Gift of water: A kendi sits by the front door of Djaja Laksana’s house in Surabaya. “It’s only water,” Djaja says, “but it may be useful for anyone who needs it.” (JP/ Djoko Pitono Hadiputro)
"Oh, yes. People still drink water from it," Imanadi said. "Becak drivers, school students around here. I myself often drink water from the kendi. Almost everyday someone who works for Pak Djaja Laksana refills the kendi."
Also confirming it was the action of a trader. As he passed the house he walked, without hesitation, to get the kendi and drank freely, stopping to speak of his appreciation for the gift.
The gift is from Djaja Laksana, the owner of No. 55, who said it began with the kerja bakti (community working bees) often held in the kampung not far from his house. For such occasions, he usually prepared snacks and drinking water.
This reminded him of the kendi tradition, so he asked a member of his domestic staff to buy the earthenware pot. Realizing its usefulness, Djaja made the kendi a permanent fixture outside his house.
"I have been putting the kendi there for more than 25 years," Djaja said. "It's for no other purpose except to give free drinking water to the public. It's only water, but it may be useful for anyone who needs it."
According to one of his neighbors, Djaja Laksana, a successful entrepreneur, is known for his philanthropic works and readily helps others. He is also known for his efforts in trying to deal with the mudflow problems in Porong, Sidoarjo, by pioneering the use of the Bernoulli Theory of the movement of fluids to stop the mudflow.
The earthenware pots also stand outside the official residence of the CEO of PT Semen Gresik Tbk, Dwi Soetjipto, in Gresik. In contrast to the kendi outside Djaja's house, the two kendi outside Soetjipto's house have a permanent "house" of their own made from iron.
"Pak Dwi Soetjipto himself asked his family to put the kendi in front of his house. There was no kendi before he moved to the house," said Bambang Subroto, a former public relations officer at PT Semen Gresik who lives in the same street.
Bambang said that some years ago, several of his neighbors also put kendi in front of their houses.
"Not anymore. Now it's only Pak Dwi Soetjipto who has them there," he said. "There are always workers who check the drinking water and refill the kendi."
Putting a kendi or two in front of the house is an old tradition in many cities across the country, as senior citizens may attest. Budi Darma, a professor in literature at Surabaya State University, said he still remembers when his parents put kendi in front of the house.
"I lived in Kudus in the 40s, around 1945," said the famous writer of his childhood. "Not only my parents but many people had kendi in front of their houses, especially in the dry season and where people usually travel on foot."
Budi noted that until the 1960s and 1970s, people in many cities maintained the tradition. "There is also a tradition in Myanmar," he added. "Some years ago I read a Myanmar short story that mentioned the practice."
Offering free drinking water outside the house or in public places was an ancient Hindu tradition in India, which can be traced back thousands of years, but has now almost disappeared. In Sanskrit, the free public water stands are called piyaos, and the small huts are called jal mandir (water temples).
In her book Water War: Privatization, Pollution and Profit, Indian philosopher and scientist Vandana Shiva exposes the erosion of communal water rights in her own country and explains why the tradition of giving free water has gone.
According to Shiva, there was a clash between two cultures: a culture that sees water as sacred and treats its provision as a duty for the preservation of life and another that sees water as a commodity, and its ownership and trade as a fundamental corporate right.
She argues that the culture of commodification is at war with a diverse culture of sharing, of receiving and giving water as a free gift. Similarly, the non-sustainable, non-renewable and polluting plastic culture is at war with civilization based on soil and mud and the cultures of renewal and rejuvenation.
Dr Ayu Sutarto, a culture expert from Jember State University, said the fact that the piyaos tradition has existed for hundreds of years in the Islamic era is interesting.
"You may say that is only water. But imagine the impact of the tradition for people who travel on foot," Ayu Sutarto said.
Ayu also notes that the disappearance of the piyaos can be explained by the development of the public transportation system and plastic packaging: Much fewer people travel on foot and there are no longer any difficulties in carrying drinking water.
"But anyway, we must realize that people now tend to be selfish, and care less about other people," he said.
Setya Yuwana Sudikan, a sociology professor from Surabaya State University, sees another tendency in the piyaos tradition, namely that vandalism has made people afraid to drink water from kendi kept in public areas.
"The tradition is a very good one, but some people may put something dangerous in the kendi," he said.
Even in Bali, which has a majority Hindu population, the piyaos tradition has gone.
"I have never seen it in Bali. And the thing is, I know that piyaos is a Hindu tradition," said Djaja Laksana, who was born in Singaraja, Bali.
