Pusara Habibie Becomes Pilgrims Attention On Heroes' Day

A child takes a selfie at the grave of the third President BJ Habibie (Mery / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Kalibata Heroes' Mahkam Park (TMP) is one of the locations for a number of Indonesian heroes to be buried. This place is quite often visited by pilgrims who come to offer prayers, including the families of heroes and living veterans.

In fact, every year, this tomb complex is primed for the celebration of Heroes' Day which falls on November 10. Today too. President Joko Widodo who was accompanied by Vice President Ma'ruf Amin attended the ceremony at the venue to commemorate the heroic services to this country. President Jokowi is the inspector for the ceremony.

After the ceremony, Jokowi and Ma'ruf Amin approached a number of graves. Among them, the graves of Third President BJ Habibie and his wife Hasri Ainun Besari; the wife of Sixth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyobo, Ani Yudhoyono; A Yani; MT Haryono: and S Parman.

President Joko Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin and their staff made a pilgrimage to the grave of the hero at TMP Kalibata (Mery / VOI)

After the series of Heroes 'Day commemoration ended, it was the pilgrims' turn to come to the grave. The Third President BJ Habibie's Pesara is the most visited by pilgrims today. Flowers decorated his grave. There are also those who make Habibie's gravestone selfie material, even queuing up.

Likewise, the tomb of Ibu Ainun, BJ Habibie's half-hearted heart; and the grave of the wife of sixth president Susilo Yudhoyono, Ani Yudhoyono. These two graves are also visited by many pilgrims. His grave was decorated with flowers.

These three figures have attracted the attention of Indonesians in recent months. BJ Habibie and Ani Yudhoyono have only died for a few months. Habibie died after heart failure on September 11. Meanwhile, Ani Yudhoyono died on July 1 after being treated for blood cancer.

Pilgrims at the tomb of Third President BJ Habibie (Mery / VOI)

Many big names in history books are buried in this place. However, there are also many tombs whose graves are not named. The grave contains the hero who died without being identified.

This nameless grave is empty of visitors. His grave is dry, which means that no one has ever come for pilgrimage. Moreover, flower sprinkles. Don't expect to see him there. That's what the tomb keeper, Dodi (40) told me.

In fact, their tombs are located not far from the tombs of state leaders and their wives and revolutionaries. Their final resting place is right behind the tomb of A. Yani, which Jokowi and Ma'ruf visited today.

There is no name on their headstone, only written as 'Unknown Hero' with the year he died, 1945. They are heroes who won independence for Indonesia. Thanks to their services, the sons and daughters of Indonesia can become independent from the invaders, today. Even so, this grave is still well cared for by the tomb guards.

"People are not known, right? Who will come too, even though they are behind the graves of revolutionary figures," said Dodi.

Photo illustration (Gabriella Thesa)