Tegalsari Village in Ponorogo is not only known as a religious area, but also as an important trace of the Islamic civilization of the Archipelago.
In the commemoration of the 278th Haul of Kyai Ageng Muhammad Besari which was held on May 7-10, 2025, the community was invited not only to pray, but also to reflect on the great legacy of the cleric in shaping the face of moderate Islam in Java.
Kyai Ageng Besari is known as the founder of the Tegalsari Islamic Boarding School which in the 18th century had become a magnet for Muslim intellectuals from various regions, including a great poet Ranggawarsita who had studied there.
“This Haul is not just a tradition, but a reminder that Ponorogo used to be the center of the advancement of Islamic knowledge and spirituality,” said the Chairman of the Kyai Ageng Muhammad Besari Foundation.
He added that this event was also a space for cultural interaction with the community through cultural processions, sholawatan, and open religious studies.
In addition to remembering Kyai Besari, this year’s haul also presents a tribute to two of his successors, Kyai Ageng Khotib Anom and Kyai Ageng Nur Shodiq Al-Hafidz. Both are guardians of the spiritual and scientific baton that became the basis for the development of Islamic traditions in the Mataraman region.
“The Tegalsari Haul is a real example of how Islam developed peacefully, embracing local culture without losing its spirit,” said an observer of Nusantara Islamic culture from the State Islamic University of Surabaya.
This year’s Haul also presents figures such as Gus Bahru Ulwan and the Ahbabull Musthofa sholawat group who will enliven the peak night of the haul with thousands of worshipers. Man