Nyoman Sudapet, a marketing manager for Bali Post in Surabaya, also noted the lack of piyaos in Bali.
The writer, who has traveled to many cities in the East and Central Java, has come across only a few piyaos, even though many people said they remember seeing them when they were children, noting that kendi were still put outside houses from 1960 to 1980.
But in a village not far from Mojokerto, a piyaos was seen in front of the house of Haji Machrus, who said he had put the piyaos there for years as a tradition kept by his parents.
"I did not know that is a Hindu tradition," Machrus said. "I just kept it because my mother told me to do it, offering the drinking water to people who may need it."
In Surabaya, piyaos are in front of the gate of the Bungurasih Bus Terminal, but they do not hold any water. A becak driver there said that he used to drink water from the kendi, but not now.
For Sri Haryanti, who works at the Health Ministry, piyaos is part of her adult life; she keeps a kendi outside her house in Surabaya. She said that when she went to Mecca for the haj in 1997, she noticed that many people were offering free drinking water to passersby.
"I remember when I was a child my mother always put kendi outside our house, giving drinking water to people," she said. "So I continue the good tradition." [rc]
Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post
September 19, 2009
INDONESIA: Senior citizens say kendi in front of the house helps serve thirsty folks
.
JAKARTA, Indonesia / The Jakarta Post / Lifestyle / September 19, 2009
Water water all around
By Djoko Pitono Hadiputro, Contributor, Surabaya
The house at No. 55 Jalan Pucang Jajar in Surabaya is rather different to the others in the neighborhood. It is marked not only by its size and superior design, but also by the earthenware pot - or kendi - that stands by the gate.
On a hot afternoon in early August, under a bright sun, an old man came out of the gate, collected the kendi and entered the house. A moment later, having refilled the kendi with drinking water, he returned and replaced it in its spot.
The kendi - providing free drinking water to those who need it - is a simple traditional practice that dates back thousands of years. And, as confirmed by Imanadi, the security guard working at No. 55, it is a practice still in place, here at least.
Gift of water: A kendi sits by the front door of Djaja Laksana’s house in Surabaya. “It’s only water,” Djaja says, “but it may be useful for anyone who needs it.” (JP/ Djoko Pitono Hadiputro)
"Oh, yes. People still drink water from it," Imanadi said. "Becak drivers, school students around here. I myself often drink water from the kendi. Almost everyday someone who works for Pak Djaja Laksana refills the kendi."
Also confirming it was the action of a trader. As he passed the house he walked, without hesitation, to get the kendi and drank freely, stopping to speak of his appreciation for the gift.
The gift is from Djaja Laksana, the owner of No. 55, who said it began with the kerja bakti (community working bees) often held in the kampung not far from his house. For such occasions, he usually prepared snacks and drinking water.
This reminded him of the kendi tradition, so he asked a member of his domestic staff to buy the earthenware pot. Realizing its usefulness, Djaja made the kendi a permanent fixture outside his house.
"I have been putting the kendi there for more than 25 years," Djaja said. "It's for no other purpose except to give free drinking water to the public. It's only water, but it may be useful for anyone who needs it."
According to one of his neighbors, Djaja Laksana, a successful entrepreneur, is known for his philanthropic works and readily helps others. He is also known for his efforts in trying to deal with the mudflow problems in Porong, Sidoarjo, by pioneering the use of the Bernoulli Theory of the movement of fluids to stop the mudflow.
The earthenware pots also stand outside the official residence of the CEO of PT Semen Gresik Tbk, Dwi Soetjipto, in Gresik. In contrast to the kendi outside Djaja's house, the two kendi outside Soetjipto's house have a permanent "house" of their own made from iron.
"Pak Dwi Soetjipto himself asked his family to put the kendi in front of his house. There was no kendi before he moved to the house," said Bambang Subroto, a former public relations officer at PT Semen Gresik who lives in the same street.
Bambang said that some years ago, several of his neighbors also put kendi in front of their houses.
"Not anymore. Now it's only Pak Dwi Soetjipto who has them there," he said. "There are always workers who check the drinking water and refill the kendi."
Putting a kendi or two in front of the house is an old tradition in many cities across the country, as senior citizens may attest. Budi Darma, a professor in literature at Surabaya State University, said he still remembers when his parents put kendi in front of the house.
"I lived in Kudus in the 40s, around 1945," said the famous writer of his childhood. "Not only my parents but many people had kendi in front of their houses, especially in the dry season and where people usually travel on foot."
