[1] Although Tohari's parents were both from farming backgrounds, his father had received an education and, while employed as director of the regional office for the Ministry of Religious Affairs, was responsible for the establishment of the pesantren in Tinggarjaya.
[1] Tohari has described himself as a mischievous child who often visited a neighboring abangan village (i.e., one that practices a less orthodox version of the Islamic faith).
[2] Although Tohari's education in the pesantren developed by his parents left him with deep religious convictions, as an adult his progressive interpretation of Indonesian Islam has been criticized by some as being out of step with the status quo.
[1][3] Tohari has described himself as a "progressive religious intellectual" whose aim is to nurture a modern Islam that honors Indonesia's diverse indigenous culture and traditions while following the teaching of the Koran.
[4] The second and third books, Lintang Kemukus Dini Hari (A Shooting Star at Dawn) and Jentera Bianglala (The Rainbow's Arc), were published in 1985 and 1986 respectively.
[5] In interviews, Tohari has explained how his ideas for books, including Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk, have often been inspired by things around his home village.
[5] Tohari still lives in the Banyumas area and his experience of growing up in a small village continues to color his literary works.
In 2011, the second film version of Tohari's novel Sang Penari (The Dancer), produced by Shanty Harman and directed by Ifa Isfansyah, was screened in Jakarta.
[5] With his family, he runs an Islamic school (pesantren), and is a well-known export of Javanese folk arts, and a consultant for the regional office of the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Education.