Al Azka Zuraida

203232023
Antropologi Budaya - B

Nyangku: A Cleansing Ceremony

The traditional nyangku ceremony has been held from a long time ago as a medium to
spread Islamic faith in the Panjalu Kingdom, which is now Panjalu District in Ciamis Regency,
West Java. This ceremony was implemented for three months long, with the peak being held at
the same momentum as the commemoration of Maulid Nabi, or the Prophet's birthday,

Nyangku is a cleansing ceremony for the heirlooms of the Panjalu ancestors which are
stored in a place called Bumi Alit. The peak of the nyangku ceremony held on the last Monday
or Thursday in the month of Maulud, carrying the belief that the birthday month of Prophet
Muhammad SAW is a holy month, making it the perfect time to held nyangku.

According to Imam Purwadipraja, who’s a Kegaluhan lecturer as well a native to Panjalu,

nyangku is a harmony between pre-Islamic traditions with Islamic symbols. A local cultural
phenomenon that remains within the corridors of Islam.

Nyangku itself comes from the Arabic word yanko that means to clean, however, due to a
mispronunciation by the local Sundanese people, the ceremony are known as nyangku.

This ceremony is carried out by the elders of Panjalu, local governments, Panjalu icons
and key persons, and also the local community. This anniversary is usually celebrated with a
festival that lasts for several days featuring local cultural performances like gembyungan and
debus. However, due to the recurring Covid-19 pandemic, this nyangku commemoration was
carried out in a minimalistic manner; still being carried out pertaining to the essence of what
nyangku is about, only more straightforward, but still as solemn as it was before. The
implementation of nyangku that is usually held in Alun-alun Panjalu and Bumi Alit has now
been temporarily moved to Nusa Gede Island in Situ Lengkong which is the site of the Panjalu
Kingdom's cemeteries as a way to minimize the crowds.

Nyangku begins with preparations that have been laid out 3 months before the peak
ceremony. Panjalu elders, such as those who are descendants of Panjalu royalties, as well as local
communities and key persons, went to 11 sacred springs to collect water which will later be used
to cleanse heirlooms from Panjalu's ancestors. This process is called mapag nyangku. The water
from these 11 springs is called tirta kahuripan (water of life). After that, the water that has been
collected was showered with prayers and blessings.

These 11 tirta kahuripan were stored inside a bamboo with the name of the location of
the spring where they were obtained. When the panjamasan arrived, these bamboos filled with
tirta kahuripan were held by kele, a group of sacred women.

The culmination of this nyangku is panjamasan, or the cleansing of heirlooms from

Panjalu's ancestors. There are approximately 7 types of heirlooms that are cleansed in this
panjamasan process, however, the implementation of the symbolic cleansing consists of only 3
heirlooms, namely the sword left by King Borosngora, the kujang from the Maung
Bongbanglarang story, and the keris as a symbolism of the commando stick.

At the end of the panjamasan, many locals ready their water container to fill them up
with the excess water from the cleansing process of the three heirlooms. This process is an
example of local belief, where the water is believed to be concentrated with abundance and
blessings, which they will use later to cleanse their own selves through wudhu.