Ritual Gunung Kemukus by Floribertus Rahardi

In earlier blogs I wrote about two novels by F. Rahardi: the very funny Para Calon Presiden (2009:return of Jesus on earth to give advice to candidates for presidency) and Lembata (about a priest who turns into development worker). The novel Ritual Gunung Kemukus is about a place of pilgrimage in a region East of Surakarta, where people can receive help in material problems by praying, bathing and having sex with another than the own permanent partner.
I found the book less interesting than the earlier books. Central figure is some journalist Meilan, who interviews people who have their material problems and seek help at 'Gunung Kemukus', located very close to the Kedung Ombo dam. Central figures are a seller of bakso, Sarmin and one Yuyun. There is not a real interesting story, no development.

One more intellectual chapter is no 13 with the title of Cultural Revolution. There is a priest (again: there is much Catholic clergy in these books), Romo Drajad. This priest thinks that the ritual of Gunung Kemukus is some kind of cultural revolution. "Why should on the feudal class and the rich people be able to enjoy free sex? And why only man? Why is there no freedom for women?" He dreams of true equal position for men and women. In order to see this dream coming true there was the myth of Pangeran Samodro and Nyai Ontrowulan.."(124-125). But then the story moves to the debate about the third letter from Fatima and possible origins of human race making structer rules for sex.Apparently the book was selling not too badly.