Perhelatan MotoGP kembali ke Indonesia berlangsung 18-20 Maret 2021. Bintangnya bukan Marc Marquez, Miguel Oliveira astau Fabio Quartararo, tapi Rara Isti Wulandari.
Sesi puncak MotoGP Mandalika, Minggu 20 Maret 2022 diwarnai hujan deras tak kunjung henti. Padahal, Presiden Jokowi sudah hadir di sirkuit baru yang ada di Kabupaten Lombok Tengah.
Jokowi berangkat dari Bandara Soekarno Hatta pukul 10.30 WIB dan pada petang hari sudah harus berada di Bali untuk membuka Sidang Ke-144 The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) di Mangupura Hall, Bali Internasional Convention Center (BICC), Kabupaten Badung.
Di samping itu, Presiden Jokowi juga ditunggu untuk menggelar pertemuan dengan Ketua Majelis Nasional Republik Korea, Park Byeong-seug. Sebelum kembali terbang kembali ke Bandara Internasional Soekarno-Hatta, Tangerang. Satu hari ke NTB dan Bali, tanpa menginap.
Nah, ketika balapan ditunda karena hujan amat lebat, timbul pertanyaan. Seberapa jauh event itu molor diundur?
Di situlah Rara Isti beraksi. Suara.com menulis kisah pawang hujan ini.
Rara Istiani Wulandari tak gentar berjalan di bawah guyuran hujan di tengah lintasan sirkuit Mandalika.
Ia dibayar mahal untuk menjadi ‘Avatar’ si Pengendali Cuaca untuk gelaran event presticious ini, bahkan sejak pengaspalan sirkuit Mandalika, wanita yang biasa disapa Mbak Rara ini sudah dipercaya untuk memodifikasi cuaca.
“Saya dibayar MGPA dan ITDC. Bayaran saya itu tiga digit untuk 21 hari,” bebernya
Media asing pun menulis kisah Rara yang dikabarkan juga terlibat ‘mengamankan’ event Asian Games 2018 dan Pelantikan Presiden – Wapres 2019 ini,
Sebuah tulisan internasional berjudul ‘Lombok: What Can A Rain Shaman Do Now?’
Kalimat lengkapnya:
Can a female rain shaman save the MotoGP race at the rain-soaked Mandalika Circuit? Apparently it succeeded.
Is MotoGP threatened with the first race cancellation since the rain chaos at Silverstone in 2018, when the drainage of the new asphalt left a lot to be desired and all three classes had to be canceled on Sunday?
For the time being, the locals are still hoping that the rain will go away just as quickly as it came. But the planned start time of 3 p.m. left little room for maneuver from the outset, because at some point dusk will fall. And the 3 p.m. start time was chosen so that the 8 a.m. MotoGP race in Europe didn’t have to be broadcast live at nighttime like Moto3 and Moto2.
However, the Indonesians leave nothing to chance when it comes to the freak weather. In no time at all, a Rain Handler, or ‘Rain Handler’, was placed at the start/finish, a female rain shaman tasked with chasing away the storm as lightning, thunder and a monsoon rain poured down the 4.3km GP course.
In Indonesia, “rain handlers” are people with supposedly otherworldly abilities who the community believes can control the rain or even the weather.
The services of rain shamans in Indonesia are mostly used for large events, such as weddings, music concerts and sporting events.
And what no one would have thought possible: the next attempt to start is scheduled for 9.15 am today, the conditions have improved significantly.
Tulisan lain ada di Indonesia Expat
Judulnya: The Rain Handler of Mandalika MotoGP 2022
Kontennya asyik juga:
To control the rain and heat for the Mandalika MotoGP 2022 event at the racing circuit in Lombok, a rain handler named Raden Roro Istiati Wulandari has been brought in.
The Kuta area in Central Lombok, where the Mandalika Circuit is located, was hit by heavy rain on the morning of Friday 18th March 2022.
From a white tent measuring 5×6 metres, a woman in a black shirt with tied hair was making solemn vows. She had been in the tent not far from the main entrance of the Mandalika Circuit since five o’clock in the morning praying.
Around 8am, the rain stopped. The sun’s rays began to reign as the sounds of motor engines began roaring in the following hour during the practice test session or the FP1 Asian Talent Cup.
At that time, four large incense sticks were lit; one in the tent, one right in front of the tent, and two in a small pool of water that was deliberately made, where there were also a number of offerings. Several other small incense sticks were also lit.
“I’m alone here. There was going to be another rain handler, but I refused. I didn’t want to. Finally, it was approved,” she explained to CNNIndonesia.com.
The woman, who was born in Papua and claims to be a follower of the Javanese belief kejawen, said that she had been in Lombok since 3rd March. She was also in charge of guarding the asphalting process for the Mandalika Circuit, as requested by Dorna.
Sungguh, sebuah kearifan lokal!
