Perhaps you have wondered about the origin of this place. Bencongan is a village in Tangerang Regency. Tangerang Regency is part of the province of Banten in Indonesia. It is located west of Jakarta.
The capital of Tangerang Regency is Tigaraksa. Tangerang is divided into many districts. There are 29 subdistricts, 28 urban villages and 246 rural villages. In 2024, the population was more than 3.4 million people. Tangerang Regency is part of Jabodetabek. This is a metropolitan area around Jakarta.
Let’s delve into its history. The Sultanate of Banten was under pressure from the VOC. VOC means Dutch East India Company. Three leaders were sent to create defense posts. These posts were in the area bordering Batavia. Batavia is now Jakarta. The three leaders were Aria Yudhanegara, Aria Wangsakara and Aria Jaya Santika. They built a defense and government base. It was in the area now known as Tigaraksa.
Local legend says Tigaraksa is the origin of Tangerang Regency. Tigaraksa means three poles. This name honored the three leaders. They were the leaders at that time. A son of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa built a monument. He built it west of the Cisadane River. It is believed to be in Gerendeng village. The prince named the monument Tangerang. In Sundanese, Tangerang means sign. Over time, the name Tangerang became common.
The rule of the three leaders ended in 1684. This happened when the Dutch and Banten signed a treaty. The treaty gave Tangerang to the Dutch. The Dutch created a regency separate from Banten. It was led by a regent. From 1682 to 1809, the regency was led by Kyai Aria Soetadilaga I-VII.
Later, the Dutch thought Aria Soetadilaga’s descendants could not govern. They moved the government to Batavia. The Dutch sold land in Tangerang. They sold it to rich people in Batavia. These people recruited young Indonesians. These young people helped with defense. This was especially after defeats near Midway and the Solomon Islands. On April 29, 1943, several military groups were formed. The most important were Keibodan and Seinendan. Jakarta’s government was moved to Tangerang. Kentyo M. Atik Soeardi led it. He was ordered by the Governor of Java Madura.
Tangerang became a regency. Jakarta became a special capital region. In Java, government was based on a 1942 law. This law was made after Japan took over. It was the basis for military government. The Japanese army commander formed a military government in Java. In August 1942, laws ended the Gunseibu. The military structure had a central government. It oversaw residents and special district heads. Residents oversaw mayors and regents.
Below the regent were district heads and village heads. On December 8, 1942, Batavia was renamed Jakarta. In late 1943, the number of regencies in West Java changed. It went from 18 to 19. Japan changed Tangerang from a district to a regency. This was because Jakarta was a city and Tangerang was large.
The government issued a decree on November 9, 1943. It stated that Tangerang’s office was in Tangerang City. Jakarta was renamed Tangerang. Atik Soeardi became Regent of Tangerang from 1943 to 1944. During his term, the anniversary of Tangerang Regency was set. It was set as December 27, 1943. In 1993, Tangerang City was formed. The regency’s capital moved to Tigaraksa. This was to revive the spirit of the founders. They wanted a society free from oppression. They wanted a society that was independent and prosperous.
The original people of Tangerang Regency are the Sundanese. They live in the west, center and south. Tangerang was once an important port of the Sunda Kingdom.
Today, Bencongan stands as a testament to resilience. It shows a blend of historical influences. It is also a place of continuous growth.