Pencak Silat Tadjimalela was founded on August 4, 1974 by R. Djadjat Koesoemahdinata or better known as Kang Djadjat Paramour.
The name Tadjimalela is taken from the name of a king from the Sumedang Larang kingdom, West Java. The use of the name Tadjimalela is because R. Djadjat Koesoemahdinata still has kin relations with the family of the king. Besides that, it is said that the name Tadjimalela was obtained through the process of contemplation and prayer.
Kang Djadjat’s was dissatisfied in his initial study of Pencak Silat. His Pencak teacher only taught him the artistic element. Kang Djadjat wanted to learn practical moves that could be used in a fight, so he decided toto look for knowledge of Silat elsewhere.
He was also concerned about the development of foreign martial arts proliferating in Indonesia. Pencak Silat, indigenous martial art of Indonesia seemed to be overlooked both from the community itself and from the government. Both of these gave birth to a strong ambition to become a famous Pencak Silat teacher, and to place Pencak Silat in a high status compared to the foreign martial arts that were being studied especially in West Java.
In order to do achieve this dream of his, he fasting frequently and visited spiritual retreat centers. It was during this time when Kang Djadjat once left home for four days. After arriving back at home, Kang Djadjat was in a state of shock, unable to speak. After four days later, he was able to share the events with his brother, R. Iyan Koesoemahdinata, who was the general chairperson of the central Tadjimalela Silat College.
Returning from the odyssey, he was often seen practicing in front of a mirror. He also began to teach several moves to his friends and close neighbors in the area of Jl. Dulatip, Bandung. After feeling mature in his moves, then it occurred to him to establish a martial arts school. He performed evening prayers and fasted, asking Allah SWT to be given a name for the perguruan with moves that he created himself. Finally he was inspired to give the name Tadjimalela to his martial arts school. After receiving support from his four older siblings, on August 4, 1974 the Tadjimalela martial arts school was inaugurated.
There are seven people who are considered as the first students, nicknamed PASUS (Special Forces). They are Nang Martha, Buci Budiman, Wahya, Dedi AR, Barli, Oki Surya Hidayat (Ook). After being accepted in IPSI 1975, Kang Djadjat began refining his techniques so that they could be used and validated according to the rules of sport Pencak Silat.
July 6, 1995 at the age of 50, Kang Djajat passed away. A message he delivered to his successor before he died: “Tadjimalela Kudu Hirup Sarebu Taun Deui” or “Tadjimalela must live another thousand years”.
R. Djdjat Koesoemahdinata taught more about the science of motion in Pencak Silat, and R. Iyan Koesoemahdinata (his brother) focused more on mental and spiritual development. Tadjimalela Silat perguruan became a martial arts institution that teaches the science of motion (sports, sports, cultural arts) and also mental and spiritual.
To avoid the cult of Tadjimalela’s name, R. Iyan Koesoemahdinata described it in Panca-Darma or the five rules of life or principles which forms the philosophy for all members of the Silat perguruan of Tadjimalela:
Panca Darma Tadjimalela
- TA – Fight the bad desired within yourself
- DJI – A pure heart is the basis of noble character the philosophy of the nobility
- MA – Dedication and reliance on God
- LE – Be as courageous as you are just
- LA – Be humble and avoid being arrogant
The Tadjimalela school based in Bandung succeeded to make several achievements both at regional and national levels. Between the years of 1980 and 1999, ten of the fifteen gold metals were won by Tadjimalela students. On January 8-9, 2018, in the championship of Pencak Silat between students and the Sunda Putra Open IV College in Sumedang, Tadjimalela Unlat Sumedang successfully won the Overall Champion 1st title.
They continue to produce top athletes including Hanifan Yudani Kusumah, a famous fighter in Indonesia who won gold metal at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia in tanding male class C.
