The East Java Cultural Heritage Conservation Center continues the excavation or excavation of the site in Kumitir Village in Trowulan, Mojokerto. It is suspected that the six hectare site buried the pendharmaan temple or the tomb of Mahisa Cempaka or Narasingamurti, King Singasari who died after 1268 AD. "This is a surprising finding," said Wicaksono Dwi Nugroho, the archaeologist who led the Kumitir Site excavation team when contacted, Sunday, August 9, 2020. Wicaksono explained that a number of Singasari or Majapahit heritage temples that exist today originate from findings during the Dutch colonial period. He mentioned among them Candi Tikus and Wringin Lawang. That is why, Wicaksono considered the present invention monumental. The alleged finding of the pendarmaan temple is based on ancient texts which mention the Kumitir or Kumeper issue. There it is mentioned that Kumitir is the place where the sacred shrine of Mahisa Cempaka - who is in the lineage of Ken Dedes and Hayam Wuruk - was built with a beautiful statue of Shiva. The excavation was carried out in October last year. At that time, a team of archaeologists came after residents who made bricks in the village discovered the construction of talut or sheet piles made of 187.2 meters long. Excavations by archaeologists later found the construction to be even longer. "That's why we tried to excavate again to reveal the Kumitir Site, is it true that this is Mahisa Cempaka's donation," said Wicaksono. Overall, the excavation was carried out in an area of 312 x 250 square meters or about six hectares. The excavation, which involved 55 workers from local residents and 40 experts or technical personnel from the Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, has succeeded in uncovering the existence of a brick structure forming the supposed tomb building in the middle of the site. Luckily, the area is right under the land of the village treasury so that excavations can continue. But not for some areas where talut was found. Wicaksono revealed that the entire site is in an area of 32 land owners. Permits and compensation talks are still ongoing in some of these areas. "What we have just worked on is related to the 12 owners. The rest is limited by the budget for the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
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