Mbah Suro

Muljono, also known as Surodihardjo (17 March 1921 – 5 March 1967), or more popularly as Mbah Suro or Mbah Suro Nginggil, was a shaman, mystic, Sukarnoist, and village head from Blora Regency.

Born with the name Muljono, Suro came from a prominent family in Nginggil. His father was a village head, and he was a descendant of the founders of Nginggil. During the National Revolution, he fought against the Dutch by joining the Yadau Brigade. After that, he served as the Village head of Nginggil for 16 years (1946–1962).

After stepping down as village head, Suro focused on becoming a mystic. He established a hermitage in Nginggil and gained followers. After the 30 September Movement (G30S), Suro drew even more attention as many Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) members fled to his hermitage.

The presence of fleeing PKI members led the Diponegoro Commander to order Suro to close down his hermitage. Suro refused to obey, prompting the Indonesian National Armed Forces (ABRI) to send troops to Nginggil on 5 March 1967. During the military operation in Nginggil, he was defeated and captured. However, he was killed that day while trying to escape.

Early life and education Muljono was born in Nginggil on 17 March 1921. He was a descendant of the founders of Nginggil. His father, Resosemito, was the Village Head of Nginggil, and his mother was named Sumitah. He had six younger sisters. He attended elementary school. During his school years, he was known as a lazy student with poor academic performance. He was also mischievous as a child. Nevertheless, he managed to graduate from primary school.

On 24 April 1962, he submitted a letter to the Resident of Pati requesting to be relieved from his position as Village Head of Nginggil. The request was granted, and Muljono stepped down as village head on 31 July 1962. According to Ramelan, Muljono resigned due to his involvement in the encroachment of land. in . However, according to , he only received the nickname Mbah Suro after resigning as village head. for three days and three nights.

After receiving the nickname Mbah Suro, he changed his appearance by growing a thick moustache and allowing his hair to grow long. He also provided his clients with charms and amulets. Suro's amulets were said to make people invulnerable to bullets and sharp weapons. His healing abilities attracted many people from various places to visit his hermitage.

After 30 September Movement

After the events of the 30 September Movement, the government began hunting PKI members. Many PKI members fled to Suro's hermitage in Nginggil to avoid government pursuit. Not only PKI members but also former ABRI members sought refuge there. It is estimated that thousands of people were hiding in his hermitage. In July 1966, he was estimated to have around 500,000 followers. Whenever he gave a speech, he instructed his followers to sing the song Genjer-genjer and chant slogans such as "Long live Bung Karno," "Long live Mbah Suro," and "Long live the PKI." He assigned former ABRI members who became his students to serve as defence advisors for the hermitage.

The presence of fleeing PKI members in his hermitage led the Diponegoro Commander to try to close it down through non-violent means. On 22 October 1966, the Diponegoro Division Commander demanded Suro close his hermitage. They then sent two envoys to ask Suro to close the hermitage. However, he was still adamant in refusing the request, and his followers attacked the second envoy. His refusal prompted the ABRI to launch a military operation in Nginggil, sending troops consisting of RPKAD and regular soldiers from Battalions , 409, and . He and his wife were then buried in . Although he had died, he left a legacy in Nginggil in the form of a prayer house and roads.

Personal life Muljono married Rukmini in 1945. After his first marriage, he changed his name to Surodihardjo. He then divorced his first wife in 1960 because they had no children. He later married Suwarni. From both marriages, he did not have any children.

Religion According to official records, Suro was a Muslim. However, Kompas reported that he did not believe in the existence of God and instead believed in spirits. He also once stated that the religion in Indonesia was Pancasila, with its highest deity being Batara Kala. Additionally, he showed hostility toward the santri'' group, declaring that if they came to Nginggil, they would be arrested.