinary dish was then modified into meat-based rawon by people who moved to the East Java region.
Revitalization
KCBN Muaro Jambi is now one of the government's main focuses for revitalization and preservation. This area has been designated as a national cultural heritage based on the decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia Number 259/M/2013.
The revitalization of KCBN Muaro Jambi is a follow-up step to Law Number 5 of 2017 concerning the Advancement of Culture. In this law, there are two things aimed at, namely related to cultural resilience and the contribution of Indonesian culture amidst world civilization.
In 2022, the Muaro Jambi KCBN Revitalization Program will be carried out which includes restoration, normalization of surrounding ditches, and environmental planning.
Meanwhile, in 2024, there will be construction of a museum, restoration of Kotomahligai Temple and Paritduku Temple, planning for the restoration of Sialang Temple and Alun-Alun Temple. Apart from that, environmental arrangements for Kotomahligai Temple, Kedaton Temple, Gedong Temple and Astano Temple, as well as normalizing ditches and ponds with a budget of no less than IDR 600 billion.
Involving the local community is also one of the focuses in revitalizing the area. One of the efforts made by the Ministry of Education and Culture is to provide entrepreneurship training to be implemented at the Dusun Karet (Paduka) Market, which is located in the Muaro Jambi KCBN Complex, as a replacement for unplanned community businesses in the area.
The community was also invited to get around the floods that inundated the area when the Batanghari River overflowed, by renting out canoes, and involving them in creating a floating market selling snacks based on local wisdom.
Local communities are also involved in fruit management, starting from the maintenance process, harvesting, to buying and selling and auctioning fruit from the Muaro Jambi KCBN area. These efforts are currently capable of generating Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) of up to IDR 600 million.
The Ministry of Education and Culture will also invite a number of people to conduct studies in Vietnam, to learn how people on the banks of the Mekong River can preserve culture while exploiting its economic value.
KCBN Muaro Jambi conservation does not only focus on cultural heritage, but also develops nature and environmental protection, because the local wisdom of the archipelago is never separated from what nature provides for the use of the ancestors.
It is hoped that KCBN Muaro Jambi can return to being a center of civilization, a center for learning the history of the archipelago and contributing to preserving Indonesia's nature in the future.
