Tasikmalaya Regency

The Ten Thousand Hills, hummocky deposits from the eruption of Mount Galunggung

The origin of the name Tasikmalaya is uncertain. The word has no apparent meaning in local languages. Three possibilities have been proposed, all combinations of Sundanese words. (1) The name may be a conflation of tasik and (ma)layah, literally "an ocean of hills".[8] (2) The source words may be tasik, jeung, and laya, meaning "large tracts of sand" (Sundanese: keusik ngalayah, Indonesian: hamparan pasir). (3) The name's original words may be tasik (lake, sea), and malaya (a chain of mountains or highlands), also meaning "an ocean of hills".[9] The "ocean" or large area is presumed to begin at Sukapura,[8] formerly called Tawang or Tawang-Galunggung. Tawang means paddy fields, or literary "a wide range of an open space". The eruption of Mount Galunggung created mountains, hills, and mounds of scattered sand in the formerly open region of Sukapura.

a 1920–1935 photograph showing a landscape of Tasikmalaya Regency – Neglasari, Salawu District.

In the 7th to 8th centuries, a realm with an unknown form of governance was centered near Mount Galunggung. The realm had the authority to designate the sovereigns of Galuh Kingdom. The rulers of the realm were Batara Semplakwaja, Batara Kuncung Putih, Batara Kawindu, Batara Wastuhayu, and finally Batari Hyang, who changed the form of governance into monarchy[10]

The kingdom was named for the local mountain, Galunggung. According to Geger Hanjuang inscription, the kingdom was established on 13th Bhadrapada 1033 Shaka or 21 August 1111, and Batari Hyang was Galunggung' first king. The Queen owned a famous teaching, known as Sang Hyang Siksakanda ng Kareksian. This teaching of Batari Hyang was still used as an official doctrine in the era of Prabu Siliwangi who is the monarch of Pakuan Pajajaran. The Kingdom of Galunggung lasted to its next sixth ruler, each from its hereditary succession.[10]

A road towards Tasikmalaya with Mount Galunggung seen in the distance, 1920–1940.

Further events in the regency's history include when the future governance of Tasikmalaya Regency, Sukakerta, was facing an opportunity to secede from its sovereign ruler, the Pajajaran Kingdom. Prabu Surawisesa, the new succeeding king Sri Baduga Maharaja Prabu Siliwangi, ruled the Pajajaran Kingdom at the time. His kingdom encountered an expansive threat from the Banten Sultanate and Demak. This expansion had initiated the lower region to secede from the kingdom. However, Sukakerta is believed to have already liberated itself from Pajajaran.[10]

Other focal events happened after a ten-year-long fight in the region of Priangan. It was when three major forces (Mataram, Banten, and the VOC) having conflicts in the island of Java in the early 17th century. Wirawangsa as the head of Sukakerta, was assigned as the Regent of Sukapura and was honoured with a nobility name of Wiradadaha I by Sultan Agung of Mataram. Upon the promotion of its leader, the regency changed its name to Sukapura and the capital of the regency, where earlier located at Dayeuh tengah, was moved to Leuwiloa, Sukaraja.[10]

A photograph of Raden Tumenggung Wirahadiningrat, 1870–1900

Years later, under the governance of Raden Tumenggung Surialaga (1813–14) the capital of the regency was brought to Tasikmalaya, but in 1832, under the governance of Wiradadaha VIII, its capital was moved to Manonjaya. Next, after some consideration, particularly economically, the capital of the regency was again switched back to Tasikmalaya. In 1913, the name of the regency, Sukapura, was finally changed hereafter into Tasikmalaya by the government regent R.A.A Wiratanuningrat (1908–1937).[10]

The date of August 21 has been assigned to be the date of Tasikmalaya Regency's anniversary, following the fact revealed on the Geger Hanjuang inscription. The inscription, as it tells, had been made to mark the establishment of the kingdom of Galunggung and as the mark of the inauguration of its first sovereign, Queen Batari Hyang. The inscription tells that the kingdom was established on 21 August 1111, as well as the Queen's inauguration.[10]

• 1641–1674 : Raden Ngabehi Wirawangsa (Raden Tumenggung Wiradadaha I)
• 1674  : Raden Jayamanggala (Raden Tumenggung Wiradadaha II)
• 1674–1723 : Raden Anggadipa I (Raden Tumenggung Wiradadaha III)
• 1723–1745 : Raden Subamanggala (Raden Tumenggung Wiradadaha IV)
• 1745–1747 : Raden Secapati (Raden Tumenggung Wiradadaha V)
• 1747–1765 : Raden Jaya Anggadireja (Raden Tumenggung Wiradadaha VI)
• 1765–1807 : Raden Djayamanggala II (Raden Tumenggung Wiradadaha VII)
• 1807–1837 : Raden Anggadipa II (Raden Tumenggung Wiradadaha VIII)
• 1837–1844 : Raden Tumenggung Danudiningrat
• 1844–1855 : Raden Tumenggung Wiratanubaya
• 1855–1875 : Raden Tumenggung Wiraadegdana
• 1875–1901 : Raden Tumenggung Wirahadiningrat
• 1901–1908 : Raden Tumenggung Prawirahadingrat
• 1908–1937 : Raden Tumenggung Wiratanuningrat

Like the rest of Preanger's Regencies, the climate of Tasikmalaya Regency is normally a tropical rainforest climate.[18] It receives an average annual precipitation of 2.072 m.[19] Although it experiences heavy rainfall[18] the regency gets considerably an equable amount of heat. The average daily temperature of the regency are mildly varied, it ranges from 20° to 34 °C at lowland areas and 18° to 22 °C at the upland areas.[19]

Following the excision of Tasikmalaya City, the residual Tasikmalaya Regency comprises an area of 2,708.82 km².[20] It is bounded on the east by Garut Regency, marked by the Galunggung highlands, from southwest along to the northwest. Far to the north, the regency borders on Majalengka Regency and continues to the east with Ciamis Regency and Tasikmalaya City, the latter which it surrounds on three sides. Finally, to the south, Tasikmalaya Regency is bounded by the Indian Ocean. Tasikmalaya Regency's greatest distance from north to the south is about 75 km, and about 56.25 km from east to the west.[21]

There are more than 70 spots of tourist destinations in Tasikmalaya Regency, some of them are listed below.[23]

Taraju, one of Tasikmalaya Regency's tourist destinations

Mount Galunggung's volcanic crater

At Pasirgintung village, Cibuniasih subdistrict, Pancatengah district there are a lot of Red Jasper rocks previously, but now only about 120 rocks. The administration will conserve it as Jasper Geopark. Jasper has class-7 hardness.[24]