A travel piece on the sights at Trowulan, the site of the former Majapahit kingdom in East Java.
Tracing the glory of Majapahit
Jakarta Post, 09 April 2013
The Majapahit kingdom is believed to be the largest pre-independence kingdom in the archipelago.
Even after more than 700 years, vestiges of the kingdom’s heyday can still be seen in Trowulan district in Mojokerto, East Java, where the kingdom had its center.
If it was not for Gajah Mada, a powerful military leader and mahapatih (prime minister), the kingdom might not have reached its peak of glory.
One day in the 13th century, the general, during his appointment as mahapatih under the rule of Queen Tribhuwana Wijayotunggadewi, vowed not to taste any spices until he had conquered all of the Southeast Asian archipelago, known as Nusantara, for the empire. The oath is popularly known as the Sumpah Palapa (Palapa Oath).
Full story here.
