A temple in the sand
Alone at the volcano's foot.
Stegop — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jakub Hałun — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ken Marshall — CC BY 2.0 · Christophe95 — CC BY-SA 4.0
A Hindu temple of the Tengger people standing alone in the sea of sand at the foot of Bromo, with dark stone walls and tiered Balinese-style gateways, striking against the volcano and the caldera walls. It is the holiest place of the Tengger, who have kept their own Hindu faith in the mountains of East Java for centuries. Each year the Yadnya Kasada festival starts here, as the Tengger gather at night to pray, then climb at dawn to the crater rim and throw in offerings of vegetables, fruit and chickens, while some young men stand on the slope to catch them. The festival draws thousands of visitors. The temple is seen and photographed from outside within the park ticket; entry to the inner courtyards is usually for worshippers only, so respect that. It lies on the way from the sand to the Bromo stairs, so it takes only minutes. If Kasada falls during your trip, book early, as the area gets very crowded.
Alone at the volcano's foot.
A faith kept for centuries.
Offerings thrown into the crater.
The sea of sand at the foot of Mount Bromo
It falls in the twelfth month of the Tengger calendar, so the date moves each year, usually between June and August. Check the date before travelling.
