Explore WEST Sumatra

The Tambo of Minangkabau mentions that the ancestors of the Minangkabau people came from the descendants of King Alexander The Great (Iskandar Zulkarnain) from Macedonia. He had three children and they sailed to mainland China due to the great flood that hit the earth. The three children have different characters and then fight for the throne of their father’s greatness. As a result of this incompatibility they separated, the first and second children continued their journey to China and Anatolia while the youngest son known as Maharajadhiraja landed on Mount Merapi. At that time the peak of Mount Marapi was still flat in the form of land surrounded by water. Then after the water receded, Maharajadhiraja and his followers descended from Mount Merapi and cleared land in Pariangan. The truth of this Tambo is still questionable because in the existing history of King Alexander only until the expansion to India, and after that the history is not explained later.

The Minangkabau people believe that Pariangan village is the origin of the life of the Minangkabau people hundreds of years ago which is known by the local community as the tip of the Minangkabau nature stalk (tampuk tangkai Alam Minangkabau). At first, the Pariangan village government system was similar to the concept of the polis in an autonomous ancient Greek society. This government concept is known as Nagari. It comes from the Sanskrit “nagarom” which means the land of birth. Nagari has territorial boundaries that are authorized to regulate and manage the interests of the community based on Minangkabau customs.

Furthermore, the concept of the Nagari government was expanded and adopted in other areas in West Sumatra Province until 1981. In 1981 a law was issued to change the government system at the lower level so that the Nagari government was changed to a village government just like other regions in Indonesia. The village government system in Minangkabau lasted for 18 years. After the 1999 regional autonomy law was enacted, the province of West Sumatra once again embraced the Nagari government system.
Pariangan village is located at the foot of Mount Marapi at an altitude of 500-900 meters above sea level with an area of ​​17.97 km2. Pariangan Village is rich in natural tourism and cultural heritage and is rich in historical values. The village, which belongs to the Tanah Datar district, can be reached within 2 hours by road from the city of Padang, the distance from the center of Batusangkar is about 13 kilometers. The road route to the village of Pariangan is winding with a distinctive mountainous contour. Along the way, you will be treated to views of rice fields with terraces, ponds, rivers, trees, and typical Minangkabau Gadang houses. The cool air adds to the calm atmosphere while enjoying the view of the village in this hilly area.
The people of Pariangan depend on rice farming for their livelihood. Most of the Nagari Pariangan area is rice fields. The Great Rice Field Satampang Baniah (Sawah Gadang Satampang Baniah) became the first rice field opened by Datuk Tantajo Garhano as the ancestor of the Minangkabau community which is now a cultural heritage. It is located at the end of the village’s main road. Perhaps only in Pariangan Village, a patch of rice fields can become a heritage site. However, It is proof that Pariangan residents respect historical heritage.

For those of you who are Muslim, you can pray at the Islah mosque which is an old mosque built in the 19th century by Syech Burhanuddin. He was a highly respected Minangkabau cleric. This mosque has a four-story roof in the form of a rectangular pyramid. The mosque building has an architectural style similar to the Dongson building style in Tibet with an area of 16 meters x 24 meters. It is located in the middle of a resident’s village whose houses are mostly made of wood and with a pointed roof model (Minang dialect: gonjong) which is the hallmark of traditional houses in the Minangkabau realm.

Source: Islah mosque in middle resident of Pariangan.Pariangan.Tanah Datar.wikipedia.org.photo

In front of the mosque, there is a hot and cold bath for men called Rangek Tujuah. Here there are seven hot and cold showers whose springs come from Mount Marapi. There are four baths in Pariangan village, including the Rangek Tujuh bathing place. Other bathing places are Rangek Songo and Rangek Gadang which are specifically for men. Meanwhile, Rangek Barang baths are specifically for women.

Source: The Bath of Rangek Pincuran Tujuah.anaknagaripariangan.blogspot.com.Photo

From the Islah mosque, visitors can make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Datuk Tantajo Garhano which is also a historical site in the village area. It is not like a burial place in general but more like a garden which the local community also calls a long grave (Kuburan Panjang) measuring 25.5 meters x 7 meters. The tomb is made of rocks, now overgrown with shady trees on it. Unfortunately, visitors can only see from outside the fence because this cemetery is sacred to residents.

To the west of Pariangan village, you can visit historical sites in the form of inscriptions. The Pariangan Inscription is an inscription dating to the 11th century, which was found on the edge of the Mengkaweh River on the slopes of Mount Marapi. This inscription measures 1.6 meters high, 2.6 meters wide, and 1.6 meters thick; in the form of a type of natural volcanic rock (trace), that is not formed. There are six lines of writing written on this inscription, but what is written has worn out to the point that it cannot be read. The inscription is better known in West Sumatra by the name of the inscribed stone (Batu Basurek) with Pallawa letters in Sanskrit. There is a year number, but only two numbers are read on the front, namely 12. The writing is almost the same as other inscriptions from the time of King Adityawarman.

Source: The Pariangan Inscription.travel.okezone.com.photo

For those of you who want to get beautiful photos with scenic backgrounds, the top of the village can be the place. The top is ideal for a photo spot. The expanse of rice fields, mountains, the exoticism of the Gadang house, and the twisting of the road can be a beautiful shot for your photo lens. It is best to enjoy the top of the village accompanied by Kawa Leaf coffee, which is made from the leaves of the coffee tree. To serve coffee is almost the same as other coffee in general, only served with coconut shells.
In 2016, Travel Budget, a tourism media from New York, chose Pariangan village as the most beautiful village in the world. This choice is determined by many criteria, including the beauty and heritage that are still preserved, and this is the identity and characteristics of West Sumatran culture. Pariangan Village defeated the beauty of Wengen Village (Switzerland), Eze Village (France), Niagara Village (Canada), and also Cesky Krumlov Village (Czech Republic). Since the news was released, more and more tourists have come to visit Pariangan Village.