As we wander through the northern coastal areas of Java Island, we encounter various unique cultures of the Northern Coast (Pantura), one of which happens to be Pati Regency in Central Java. Pati is renowned for being known as the “City of Thousand Shamans”. From this nickname, many unique aspects have emerged, ranging from ketoprak (a typical Pantura culture similar to wayang wong), traditional dances like tayub and dangdut koplo, to the uniqueness of its people.
Accompanying Pati’s developmental history is the tale of a figure known as Saridin or Syekh Jangkung. The story of this figure, also mentioned in the Babad Tanah Jawa, dates back to the 16th century. There are many intriguing aspects to delve into regarding Saridin’s story.
According to the narratives of Tutur Tinular, Saridin is mentioned as the son of one of the Wali Songo, namely Sunan Muria (from his wife, Dewi Samaran). Thus, his life is within the same scope as the famous saints of Java. However, Saridin had a different position at that time. He could be categorized as a “marginal saint”, whose supernatural abilities surpassed the normal reasoning of the saints of that era: living against the current and beyond the norms.
Legend has it that when Saridin was still a toddler, he was thrown into a river (this event marked the beginning of his unconventional habits), raising skepticism about whether Saridin was truly the offspring of Sunan Muria and Dewi Samaran. Although the credibility of this data needs further clarification, this prelude has become a popular motif in the ketoprak stories of the Pati region.
Despite the relative truthfulness of these stories, along a long journey, a figure named Branjung from Miyono Village emerged, who saved and raised baby Saridin until he grew up, considering him as a brother. Adult Saridin was thirsty for knowledge, leading him to a life of adventure. Saridin eventually met his true mentor, Syeh Malaya, who was none other than Sunan Kalijaga. Returning to Miyono, Saridin married a woman known in the community as ‘Mbok’e Momok’ (Mother of Momok), as they had a son named Momok.
The story of Saridin’s life is filled with symbolism and philosophical values. This cannot be simply accepted at face value but requires interpretation in each narrative. The polemic began with a moment between Saridin and Branjung, who had to divide the inheritance of a durian tree that was flourishing and heavily fruiting. The division resulted in a consensus: Saridin received the fruits that fell at night, while Branjung received those that fell during the day.
Days and nights passed. Branjung, feeling that he received fewer fruits than Saridin, resorted to a malicious scheme. One night, Saridin caught sight of a shadow of a tiger eating durian under the tree. Without hesitation, Saridin swiftly threw a spear at the tiger, only to find out that the ferocious beast transformed into Branjung.
The incident of Branjung’s death led Saridin to confront the Duke of Pati at that time, Wasis Joyo Kusumo. Wasis ordered the judge to sentence Saridin for the murder of Branjung. Saridin insisted that he had killed a tiger, not Branjung.
Here began a lengthy negotiation, as the clever Saridin refused to be easily blamed. Eventually, the judge offered an option to Saridin, “Din, you won’t go to jail for this, but instead, you’ll stay with us, near the ducal office.” Saridin responded, “Well, sure, since I’m not guilty. But will I be able to visit my wife and child while I’m there?” The judge replied, “Of course, as long as you can.” Saridin was then taken to jail and sentenced according to the agreed-upon time.
After some time in prison, Saridin couldn’t bear the longing for his family. One night, he easily escaped from his cell and went to visit his wife and child. Suddenly, in the dark house, Saridin caught the village head attempting to assault his wife. Unable to control his anger, Saridin killed the man.
The village head reported the incident to the authorities, questioning how Saridin, who was already imprisoned, could freely return home. Saridin was summoned to court again, but his defense remained elegant, “In the previous trial, you said I could visit my family as long as I could, and that night I could. As soon as I arrived home, I saw this man trying to assault my wife, so I taught him a lesson. Yet, I am the one considered guilty. The law here is quite amusing!” Saridin was sentenced again to continue his previous punishment.
