JALESVEVA JAYAMAHE MONUMENT

The Jalesveva Jayamahe Monument or Monjaya depicts a fully dressed TNI Navy officer staring at the sea, representing the next generation with confidence and sincerity, ready to hit the waves and take a storm towards the indicated direction, namely the ideals of the Indonesian people.

Thus, Jalesveva Jayamahe Monument also illustrates the implementation of the exchange from the predecessor generation who completed the task to the generation who would carry out the next task. The monument, which was built at the western end of the Madura Pier, will also be used as a guide light tower (lighthouse) for ships sailing around it.

The word “Jalesveva Jayamahe” itself is a slogan from the Indonesian Navy that means “in our victorious sea”. The material of the monument is made of copper and the architect is I Nyoman Nuarte. He is the artist who also composed the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue in Bali. The Monjaya foundation building consists of 4 floors. The top one is where the feet of the officer statue is. From there visitors can see the entire Tanjung Perak pier Surabaya.

In front of the Jalesveva Jayamahe Monument there is a gigantic Gong (a musical instrument) named “Kyai Tentrem”. It is six meters in diameter and weighs 2 tons. The copper materials left from the sculpture construction process were finally made into Gongs for the official inauguration ceremony.

The 31-meter monument stands on a 29-meter high building, not just as a decoration. But the statue also functions as a guide beacon for ships passing in the surrounding sea. Monjaya was built since 1990. The Colonel was steel-framed and copper-skinned.

There are also Koarmatim mockups with a scale of 1: 1200. A total of seven ship models of various sizes are placed in the round room. One of them is the KRI Pasoepati Submarine which is now used as a Submarine Monument (Monkasel) on Jalan Pemuda Surabaya. Entering the second floor, the collection is displayed more diverse. The east wall is decorated with frames measuring 10 and 12 R, which have pictures of all the warships in Koarmatim. On the floor there is also a room containing special photographs of the unit.

The supporting structure is made of a round four-story concrete. On the walls of the building, a diorama was made of the history of the heroism of the Indonesian Navy from the time of physical pre-revolution to the 1900s. Its function is as a TNI – AL (navy) museum as well as a meeting place. At present, only two floors have functioned as museums. On the first floor, visitors can see posters about the construction of Monjaya.

The idea that underlied the construction of the Jalesveva Jayamahe Monument was that the advancement of a nation should be based on history. In another sense “a great nation is a nation that can appreciate the services of its heroes”.

Of the many heroes and elders who have served in pioneering, upholding and filling the independence of the Republic of Indonesia, including the heroes whose services are through the Indonesian Navy. The countless sacrifices they have contributed. Even the soul they give. Only a small part of them are known to Indonesians, the names of some of the Heroes have been immortalized as names of the Republic of Indonesia Warship or important buildings.

Aside from being a token of appreciation and remembrance of the surviving generations, It is also hoped that Monjaya can provide encouragement to continue the heroes’ struggle towards achieving the ideals of a victorious Navy in a just and prosperous Republic of Indonesia.

However, the next generation still felt that it was not enough, they even felt insufficient in repaying their services and giving rewards to them, and were sure that there was no decent amount and no appreciation commensurate with the sacrifice they had made. Although the Heroes did not expect anything in return, they were expected to continue their determination and enthusiasm through the struggle to fill independence.

1945 has been proclaimed the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia. The idea of the struggle has been fully transferred to the generation of fillers and successors of development. Because of that in 1990, it could be considered as a spear in the history of the Nation’s struggle.

Because of that, in that special year, the next generation of the Navy with other communities wanted to present something special, in the form of the construction of a monument where the groundbreaking was carried out on December 5, 1990.

With the construction of this monument, the next generation tries to record the heroic steps of the founders and elders of the Navy in their service of pioneering, upholding and filling independence through the Navy, and at the same time is expected to ignite the spirit of the struggle to fill independence for the current and future generations.

Without understating the historical events that occurred in Sibolga, Tegal, Pasuruan, Bali or anywhere in Indonesia, the history of Ujung as part of the city of Heroes of Surabaya cannot be separated from the history of the Indonesian Navy. The history in question is the event of the seizure of Kaigun SE 21/24 Butai on October 3, 1945. This event was marked by an oath by the Navy Training (PAL) namely “I am willing to sacrifice property, body and soul for the Nation”.

Surabaya, 11 October  2019