For those who finish on the podium in the Pembangunan Jaya Raya Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Bintaro, Jakarta will take home a special handcrafted piece of Indonesian art.
Made in Magelang in Central Java, it takes about a week to get the beautifully crafted "Gunungan" (Javanese mountain) also known as "kayon" or "kayonan" in Bali, completed.
It is a figure in the Indonesian theatrical performance of wayang, e.g. wayang kulit, wayang klitit or wayang golek.
A gunungan is a symmetrical-shaped figure of translucent parchment made of dried firm cow skin, whose outline is pointed in Java and more rounded in Bali.
The Javanese gunungan takes the form of a mountain which looks almost candy-like.
In a wayang the gunungan is the first to appear on the screen and the last to appear before the end. It can also serve as a prop.
A gunungan symbolizes the world mountain.
"This is a special gift to the winners from Indonesia. It is much sought after souvenir in Indonesia," said Rosiana Tandean from Pembangunan Jaya Raya – the title sponsors of the championships.
