Gunung Pondok Sodong

The Kasepuhan Jamrut originally comes from Kasepuhan Cicariang, which is currently led by a village elder named Olot Sadromi. Leadership in this kasepuhan is passed down through generations. As of 2024, Kasepuhan Jamrut is led by Olot Mastura. In the customary system, there is a term Kasepuhan Rendangan, which refers to the villages that are under the scope or influence of a parent kasepuhan. Kasepuhan Jamrut serves as the parent kasepuhan, while the rendangan villages beneath it do not stand alone, but remain bound by custom to their parent kasepuhan, especially in carrying out traditions and reporting agricultural results.

One important tradition is the balik tahun activity, which is a procession to report that the series of rice planting has been completed to the leaders of the parent kasepuhan. In addition, this activity also serves as a moment to visit family or parents based on lineage (sabondoroyot), and to ask for forgiveness if there were any discrepancies in the implementation of rice planting according to customary practices. During this balik tahun occasion, the community also reports on the number of souls, the number of animals, and provides a seren-taun contribution. However, in Kasepuhan Jamrut, this contribution is not mandatory for the rendangan areas.

This balik tahun tradition continues to be carried out every year in Kasepuhan Jamrut, including by the villages of Citirim, Cikareo, and Parung Gedong, which are part of the rendangan area of Kasepuhan Jamrut.

Mount Pondok Sodong is a mountain consisting of stacked box-shaped rocks forming a sodong or gap, located at an altitude of 800-900 meters above sea level. Mount Pondok Sodong is included in leuweung titipan (entrusted forest). According to the Kasepuhan Jamrut community, leuweung titipan is a forest entrusted by the elders or ancestors to be preserved and conserved before being passed on to the grandchildren. This forest is controlled by the kasepuhan, and in this case, permission to access the area is assigned to the village elder or olot. This forest serves as a buffer, such as maintaining the availability of springs for the rice fields and settlements around it. For example, Mount Rao maintains the water supply for the Ciebingkeung rice block, Mount Pondok Sodong maintains the water supply for the Jamrut village, and Mount Batu Pasir Putih maintains the water availability for the Cihanyawar rice block.

In other words, access to this forest is restricted or even prohibited unless permission is obtained from the olot. Access is only limited to entering the area because this region is intentionally protected by custom from activities of opening fields or utilizing its soil, whether as gardens or rice fields. The purpose of preserving the entrusted forest is for the conservation of natural forests for the sake of environmental balance. For the community, this place is considered sacred because it is taboo to utilize it, and it is feared that it will bring disaster to those who open the land and also to the village. Within the leuweung titipan area, no utilization such as cutting down trees and taking wood is allowed at all. The only permitted utilization is the collection of non-timber forest products such as honey, medicinal plants, and fruits. The entrusted forest has its own rules and prohibitions in its implementation, such as prohibiting harsh words, activities during tangari time (around noon), and not entering the forest on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut interacts with nature through agricultural activities carried out in rice fields close to residential areas and near the entrusted forest. They have beliefs to perform seven rituals called “rukun tani” that must be carried out. The seven rituals are:

• Asep Leuweung: a gathering event (at night) led by abah olot at home, making tumpeng, village chicken eggs (rooster), bitter and sweet black coffee, rujak selasih, rujak asem, and other rujak. Olot asks permission from the ancestors and God for safety, to reopen the agricultural season, and to request abundant harvests.
• Nibakeun: determining the date for seed scattering (seeds planted in a rice box called pasebaran until they become large rice). for 40-45 days to become large rice.
• Ngubaran Pare: a ritual when the rice does not grow. The ritual is performed at night at the residence of abah olot. The requirement for the ritual is to use rujak 7 rupa, in which the history of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and sulamjana (causes of crop failure) are recited. The rujak is placed in a container, then the water and rujak are poured using a cup, and the water is taken and poured onto the rice.
• Mapag Pare Beukah: a ritual performed when the rice is about to crack, making a pasung from rice flour, rujak-rujakan, etc. The ritual is performed at night at the residence of abah olot, and the contents of the ritual include abah olot reciting the history of the prophet, sulamjana (causes of crop failure), and the story/biography of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jailani. The pasung that has been made is placed on a stick planted at the edge of the rice field.
• Beberes Mipit: a ritual before harvesting, similar to the previous ritual but the readings used are the history of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jailani, and wawacan.
• Ngayaran: a ritual when the harvest is ready, this ritual is used when the rice taken from the leuit is brought home for consumption. Before ngayaran, rice is prohibited from being consumed by the residents, except for rice that is not harvested that year.
• Seren Taun: A customary ritual for thanksgiving for the harvest usually performed between the hajj month, asking for fertility and prosperity for the upcoming harvest.

The Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut has contributed to the preservation of forest ecosystems and biodiversity through the values they hold from their ancestors. With a set of rules and rituals, the biodiversity present in Jamrut will be guaranteed its existence. Some of the biodiversity found in Jamrut includes:

Fauna

• Mammals: tiger, Javan langur, monkey, leopard, surili, Javan gibbon (kueng), face, deer, meunceuk, rusa, kancil, porcupine, pangolin, squirrel, encang, jalarang, civet, wild boar, lasun (garangan)
• Birds: Javan eagle, snake eagle, julang, wild chicken, walik, kadanca, cangkurileng, saeran, owl, tando, ciung, maninting, Javan kingfisher.
• Snakes: ground snake, Javan cobra, python, picung snake, oray bedul, welang, weling, pucuk snake, and tree viper.

Flora

• Hardwood: Rasamala, kiara, puspa, pasang, saninten, laban, palahlar, gaharu, kibangkong, ki rotan, ki awi, cemara, ki hanjuang, ki leungsir, kayang, panglar, mahoni, tenjo, huru batu, ki besi, rengas, ki sereh, julang, ki padali, ki paray, ki ceuri, ki hiur, ki dego, ki kasur, maja, lambe, ki teureup, ki carogol, kopi dengkung, ki kokosan monyet, leles, ki hujan, kondang.
• Rattan: cacing, bubuay, sampang, rotan dawuh, seel, hoe leuleus, kesur, peuteuy, ceker kidang, hoe.
• Medicinal plants: bubuay, ki pari, sariawan, cangkore, terestulang, akar areuy kiheulang, kileho, kawao, tangkur, kilampahan, pulus, sulangkar, babadotan, nangsi, carulang, ki ajag, and ki anyar.
• Fruits: menteng, cherry, saninten, kokosan monyet, carogol, kopi dengkung, and kokosan.
• Springs: cibotol, cihanjawar, cipondok sodong, cituhiang.

The Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut has regulations in planting rice seedlings as part of their tradition and customary system. These regulations often stem from spiritual beliefs and local wisdom. Thus, the Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut has contributed to the sustainable management of natural resources based on local knowledge, with regulations regarding rice seedling planting, for example, being related to practices to maintain soil fertility, ensure that agricultural land does not suffer damage, improve food security, and reduce the risk of crop failure. In addition, evidence that the Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut has contributed to the preservation of natural resources is that they hold values regarding the management of Leuweung Titipan Leuweung Tutupan, and Leuweung kolot to be well-managed to maintain the sustainability of life and livelihood so that future generations can benefit from natural resources.

In managing the area of Mount Rahong, the Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut only has customary regulations that are passed down orally. The Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut also does not yet have a legal basis that protects the subjects or the customary territory/managed area that is protected by the Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut. Until now, a legal basis has only been obtained regulating the Recognition, Protection, and Empowerment of the Customary Law Community of Kasepuhan through Regional Regulation of Lebak Regency Number 8 of 2015.