A Walk to The Golden Dome Mosque (Masjid Kubah Emas)

Bright blue sky that Fryday

The sky was so clear that day. It was in fact a hot day. It was Friday and so hot as if it was better called Fryday that fry me crisp. For it was Friday, moslems male had Jumuah Prayer or Sholat Jumat (Friday Prayer) in Indonesian. Wanted to go to somewhere interesting, I decided to have it in the golden dome mosque that luckily located in my hometown, Depok. It was a famous mosque whis often being visited by local and foreign tourist lately. The mosque's domes which covered with 24 carat gold, was made like the dome  Taj Mahal (at least that what people said).

My father in front of the mosque

It was in fact my first time there. The location is so far from where my parents live, so I hardly went near Dian Al-Mahri Mosque (the golden cube mosque’s real name). For it was my first time being there, I asked my father to accompany me there.

To get there, from Depok’s Bus Station just took angkot with number 03. You could see the number on the rear and back glass of the car. It usually located on the corner of the glass. At the intersection of Sawangan district, you have to move to angkot number 102. As all the angkots have same blue color, you have to carefully see the number. And as an advice and the basic thing as a walkie traveler, do not hesitate to tell the driver where you want to go and ask for directions.

The mosque as seen from the front gate

A closer look of the mosque's domes

Upon my arrival there I was amazed by the size of its area. The mosque’s golden dome shines struct by the sun light. I can saw it from the entrance gate which located about 300 meters from the mosque itself. Around the mosque, there were the owner’s villa, the hall, and the souvenir shop. There were also gardens covered with Japanese grass and some fruit gardens. The fruit trees planted on the gardens were mango, guava, and longan trees. There was also a bougenville breeding area right in front of the mosque. 

There are photographers offering our self photograph in front of the mosque that could be printed on the spot for 25 thousand rupiahs. I also saw some men throwing their sandals to make some fruits fell down from the tree. They looked like having so much fun and didn't really care their fun moment captured by my camera lens. Seeing some women did the gardening made me wanted to have one too at home. Oh yeah, there’s just this thing... where were the big trees? If only there were big trees that big enough to prevent people got sun burned on the road sides, I think it will be a much better place to visit. Yeah, of coure it is.

The laughing sandal-throwing men 

The men in charge of printing the photograph

The lady gardeners doing the grass

Enough with the outside of the mosque, let’s move inside. The first impression of moving inside was that they had separate entrance for male and female, it was great. Moving in, I thouht the gold was only on the dome of the mosque, but there were also gold covering some interiors, for example on the pulpit. The other thing that people recommed to see there was the sky painting on the ceiling. It was said that its sky color changed along the day. I think it was beautiful, but for someone that know nothing like artistic painting I just stopped there. "Yeah, it was beautiful...uh-hm."

The cloudy sky painting on the ceiling

Male entrance

The pulpit which covered with 18 carat gold

At the end, I just realize that I was doing wrong things all along since I came inside the mosque. I just realized it a few minutes before the prayer begins. To proof that, I did the bad ass thing one last time just for you. Hahaha! #evillaugh

"Do not took photograph inside the mosque" is written there