Isolated Javanese Community Celebrates Founders

  • Tenggerese worshippers give a chicken as offering to Tenggerese shaman as they pray at Widodaren cave during the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada festival on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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  • General view of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, the location of the Tenggerese villages where the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada Festival is held on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
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  • A Tenggerese shaman praying for an worshipper as they collect holy water at Widodaren cave during the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada festival on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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  • General view of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, with Mount Bromo, the location of the Tenggerese villages where the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada Festival is held on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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  • Tenggerese worshippers is seen inside the Widodaren cave as they collect holy water and pray during the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada festival on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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  • General view of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, the location of the Tenggerese villages where the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada Festival is held on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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  • A Tenggerese worshipper carries his son as he walk climb the mountain for collect holy water during the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada festival on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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  • General view of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, the location of the Tenggerese villages where the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada Festival is held on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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  • A Tenggerese worshipper woman collects holy water at Widodaren cave during the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada festival on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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  • Tenggerese shamans praying for worshippers as they collect holy water at Widodaren cave during the Tenggerese Hindu Yadnya Kasada festival on August 11, 2014 in Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia. The festival is the main festival of the Tenggerese people and lasts about a month.
    Ulet Ifansasti—Getty Images
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By TIME Photo
August 11, 2014 5:29 PM EDT

The Tenggerese people, an isolated community on the island of Java that primarily identifies as Hindu, is celebrating the festival of Yadnya Kasada this month.

The festival honors the 15th century princess Roro Anteng and her husband Joko Seger, said to be the founders of the community. According to legend, the couple asked the Gods for children and were granted 24 children on the condition that the 25th be thrown into the volcano–Mount Bromo–as a sacrifice.

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