Concept

Parahyangan

Summary
Parahyangan (ᮕᮛᮠᮡᮀ​​ᮠᮔ᮪; Dutch: Preanger) or Priangan is a cultural and mountainous region in West Java province on the Indonesian island of Java. Covering a little less than one sixth of Java, it is the heartland of Sundanese people and their culture. It is bordered to the West by Banten province, to the North by the northern coast region of Subang, Cirebon and Indramayu (former residencies of Batavia and Cheribon), to the east by Central Java province (former residencies of Banyumas and Pekalongan), and to the south by the Indian Ocean. The name "Parahyangan" has its origins from Sundanese words that mean "the abode of hyangs (gods)". Parahyangan is a mountainous region, and ancient Indonesians believed that the gods resided in the mountain tops. A Sundanese legend of Sangkuriang contains the memory of the prehistoric ancient lake in Bandung basin highland, which suggests that the Sundanese had already inhabited the region since the Stone Age era. Another popular Sundanese proverb and legend mentioned about the creation of Parahyangan highlands is: "When the hyangs (gods) were smiling, the land of Parahyangan was created". The train serving Jakarta and Bandung was called Kereta Api Parahyangan (the Parahyangan train). Since April 2010, it is merged with Argo Gede to become Argo Parahyangan. The region has been home for early human since the prehistoric era (at least since 9,500 BCE). There have been some prehistoric archaeological findings of early human settlements, in Pawon cave in Padalarang karst area, West of Bandung, and around the old lake of Bandung. The ruins of Bojongmenje temple was discovered in Rancaekek area, Bandung Regency, east of Bandung. The temple is estimated to be dated from early 7th century CE, around the same period — or even earlier than Dieng temples of Central Java. The oldest written historical reference to the Parahyangan region dates back to circa 14th century, found in Cikapundung inscription, where the region was one of the settlements within the Kingdom of Pajajaran.
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