Photo: Onnes Kurkdjian/Vintage
Mount Bromo is one of the active volcanoes on the island of Java. However, this mountain is also one of the main tourist attractions in East Java. People from all over the world come to Java to go to Bromo, from then until now. Mount Bromo is famous for its 10 sq km caldera.
The name Mount Bromo was taken from the word Brahma, the main god in Hinduism. The Tenggerese who inhabit the mountain call it Brama, and in Javanese it becomes Bromo. The Tenggerese are devout adherents of Hinduism, they were said to be part of the Hindu community of the Majapahit Kingdom who refused to convert to Islam. That's why they fled to the mountains. The Tenggerese consider Bromo to be a sacred mountain, they hold an annual ritual that attracts many tourists.
The photo above was taken by Onnes Kurkdjian, an Armenian photographer. His real name was Ohannes Kurkdjian, but he was better known as Onnes Kurkdjian. Kurkdjian initially worked in Singapore, then he moved to Surabaya and set up his own photo studio. Kurkdjian died in Surabaya in 1903. His photo studio produced many important works related to characters and natural landscapes.
The exact year this photo was taken was unknown, but Kurkdjian died in 1903, so this photo must be from around that time or earlier.