The story continued. Eventually, when released from prison, Saridin studied at the Kudus school under the guidance of Kanjeng Sunan Kudus. There, Saridin caused controversy once again. Despite being considered a recent student, his knowledge of religion and mystical sciences surpassed that of the other students. This led to a new problem for Saridin, an argument with his teacher, Sunan Kudus, regarding water and fish.
To test Saridin’s wisdom, Sunan Kudus asked, “Does every form of water always have fish?” Saridin promptly replied, “Yes, Kanjeng Sunan.” Hearing Saridin’s answer, Sunan Kudus instructed a student to pick a coconut directly from the tree. The coconut was cracked open, and to everyone’s amazement, there were fish inside. The teacher smiled at the sight.
In this situation, the other students believed that Saridin had been audacious by displaying his knowledge to the teacher. To teach him a lesson, when tasked with filling the bath tubs, the students used up all the buckets, leaving none for Saridin. Feeling uncomfortable for being idle, Saridin tried to borrow a bucket to take turns with the other students, but one of them replied, “If you want to work, there’s a basket; use it!” Saridin ingeniously used the basket to fill the tub, and it was quickly filled. The other students could only watch in astonishment at Saridin’s success.
Soon, this incident reached Sunan Kudus. In order to maintain the dignity and continuity of the learning process at the school, the teacher considered Saridin to have made a mistake. Saridin was then punished by the teacher to immediately leave the school and never set foot in “holy land” again (red: Kudus in Bahasa Indonesia means holy land). Out of respect for his teacher and Kudus, Saridin never set foot in Kudus again, but instead hid underground, specifically in a toilet or septic tank.
Saridin stayed in that place until one morning when Sunan Kudus’ wife, who was about to relieve herself, was surprised to find something unusual in the waste disposal area. Sunan Kudus’ wife screamed loudly, and the commotion could be heard throughout the school. All the students rushed to chase after the person who caused the disturbance, none other than Saridin. Saridin managed to escape but was now considered a fugitive.
Throughout his journey, Saridin regretted his actions until one day he met his true mentor again, Syekh Malaya. Syekh Malaya (Sunan Kalijaga) stated that Saridin had become too arrogant due to his knowledge. To atone for his mistakes, his true mentor gave Saridin an option: to meditate floating in the Java Sea. Saridin accepted but confessed that he couldn’t swim. Syekh Malaya then wisely tied two coconuts together to support Saridin’s body and prevent him from drowning.
Eventually, after days of meditation on the sea, buffeted by ocean waves, Saridin washed ashore in Palembang, Sumatra Island. There, a new chapter of Saridin’s adventures began, from resolving long-standing conflicts in the Kingdom of Palembang to (allegedly) journeying towards the Middle East.
In fact, there are many other versions of the story of Wali Saridin (Syekh Jangkung). His tomb is located in Desa Landoh, Kecamatan Kayen, Kabupaten Pati. The commemoration of Haul Syekh Jangkung is held every year (in the month of Rajab) with thousands of people paying their respects and seeking blessings. The event is always filled with traditions like opening ceremonies, processions, and grand Islamic teachings.
For the people of Pati, Wali Saridin or Syekh Jangkung is not just known as a religious figure but also as an elder who played a significant role in shaping Pati’s land, practicing the Islamization of the area with his teachings of tasawuf (Sufism), and spiritual enlightenment, which are rich in philosophical values in every aspect of life. Therefore, it’s no surprise that when you meet someone from Pati, they proudly incorporate the name Syekh Jangkung into their identity, like ‘Puthu Saridin’ (Saridin’s grandson), son of Saridin, or even making it the nickname of a football club in Pati, Persipa Pati, known as ‘Laskar Saridin’.
That’s a glimpse of the story of Wali Saridin. Undoubtedly, there are many more stories about him that may have only been written in a few literature pieces, and each of them surely holds uniqueness. Hopefully, writers can continue his story as a form of dedication, both as a writer and as a descendant. Regards to mbalelo!