Fifth Assignment : Describing Place

BANTULAN, THE MASTERPIECE

“As the prairie wind blew southward, I can hear birds singing on the trees. I can hear the songs of the geese. Just like me, they seem to enjoy the summer breeze. My heart stops pounding and starts to freeze. Those big twin mounds of Merapi and Merbabu bring me peace. Then I realize that I’ve been here in God’s masterpiece. It’s not Paris, but it’s a real MASTERPIECE,” Austin Jones, an American traveler, said after his visit to Bantulan.

Bantulan is a village that lies five miles west of the City of Yogyakarta. Like many other towns and villages on the main road, Bantulan receives much new residents that have made it as well-developed village. Bantulan used to be a small village but now has been the most important area in the Kelurahan Sidoarum, though it’s not the seat of Kelurahan Sidoarum. It lies about four miles west of the City of Yogyakarta. Astronomically, Bantulan is located on 7°46’26” S and 110°19’12” W that makes the year-round temperature warm. The village sits on 410 feet above the sea level which can be the proof to convince you that Bantulan is a warm place from January to December.

Bantulan lies on a flat region in the south part of Sleman Regency, in the east part of Godean district. Bantulan is a crowded place due to the high migration to the village and also because of the main road that part the village into two, north and south. The village of Bantulan properly covers about 72 acres, but some settlers in its surrounding area call themselves as the residents of Bantulan. The village is settled by about 2,000 people, and it means that the population density is approximately 17,000 people per square mile.

Paddy fields surround the village on the northwest, west and southwest, making agriculture is still one of the main economic activities. For several years, Bantulan has transformed from an agricultural-based community to an industrial-based community. Now, building-material-production is the most valuable economic activities. Bantulan is also designated as the Village of Building-Material-Production. The government of Sleman has also helped the producers to maintain the production. Mini-restaurants and cell phone’s account counters can be seen on the side of the main roads. Property-business in Bantulan has also been developed. About ten years ago, there is no housing complex in the village. But property developers see that Bantulan is a strategic place. The bus stop south of Bantulan Junction is always the interchange for many commuters from the surrounding areas as far as Kulon Progo. In the evening, the economic activities along the main roads don’t stop until 11 PM.

There’s no river flowing through Bantulan, but small creeks for irrigation. From the northwest of the village, the Twin Mountains can be seen clearly on a clear sky. The paddy fields stretch from the north street one mile northward. In harvest season, there are many farmers harvest in the fields. The farmers still use the traditional machinery to grow and harvest. But motorized-tractors are used here.

The residents love to keep their body healthy. The people usually have a jogging in the morning on holiday. They walk or run northward to Kelurahan Sidomoyo’s field, then run back home. It makes their face look good and always ready to smile at you, to welcome you.

People may say that suburbia isn’t an interesting place to visit. People usually say that suburbia is only place to reside. But, here in Bantulan, you can feel living in the interesting place. It’s a country side that close to the city, but offers a good view to you. You won’t be starved to enjoy the warm of the country side. That’s why, we call it, MASTERPIECE.



The satellite-picture of Bantulan is taken by Google Earth.