Gus Dur grave to become proper pilgrim destination

Jakarta, NU Online
The government said it would build public facilities around the grave of the late former President KH Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid to serve the growing number of pilgrims visiting the site.

Gus Dur, who was president from 1999 to 2001, died in December 2009 after years of ill health.&l<>t;br />
He was buried in a family grave in Jombang, East Java, which is also the final resting place of Gus Dur’s grandfather, KH Hasyim Asy’ari, and his father, KH Wahid Hasyim.

His grandfather founded Nahdlatul Ulama, the country’s largest Islamic organization, and his father was an NU chairman and the country’s first religious affairs minister.

The cemetery has long been a destination for pilgrims, and visitor numbers have soared since the death of Gus Dur, also a former NU chairman.

On Monday, Agung Laksono, the coordinating minister for people’s welfare, said the cemetery would be cleaned up but otherwise unchanged, in keeping with the family’s request.

“However, we will build a parking lot, toilets, a museum and a rest area around it to cater to visitors,” he was quoted by the Jakarta Globe as saying.

He said roads leading to the site would be widened, with the funding for all the development to come from the central government and the local administration.

“We don’t have a final figure for the budget because it’s still being discussed, but we’ve agreed to start the development this year,” Agung said.

The government previously said the project would cost Rp 180 billion ($20 million), with Rp 30 billion coming from the East Java administration, Rp 9 billion from the Jombang administration and Jakarta covering the rest.

However, Agung said the figure of Rp 180 billion was just an initial estimate. He added that the project was “a mark of respect for a former head of state.” (dar)