The Kutai Empire

Kutai Palace

Kutai was the first existed Kingdom in Indonesia, located at the side of Mahakam River, East Kalimantan. Many relics have been found on that land. Particularly, the ancient inscriptions such as the "Yupas". Yupa is a monument, which had been used for the memorial of animal sacrifice. The letters that engraved on the Yupas was the "Pallawa". The Pallawa was also used by Hinduism in India. The Language of the Pallawa was the "Sansekerta". The Historians found that the Yupas are from the year 400 AD. The Yupas are the only evidence of the existence of the Kutai Empire.

The first King was "Kundungga". Kundungga had a son, named "Aswawarman". His name and his father's name were local names earmark. When Aswawarman became King, The Hinduism began to enter the local culture peacefully. Aswawarman had three sons. One of them was "Mulawarman". The name Mulawarman was the earmark of the Sansekerta, the Hinduism language from India.

The Hindu religion began more popular since the King himself had the Hindu as his religion. Mulawarman was the generous King. Kutai had become very rich and prosperous under his commands. Those Yupas had been built during Mulawarman period to honor him. One of the Yupa told us about Mulawarman as the great, noble, and generous King had ever lived.

The location of the Kutai palace has become a town, named Tenggarong. The palace is still exist and became a national museum.

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