Budi noted that until the 1960s and 1970s, people in many cities maintained the tradition. "There is also a tradition in Myanmar," he added. "Some years ago I read a Myanmar short story that mentioned the practice."
Offering free drinking water outside the house or in public places was an ancient Hindu tradition in India, which can be traced back thousands of years, but has now almost disappeared. In Sanskrit, the free public water stands are called piyaos, and the small huts are called jal mandir (water temples).
In her book Water War: Privatization, Pollution and Profit, Indian philosopher and scientist Vandana Shiva exposes the erosion of communal water rights in her own country and explains why the tradition of giving free water has gone.
According to Shiva, there was a clash between two cultures: a culture that sees water as sacred and treats its provision as a duty for the preservation of life and another that sees water as a commodity, and its ownership and trade as a fundamental corporate right.
She argues that the culture of commodification is at war with a diverse culture of sharing, of receiving and giving water as a free gift. Similarly, the non-sustainable, non-renewable and polluting plastic culture is at war with civilization based on soil and mud and the cultures of renewal and rejuvenation.
Dr Ayu Sutarto, a culture expert from Jember State University, said the fact that the piyaos tradition has existed for hundreds of years in the Islamic era is interesting.
"You may say that is only water. But imagine the impact of the tradition for people who travel on foot," Ayu Sutarto said.
Ayu also notes that the disappearance of the piyaos can be explained by the development of the public transportation system and plastic packaging: Much fewer people travel on foot and there are no longer any difficulties in carrying drinking water.
"But anyway, we must realize that people now tend to be selfish, and care less about other people," he said.
Setya Yuwana Sudikan, a sociology professor from Surabaya State University, sees another tendency in the piyaos tradition, namely that vandalism has made people afraid to drink water from kendi kept in public areas.
"The tradition is a very good one, but some people may put something dangerous in the kendi," he said.
Even in Bali, which has a majority Hindu population, the piyaos tradition has gone.
"I have never seen it in Bali. And the thing is, I know that piyaos is a Hindu tradition," said Djaja Laksana, who was born in Singaraja, Bali.
Nyoman Sudapet, a marketing manager for Bali Post in Surabaya, also noted the lack of piyaos in Bali.
The writer, who has traveled to many cities in the East and Central Java, has come across only a few piyaos, even though many people said they remember seeing them when they were children, noting that kendi were still put outside houses from 1960 to 1980.
But in a village not far from Mojokerto, a piyaos was seen in front of the house of Haji Machrus, who said he had put the piyaos there for years as a tradition kept by his parents.
"I did not know that is a Hindu tradition," Machrus said. "I just kept it because my mother told me to do it, offering the drinking water to people who may need it."
In Surabaya, piyaos are in front of the gate of the Bungurasih Bus Terminal, but they do not hold any water. A becak driver there said that he used to drink water from the kendi, but not now.
For Sri Haryanti, who works at the Health Ministry, piyaos is part of her adult life; she keeps a kendi outside her house in Surabaya. She said that when she went to Mecca for the haj in 1997, she noticed that many people were offering free drinking water to passersby.
"I remember when I was a child my mother always put kendi outside our house, giving drinking water to people," she said. "So I continue the good tradition." [rc]
Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post
Gift of water: A kendi sits by the front door of Djaja Laksana’s house in Surabaya. “It’s only water,” Djaja says, “but it may be useful for anyone who needs it.” (JP/ Djoko Pitono Hadiputro)
"Oh, yes. People still drink water from it," Imanadi said. "Becak drivers, school students around here. I myself often drink water from the kendi. Almost everyday someone who works for Pak Djaja Laksana refills the kendi."
Also confirming it was the action of a trader. As he passed the house he walked, without hesitation, to get the kendi and drank freely, stopping to speak of his appreciation for the gift.
The gift is from Djaja Laksana, the owner of No. 55, who said it began with the kerja bakti (community working bees) often held in the kampung not far from his house. For such occasions, he usually prepared snacks and drinking water.
This reminded him of the kendi tradition, so he asked a member of his domestic staff to buy the earthenware pot. Realizing its usefulness, Djaja made the kendi a permanent fixture outside his house.
"I have been putting the kendi there for more than 25 years," Djaja said. "It's for no other purpose except to give free drinking water to the public. It's only water, but it may be useful for anyone who needs it."
