On a sunny day, a friend took me to visit this old mosque built in the 17th Century. It is located in the middle of sugar cane plantation. As it is located in Wot Galeh hamlet area, it is more popular as Masjid (Mosque) Wotgaleh. My friend said that this worship place was very special and that he often visit the mosque to draw.
A banyan tree grow in the parking area that gives the visitors shade to sit and rest. The mosque compound has cemetery area of Pangeran Purboyo, the son of Panembahan Senopati I (first king of Mataram) and his relatives. And the cemetery has been pilgrimage destinations for visitors from Java and also other regions in Indonesia.
According to Babad Tanah Jawi, there were two friends : Ki Ageng Giring and Ki Ageng Pemanahan. Ki Ageng Giring meditated and while meditating he was blessed with a young coconut,and according to his meditation whoever drink the coconut water will be having descendants that ruled over Java. One day Ki Ageng Pemanahan went to visit Ki Ageng Giring and saw the young coconut, and he drank the coconut water as he was very thirsty. Knowing this Ki Ageng Giring was disappointed. Both then made an agreement to wed their children. Ki Ageng Pemanahan had a son, Sutawijaya. And Ki Ageng Giring had a daughter Roro Lembayung. Sutawijaya could not reject his father wish, and marry Roro Lembayung though he was not happy with his wife as she was not pretty and older than him. Sutawijaya then left his wife and replaces his father and reigned in Mataram as Panembahan Senopati and had 3 wives and 14 children.
Locals believe that the mosque compound is sacred. Airplanes must not fly over the compound, or else planes could broke down and fall. There were some incidents happened planes of Air Force fell in some hundreds meters radius from the compund.
Roro Lembayung gave birth to a son and named him Joko Umbaran which means an abandoned child. Joko Umbaran then went to Mataram to know his father who was the ruler of Mataram Kingdom. Panembahan Senopati gave him title as Pangeran Purboyo.
Pangeran Purboyo was the commander of Mataram and he was weapon-proof. He led in many battles against Dutch. He was not only recognized as a commander yet also a wise priest. As he was very special, the kingdom granted him a free tax region called Wot Galeh where Pangeran Purboyo could enhance his spirituality and be closer to The Almighty. Wot Galeh name derives from Javanese words, Wot means bridge and Galeh means heart. Therefore Wot Galeh means a bridge of heart to unify with God or in Javanese “manunggaling kawulo -Gusti.” As symbol of his priesthood, he then erected Sulthoni Mosque.
Pangeran Purboyo died fighting Trunojoyo from Madura in October 1676. He then buried in Wot Galeh, not buried in Imogiri royal complex as he was not considered as the descendant of royals.
The mosque has been renovated in 1979, and made it more spacious. The initial size was 10 m X 10 m. The architecture resembles old mosque in Demak city which was built as the same period. The semi open praying area is airy, suitable for the hot weather.
What always interests me when i visit old mosque is that mosques usually have well or natural spring pool. Sulthoni Mosque has also well with its good quality water located on the left side of the mosque. Water is so fresh and my friend fill his water bottle to bring home.