Durungawan at the summit of Mt. Banahaw. During this time of lent, specifically during holy week, pilgrims flock to Mt. Banahaw. Durungawan is one of the places believed to be hallowed grounds and included as one of the sacred "pwestos". These pwestos are places for meditation and prayerLocal pilgrims known as Rizalistas believe that the Mt Banahaw is the New Jerusalem. There are specific areas that have unexplainable natural formations such as a rock with a footprint at Kinabuhayan. I've visited the Sta Lucia complex several times in the late 1990s. I joined a group of students from the University of the Philippines who immersed themselves over a weekend to the way of life of the people of Mt. Banahaw.
I was able to meet members of Cuidad Mystica de Dios a group of believers living in the foothills of Mt Banahaw which is called the Sta Lucia complex. These people do not worship Rizal (Philippine National Hero) this is one of the reasons that they are misunderstood. They treat Rizal as a Philippine saint not a god. They still firmly believe in God the Father. The holy trinity. When you enter one of the local church, familiar catholic image is in front. Pictures of Filipino heroes and martyrs are on the side and at the back. One church is shaped like a boat. They believe that Mt Banahaw is a holy place, a place for worship and purging one's sins.
We then traced the pilgrim's path. First we went down more than a hundred flight of stairs to go the river and to the "talon" or waterfalls. At the bottom of the stairs is a huge rock where one should meditate. This is the place for mental cleansing and preparing oneself for the journey through the pwestos. Next stop is the talon where one takes a bath underneath the waterfalls. This is the physical cleansing done after the meditation. During holy week lines are very long.
After the cold splash, a pilgrim then is deemed ready to go to the other pwestos. A heart pumping climb up the hundred steps and then walk back to the Sta Lucia. Then the pilgrim goes on to 'balon ni Jacob' or Jacob's well. This pwesto is a cave. The entrance is small and almost just a crack on the ground. There is a huge slab of rock on a slant that would greet you upon entering the claustrophic chamber. Then a pilgrim dips himself onto the cold water while still holding on to a makeshift ladder installed at the side of the rock. It is believed that by dipping oneself in the water, sins will be forgiven.
There are many other small caves and pwestos along the path towards Kalbaryo. But one distinct and mysterious pwesto is the 'husgado'. This cave is literally a crack on the ground. There are no lights inside, thus I had to place all the candles for the others so that they can navigate the cave. There are chambers that are very narrow one is the big tooth chamber. This very small chamber is where you have to navigate by sheer will and faith. First time I entered, I have to calm myself as there are places just enough for my body to pass through. What is amazing about this cave is that people despite their large size can still pass through. Local pilgrims go through this meditation while chanting.
The last pwesto for the day is the summit of 'kalbaryo', the highest point in Sta Lucia complex. The pilgrim believes that one has to go through darkness to see the light. The light is equated to the glory of Easter.
They also believe that at the summit of Mt Banahaw, Durungawan is where one could see the promised land.