According to one of his neighbors, Djaja Laksana, a successful entrepreneur, is known for his philanthropic works and readily helps others. He is also known for his efforts in trying to deal with the mudflow problems in Porong, Sidoarjo, by pioneering the use of the Bernoulli Theory of the movement of fluids to stop the mudflow.
The earthenware pots also stand outside the official residence of the CEO of PT Semen Gresik Tbk, Dwi Soetjipto, in Gresik. In contrast to the kendi outside Djaja's house, the two kendi outside Soetjipto's house have a permanent "house" of their own made from iron.
"Pak Dwi Soetjipto himself asked his family to put the kendi in front of his house. There was no kendi before he moved to the house," said Bambang Subroto, a former public relations officer at PT Semen Gresik who lives in the same street.
Bambang said that some years ago, several of his neighbors also put kendi in front of their houses.
"Not anymore. Now it's only Pak Dwi Soetjipto who has them there," he said. "There are always workers who check the drinking water and refill the kendi."
Putting a kendi or two in front of the house is an old tradition in many cities across the country, as senior citizens may attest. Budi Darma, a professor in literature at Surabaya State University, said he still remembers when his parents put kendi in front of the house.
"I lived in Kudus in the 40s, around 1945," said the famous writer of his childhood. "Not only my parents but many people had kendi in front of their houses, especially in the dry season and where people usually travel on foot."
Budi noted that until the 1960s and 1970s, people in many cities maintained the tradition. "There is also a tradition in Myanmar," he added. "Some years ago I read a Myanmar short story that mentioned the practice."
Offering free drinking water outside the house or in public places was an ancient Hindu tradition in India, which can be traced back thousands of years, but has now almost disappeared. In Sanskrit, the free public water stands are called piyaos, and the small huts are called jal mandir (water temples).
In her book Water War: Privatization, Pollution and Profit, Indian philosopher and scientist Vandana Shiva exposes the erosion of communal water rights in her own country and explains why the tradition of giving free water has gone.
According to Shiva, there was a clash between two cultures: a culture that sees water as sacred and treats its provision as a duty for the preservation of life and another that sees water as a commodity, and its ownership and trade as a fundamental corporate right.
She argues that the culture of commodification is at war with a diverse culture of sharing, of receiving and giving water as a free gift. Similarly, the non-sustainable, non-renewable and polluting plastic culture is at war with civilization based on soil and mud and the cultures of renewal and rejuvenation.
Dr Ayu Sutarto, a culture expert from Jember State University, said the fact that the piyaos tradition has existed for hundreds of years in the Islamic era is interesting.
"You may say that is only water. But imagine the impact of the tradition for people who travel on foot," Ayu Sutarto said.
Ayu also notes that the disappearance of the piyaos can be explained by the development of the public transportation system and plastic packaging: Much fewer people travel on foot and there are no longer any difficulties in carrying drinking water.
"But anyway, we must realize that people now tend to be selfish, and care less about other people," he said.
Setya Yuwana Sudikan, a sociology professor from Surabaya State University, sees another tendency in the piyaos tradition, namely that vandalism has made people afraid to drink water from kendi kept in public areas.
"The tradition is a very good one, but some people may put something dangerous in the kendi," he said.
Even in Bali, which has a majority Hindu population, the piyaos tradition has gone.
"I have never seen it in Bali. And the thing is, I know that piyaos is a Hindu tradition," said Djaja Laksana, who was born in Singaraja, Bali.
Nyoman Sudapet, a marketing manager for Bali Post in Surabaya, also noted the lack of piyaos in Bali.
The writer, who has traveled to many cities in the East and Central Java, has come across only a few piyaos, even though many people said they remember seeing them when they were children, noting that kendi were still put outside houses from 1960 to 1980.
But in a village not far from Mojokerto, a piyaos was seen in front of the house of Haji Machrus, who said he had put the piyaos there for years as a tradition kept by his parents.
"I did not know that is a Hindu tradition," Machrus said. "I just kept it because my mother told me to do it, offering the drinking water to people who may need it."
In Surabaya, piyaos are in front of the gate of the Bungurasih Bus Terminal, but they do not hold any water. A becak driver there said that he used to drink water from the kendi, but not now.
For Sri Haryanti, who works at the Health Ministry, piyaos is part of her adult life; she keeps a kendi outside her house in Surabaya. She said that when she went to Mecca for the haj in 1997, she noticed that many people were offering free drinking water to passersby.
"I remember when I was a child my mother always put kendi outside our house, giving drinking water to people," she said. "So I continue the good tradition." [rc]
Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post
