Kayangan Api the mystic
fire in the Javanese jungle

I heard about a mystic fire in the jungle not far from my home in Tuban. The name of the place is Kayangan Api. What means something like an eternal flame. The place deep in the Javanese jungle is around 25 km far from Bojonegoro, a town next to Tuban.  A sacred place with a mystical fire that really exists in East Java’s jungle is indeed worth a visit.

The Indonesian island Java is a volcanic and seismic active island. Moreover, Java has huge natural resources in oil and gas. Where gas is seeping to the surface and venting to the atmosphere eternal flames may occur. The flames are a natural phenomenon and can be burning for centuries. Such eternal flames are quite common. Many eternal flames are also sacred places. Like our mystic fire near Bojonegoro.

The fire pit is a circle of around four metres in diameter. In the centre of the pit stones piled up where the flame is burning above. Small shrines surrounding the fireplace. However, the mystic fire in the jungle is a tourist spot. On Friday evenings people from the near villages gathering here to hold ceremonies.

Kayangan Api is a mystic fire and eternal flame in the Javanese jungle. The people believe if they make a wish on the eternal flame, that the wish becomes true. 

Like everywhere in Java has that place also a legend. The legend says that a sword made in this flame has magical power. I came late in the afternoon because I like to see the flame in the darkness. The flames burn with a slightly orange to red until purple colour. This unique atmosphere with the flame, the little shrines and the jungle around make this place mystic indeed.