ME + PRASASTI TUGU

When i was in 11th grade, my teacher gave us task to have a trip to the national museum. So, me and my class went there together to give it a visit and studied about ancient things in the museum. the museum called national museum  or museum gajah. The museum is very well known among the people of Indonesia, especially Jakarta residents. We call it "Elephant House" or "Elephant Museum" because the front page of the museum there is a bronze elephant statue gift from King Chulalongkorn from Thailand who've been to the museum in 1871. Sometimes also called "ARCA Building" since in the building there are many different types and forms stored statues from different periods of history. 

When I entered the new building of the national museum, I spotted a big rock with unknown language written on it. I was curious so I spent a minute or two trying to get to know better about the rock. It turned out that the rock called Prasasti Tugu. I remembered, I studied about it long time ago in history subject.

This monument inscriptions were first discovered scientifically in 1878 in the village monument, Cilincing, Jakarta (since the 1970s Cilincing into the areas of Jakarta). The monument inscription in 1911 was transferred to the National Museum. Initially used as a monument inscription sacred spectacle and even people who believe in superstition. However, since the read and translated by a Dutch researcher, Prof. H. Kern, a large stone monolith shaped like an egg is laid down as the inscription made ​​in the kingdom Tarumanagara.

Archaeologists said the inscription on the monument made ​​the 5th century BC by a king Tarumanagara, named Purnawarman. Poerbatjaraka outlines Candrabhaga word into two words, namely "Candra" and "Bhaga". The word "Candra" in Sanskrit is the same with the word "Sasi" in the ancient Javanese language.

The text that is written on the monument is:

pura rajadhirajena guruna pinabahuna khata khyatam purim prapya candrabhagarnnavam yayau//pravarddhamane dvavingsad vatsare sri gunau jasa narendradhvajabhutena srimata purnavarmmana// prarabhya phalguna mase khata krsnastami tithau caitra sukla trayodasyam dinais siddhaikavingsakaih ayata satsahasrena dhanusamsasatena ca dvavingsena nadi ramya gomati nirmalodaka// pitamahasya rajarser vvidaryya sibiravanim brahmanair ggo sahasrena prayati krtadaksina//

And the whole text means:

"Formerly named the river which has been excavated by the overlord Candrabhaga noble and who have the toned and strong arms Purnnawarman ie, for running it into the sea, after a time (river channel) is up in the famous royal palace. In year 22 of the throne of His Majesty the King Purnnawarman glittering sparkling because of his ability and his wisdom and become the banner of all the kings, (so now) he was also commissioned to explore times (river channel) are gorgeous and clear watery Gomati name , after a time (the channel of the river) flows across the middle-ground tegah residence of Her Majesty the Reverend Nenekda (King Purnnawarmman). The work began on a good day, the 8th of the dark half-moon Caitra, so it only lasted 21 days, while digging the channel length is 6122 arc. Salvation for him by the Brahmins with 1000 head of cattle are presented "

I was having a good time spending half of the day going to the museum with my classmates. I hope one day the government build a new and a cooler museum than national museum.