expanse of the ocean floor to the surface of the earth millions of years ago, forming a mountain range which is now known as karst areas Cipatat, West Bandung. Amid thunderous industrial exploitation of limestone quarry increasingly widespread, tucked oasis of natural beauty named Taman Batu (Stone Garden).
The story of the destruction of Cipatat Karst region, which holds so many traces of Earth's history and archeology, has long sounded. Since decentralization began, the region's mountains began bustling dredged limestone mining company.
According to data from Bandung Basin Research Group (KRCB), about 60 percent of the 10,000 hectares of it has been destroyed by mining. There are an estimated 100 mining companies took a stone, limestone, marble, and stone flour processing and processing of natural stone with 5,000 workers there.
Quarrying limestone and marble with simple tools or heavy produces about 700,000 tons to 1 million tons of lime processed per day. Most of the results, such as marble, shipped overseas.
Karst, originally a shallow sea floor stretches from village to village Rajamandala Citatah, which are all located in the District of Cipatat. That morning, on Friday (15/5), limestone dust and black smoke that comes from limestone processing plant coloring our trip to Stone Park is located on the hilltop Sand Pawon.
The hill itself is in the administrative area of the Village of Mount Masigit, District Cipatat, West Bandung regency. However, because it is adjacent to the city Padalarang, people are more often called the oldest geological locations in Java Island as Karst Padalarang.
From Bandung, we entered into the Pasteur toll gate along the toll road Purbaleunyi and exit at the toll Padalarang. Once outside the motorway, we take the road in the direction of Cianjur and through the small town Padalarang.
The city was as shrouded in mist, which turned out to be white dust limestone rocks from the mining area. Dust limestone mixed with black smoke billowing from smokestacks make the atmosphere was stuffy even though we were in the air-conditioned car. The trip grew dense by heavy trucks transporting chunks of limestone that runs edging while climbing a hill.
Only about 4 kilometers after the toll gate, we see amazing views at once ironic. From the highway linking Bandung-Jakarta-Cianjur it looked limestone cliffs carved in the green hills by trees. However, most of the cliff was eroded by heavy equipment that erode it for industrial purposes.
Find a way in the Sand Pawon not too difficult because we take advantage of the application Waze navigation in the device. To get to the sand hill Pawon, where the Stone Park is located, we have to pass some limestone factory. Passing trucks and other heavy equipment vehicles visible along a narrow road towards Sand Pawon.
Menhir lime
The vast expanse of land between limestone fragments pile into a parking lot available for visitors Taman Batu citizens. This is the easiest access into the Stone Park. As for the other access towards the "estates" that stone can be passed from Cave Pawon located on the other side of the hill Sand Pawon. However, the path of Pawon towards Taman Batu Caves is quite steep and can only be traversed by walking for 40 minutes.
Rows of pavement cafés closing hillsides Pawon sand leaving only a slit for the trail to the summit of Stone Park. Residents have improved the trail with limestone fragments mixed with soil and create stairs in some parts.
However, be careful if you visit this place during the rainy season. Limestone mixed with soil it can be slippery when wet. To walk to the location of the Stone Park is located at an altitude of about 700 meters above sea level only takes 10-15 minutes.
Sure enough. Once arrived at the top of Sand Pawon, eyes were greeted by a "park" beautiful formed from so many rock outcrops, fleeting as it grows from the ground. Large stones that "grow" up to the hillsides Sand Pawon to wonder if the people call it a rock garden.
In some places, it looks big rocks towering upright by local residents called menhirs. There are also rocks that position facing each other like a gate. Green rolling hills and paddy fields a sight that should be enjoyed from the gate gap.
"This stone new park opened and managed by the residents in the eight months ago," said Asep, one of the residents of Sand Pawon. Residents began managing the place since seeing a lot of people come every weekend.
Getting late, more and more visitors coming. Orange colors of the dusk fell over the horizon like hypnotizing those who want to enjoy nature from the top of the hill.
Immeasurably to the beauty of it, the residents attractive parking fees of Rp 5,500 per car and money entering the region Rp 12,500 for one group. Very cheap is not it?
The Stone Park, said Asep, many visitors tried to find traces of coral reefs. We also tried to find him, but unfortunately failed to find rocks that still leaves form coral reefs remember so many rocks scattered in situ.
Millions of years ago
Cipatat Karst region formed in the Miocene, 20-30 million years ago (KRCB, 2006). In ancient times, it is a karst area of shallow sea bottom. The limestone rock formed by coral reefs that were once located on the seabed. This also proves that the Bandung plateau was once a shallow sea area and then dry.
The dry sea became prehistoric human habitation. Pawon archaeological findings in the cave, which is located under the Taman Batu caves prove that there has been inhabited at least the past 9,500 years ago.
Hendi, interpreters maintain Pawon Cave, said the ancient people who lived in the karst caves have been able to use the tools to survive in the wild. Some of the tools that prehistoric humans were used, said Hendi, have been found in Stone Park that reaches its area of 2 hectares.
Pawon sand hill is one of the many hills in Cipatat which became evidence of the oldest geological history in Java. Besides Sand Pawon, landscapes that contain important geological data is Caves Pawon, Masigit Sand, Sand Pabeasan, Sand Hawu, Coral bride, Sand disasters, and Sand Manik.
The whole region was now declared a vital area that needs to be maintained. However, the rate of destruction continues to occur. It seems there has been no willingness from local authorities to stop the excessive exploitation activities. The beauty of Stone Park could be gone at any moment for the sake of economic interests moment.
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