Behind the natural beauty and serenity of Blitar, there are many mysteries and interesting facts waiting to be uncovered.<\/p>\n
Imagine for a moment, as the sun sets, the majestic silhouette of Penataran Temple is visible in the distance, as if it holds thousands of years of secrets.<\/p>\n
Imagine also, how the charm of Blitar is able to make fall in love not only its inhabitants but also the world community.<\/p>\n
But what exactly makes Blitar so special?<\/p>\n
According to legend, Blitar's name comes from the phrase \"bali dadi latar,\" which means back to being a page.<\/p>\n
This was revealed by Prabu Mahesa Sura when he died in the well he made as a dowry for Dewi Kilaswara.<\/p>\n
History records that Blitar was once ruled by the Tartars from East Asia before finally being controlled by the Majapahit Kingdom.<\/p>\n
The kingdom sent Nilasuwarna to repel the Tartars and gave him the title Adipati Aryo Blitar I.<\/p>\n
Over time, Blitar underwent many changes, including its status as \"gemeente\"<\/em> in 1906 and as Blitar-shi during the Japanese occupation.<\/p>\n The city is also known as the City of Patria because of its role in Indonesian history, especially in relation to the struggle for independence.<\/p>\n It is not surprising that many people, both academics and non-academics, are interested in tracing historical traces from time to time in Blitar.<\/p>\n Leiden University Library through Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde (KITLV) showed its interest in the history and culture of Blitar Regency.<\/p>\n This interest was evidenced by the visit of KITLV Indonesia, based in Jakarta, to the Blitar Regency Culture and Tourism Office (Disbudpar) on Wednesday, 25 January 2023.<\/p>\n The purpose of this visit is to collect literature related to the history and culture of Blitar which will later be stored at the Leiden University Library in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n During the visit, the Head of Blitar District Disbudpar, Suhendro Winarso, provided a number of books related to the culture and history of Blitar District, including the Principal Principles of Culture of Blitar District, Penataran Museum Catalogue, and Kresnayana Festival Anthology.<\/p>\n According to Suhendro, the literature is expected to enrich KITLV's research materials as well as introduce Blitar's history and culture to a wider audience.<\/p>\n Suhendro welcomed the visit, considering it an opportunity to establish cooperation with KITLV in the form of collaborative development of papers such as journals, books, or articles.<\/p>\n As an area that carries the image of \"Blitar Land of Kings\", Blitar is indeed known as a region rich in historical sites, including 12 of the 36 temples in East Java and 20 preserved cultural heritage sites.<\/p>\n Dini Aryani, a representative of the KITLV Jakarta Metadata Staff, said that the purpose of their visit was to collect various library materials about Blitar.<\/p>\n Collections from Disbudpar will be processed into bibliographic data and can be widely accessed through Online Public Access Catalog <\/em>(OPAC) of Leiden University Library.<\/p>\n Dini explained that KITLV Leiden has a major focus on literacy about Southeast Asia in the humanities and social sciences.<\/p>\n However, out of respect for copyright, the physical book will not be digitised but will be stored and archived in the library for direct reading in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n Then Why is Blitar Culture Interesting to Research?<\/strong><\/p>\n Blitar's culture offers many interesting things to research because:<\/p>\n From traditional dances to culinary specialities, every aspect of culture here tells the story of the struggles and diversity of its people.<\/p>\n With the support of institutions like Leiden KITLV, research on Blitar culture can continue to grow, providing new insights into how this heritage can be preserved for future generations.<\/p>\n Through a better understanding of local cultures, we not only honour the heritage of our ancestors but also strengthen our identity as a nation rich in diversity.<\/p>\n\n