MERAPI

[A. G. Maisey]

This thread has nothing to do with keris, however, it does have a great deal to do with the center of keris culture that is Central Jawa.

Mount Merapi, the volcano that dominates life in Central Jawa erupted on 25th October 2010.

I was booked to go to Indonesia a few days after this eruption, and I decided that the wisest course of action was for me to delay my departure until things settled down. Not so much because of any direct threat from Merapi, but because much of Central Jawa was being subjected to falls of ash and sand, and life was being disrupted in all areas, additionally there were airport closures.

When I finally got to Solo in early December, I found that much of the area was still being rained on by ash and sand, and that the lahar dingins had begun and were wiping out bridges and sections of towns and cities.

Here is a link that that will take you to photos that will give a small indication of the hell that is brought about by a volcanic eruption:-

http://kerisattosanaji.com/MERAPI.html