Belotan is a small village which located in sub-distric Bendo, Magetan, East Java. It is about 10 kilometers from Magetan city, and 15 kilometers from Madiun city. So, this location is between of two cities. Belotan is a traditional village. Majority of the people are traders and farmers. But, modernization had affected some part of society lifestyle, and make significant change to the socio-culture. Many of the young generations no longer be the trader or farmer. They choose to go out from the village, and seek employment in other cities.
I know this village since I was a child. Maybe since I was kindergarten. Every weekend, my father always brought me to meet "mbah" (that is my calling to father's mom). We stayed in mbah's house in a night. Arrived on Saturday morning, and went home on Sunday afternoon. There are many activities that I've done. But, the most memorable activity is when my cousin, his friends, and I went to the river. We took a bath, fishing, and swimming there.. It's very exciting!
Today, I come back to the river. What I see? Very different views. No swimming child, no washing woman, no bathed buffaloes/cows, no washed sand trucks, and no fun. I just look some people irrigate the fields. Very quiet. But, some condition still same. From distance I can see Belotan Bridge which connecting Belotan village and Karangrejo village. When I want to go to the river I still must tread a cliff too.
Although many things of the river have changed, but the beautiful memory about it will never change. []gea
Galleries
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| Trough the Cane Field (like Dahlan Iskan's story) |
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| A place I learned to swim. Several years ago, it was more wide. |
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| Belotan Bridge in distance |
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| When I was child, it was place for people to washing and take bathing |
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| The way to back, treading a cliff |
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| A field that seen on the brink |
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| My bike near a brink |
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| Me on the bike :) |
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| Grapefruit (Jeruk bali) garden |
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| Belotan's location, between two cities (Magetan and Madiun) |
kalau sungainya sudah seperti itu, mesti berpikir dua kali untuk mandi. sungat dekat2 rumah juga pada mengalami pendangkalan, walaupun saat musim hujan masih sering meluap.
ReplyDeleteYa memang..Bukan berarti hilangnya ketergantungan masyarakat thd sungai itu buruk. Itu menandakan kalau masyarakat sudah memiliki kamar mandi dan jamban sendiri..bukankah dari kacamata kesehatan itu semakin bagus..?
ReplyDeleteTapi di catatan ini bukan itu yg dibicarakan..pemanfaatan sungai yg masih kurang, dan pernah bertemu bapak2 dari Magetan wktu mudik bareng yg memberitahu kalau Kali Gandong sungai yg di hulu semakin menyusut..jarang hujan juga kan..