Bleduk Kuwu, Salty Mud Circus
Bledug Kuwu (Grobogan.co.id)
While thousands of people living in Sidoarjo consider mud volcano as disaster, villagers Kuwu regards it a gift from nature. Kuwu of Kradenan, Grobogan regency, Central Java is the location of the earliest mud burst known to Indonesians.
Bledug Kuwu, the local name for the mud flow, is an example of such volcanic activity that lasts for hundred years and is still continuing. To witness this natural phenomenon, one will need an hour drive from Purwodadi, the capital town of Grobogan regency.
Bledug Kuwu is the most prominent natural attraction on the regency. Entering the area, one will easily notice the drastic change compared to the forest surrounding it. The barren dried mud has no vegetation and infertile. In contrast to the nearby villages, the surroundings of Bledug Kuwu is much hotter; on midday the temperature could reach 31 Celsius degree or more.
The ground zero is mainly a hole always filled with hot volcanic mud. On its 650 sq m epicenter, hot liquid mud is still flooding the area and explosion from geothermal activity is still heard continuously. The blast is the result of flammable gas coming out from the earth blocked by the mud.
- Bledug Kuwu (Source: Wikipedia)
More pressure of the gas from geothermal activity creates larger explosion. Average explosion occured consecutively once every two or three minutes could lift the mud and water up to 5 meters into the air. Locals say that a big burst could even create small quakes that quivers the area.
The eruption spots shift positions from time to time. According to the myth, locals named the main spot to the east Mbah Jokotuo and one to the west Mbah Rodenok. Today, the mud covers some 40 acres of field with the highest altitude reaching 53 m above sea level.
The existence of salt and a grass species called Suket Grinting are likely the source of the myth about Bledug Kuwu having a channel connected to the South Sea. Taking the mythical Medang Kamolan kingdom as its setting, it tells that Joko Linglung, the main character, made the channel when heading to Indian Ocean to the south to defeat his enemy and back.
According to several written records, the phenomenon of Bledug Kuwu has existed long before the establishment of Old Mataram Kingdom (732M-928M). The name itself came from local interpretation of the phenomenon. Bledug means explosion or explode and Kuwu, derived from the word Kuwur, means burst or scattered on the air.
For locals living on the villages nearby, Bledug Kuwu has long been considered as an important source for their income. This area has been famous for its indigenous salt called Garam Bleng. Scientific research revealed that the salt from the area, unlike that of sea water, naturally contains high amount of iodine.
