The Tomb of Putri Ayu Sekar Dadu

The tomb of Putri Ayu Sekar Dadu in Sidoarjo is one of religius destination located in Sawohan Village, Buduran district, Sidoarjo Regency, East Java. This spot is always crowded with tourists both on weekdays and holidays. Putri Ayu Sekar Dadu's tomb tour in Sidoarjo has amazing beauty to visit.

The last resting place of the princess is indeed far from the crowd. Very different with another religious tourist spot in Ampel Mosque or Troloyo Cemetery in Mojokerto, which are already well maintenace. Here, the place is simple but religious. Mangrove forests, coastal animals and brackish fish ponds surround this 100 m2 grave area. The place better known as 'pesarean' is in a closed room with a door in the front. Above the low-sized door, there is a writing on wood 'Sekardadu'. The tomb itself is covered with wooden doors. If the door is opened, you can see a tomb covered by white cloth.

Every weekend or holiday this place is visited by pilgrims. Visitors can reach 200 people per day, even the number will more when the Nyadran ceremony performing in every month Ruwah (a week before Ramadan).

The History of Putri Ayu Dewi Sekar Dadu
The religious value of visiting this place is the visitors can find out the history Princess Ayu Dewi Sekardadu which is told directly by the grave caretaker. Putri Ayu Dewi Sekardadu is a daughter of Raja Blambangan (Banyuwangi). She is famous for beautiful and polite. When she was an adult, she was stricken by a very severe disease. All efforts have been tried by the kingdom, but all ended in vain. The desperate King of Blambangan finally held a contest to heal his daughter, with reward, if the one who healed was a young man then he could marry the princess, but if he was old, he would be a royal family.

Many people followed the contest, but unfortunately all failed. But a young man named Syeh Maulana Iskak volunteered to participate in the contest, and finally he succeeded in curing Princess Ayu Dewi Sekardadu's illness. As promised, the King finally married Syeh Maulana and Princess Sekardewi. Long story short, the King and Syeh Maulana quarreled because the King was reluctant to follow the invitation of Syeh Maulana to worship in Islam. From that problem, Syeh Maulana said good-bye to wander, at that time Putri Ayu Dewi Sekardadu was pregnant. Syeh Maulana advised, if her child was born a boy should be named Raden Paku. However, unfortunately after Raden Paku was born, this little baby was washed out to sea by King Blambangan. Knowing her child was thrown into the sea, finally Putri Ayu Dewi Sekardadu threw herself into the sea to pursue her child. But the waves were too big, and Putri Ayu Dewi Sekardadu also sank.

The body of Putri Ayu Dewi Sekardadu drifted toward Sidoarjo. It is said that the body of Putri Ayu Dewi Sekardadu in mutual cooperation crowded by Keting fish near the beach. Finally, from the incident, the area was given the name Ketingan or Kepetingan by the local people. This story eventually became part of the story of Kepetingan village to the present.

How to get there
To reach this tomb area, you can through river route by renting a fishing boat or by land passing through the embankment ponds. If you want to visit by a fishing boat you have to rent a boat from Bluru Kidul Village, Sidoarjo. Meanwhile, if you use a motorcycle you have to go to Sawohan Village, Buduran District.

From Sawohan Village you still have to continue the journey through the pond 1 meter wide. The distance is about 10 km with dusty and muddy dirt roads when it rains. But now the connecting road between villages is almost 45% already good, making it easier for anyone to visit this place.