I. Karaton Yogyakarta Hadiningrat Internal Organization
II. Art and Cultural Activities
Monday : Javanese Gamelan Music Tuesday : Javanese Gamelan Music Wednesday : Wayang Leather Puppetry Thursday : Javanese Gamelan Music Saturday : Wayang Leather Puppetry Sunday : Javanese Court Dance All performances are held at Sri Manganti Hall, inside the Karaton. Visitors shall go thru Jalan Rotowijayan (West of Karaton), turn left to Keben. Museums
The names of some royal carriages are:
This is the most busiest royal palace in Java. In normal time more than half a million visitors per year, domestic and foreign from different parts of the world come to appreciate the ancient attractive Karaton. The location is very strategic, in the center of the metropolitan city in the south end of the center of the famous jalan Malioboro. The tourist of Karaton is well organized. The objects of arts, history and many professional guides speaking major foreign languages are available. The magical atmosphere and specific environment of the palace compound give a relief feeling to the admirers. Everyone should not fail to see this marvelous place whilst visiting Yogyakarta. Pagelaran Bangsal/Hall/Pengapit in the west side and Pasewakan in the East side are used as a showcase for royal traditional dresses of Karaton Yogyakarta, in the old time it was the place for the Sultan to meet with his chief-warriors. There is also a Bangsal (Hall) Pengrawit, a place for inauguration of Patih (Prime minister) by the Sultan. Above the rear gate of Pagelaran, there is a relief indicates the year of renovation, 1934 A.D. In the fence of the back yard of Pagelaran, there are reliefs showing the struggle of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I and Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX for the propose of study tour. Going further south on the way to Sti Hinggil (highland), there are 2 small Bangsal Pacikeran which were used until 1926 by court-employees of Singonegoro and Mertolulut (executioners). Siti Hinggil There was an ancient tradition called Pepe. An ordinary people could meet directly with the Sultan requesting justice or something else. He had to wear white clothes and sat between the 2-beringin/Banyan trees in the middle of the North Square. The court employees saw him from Bangsal Kori, they should report to the Sultan and Sultan should instruct his employees to call that people. Next to Tarub Agung is the Tratag Siti Hinggil and then the Bangsal Siti Hinggil, a spacious magnificent royal open hall, where the royal audience is held during Garebeg. Inside Bangsal Siti Hinggil, there is another Bangsal called Bangsal Manguntur Tangkil a sacred place of the Sultan’s throne. A royal chair where Sultan sits during Karaton ceremony. In the rear of Bangsal Manguntur Tangkil is Bangsal Witono where the Karaton Pusaka/Heirlooms are placed during Garebeg ceremony. It’s a very splendid hall with a lot of carved ornaments and the ceiling is wonderfully decorated.
Those ornaments have symbolic meanings of unity and integrity of all forces in the society. There are another two halls, flanked Siti Hinggil Hall, in the east is Bale Bang, a place to store the gamelan music instruments by the name of Sekati, in the west is Bale Angun-angun to keep the Pusaka/Heirloom by the name of Kanjeng Kyai Suro Angun-angun, in the form of a lance used to kill bulls in the old time. North Kemandungan/Keben There is a Bangsal Ponconiti in the middle of the yard, now serve as guide center. Kedaton After entering the gate Donopratopo, there are the wonderful Bangsal Kencono, pavilion Prabayeksa and Gedong Kuning (yellow house) the domain of the Sultan. In the south-east corner is the museum dedicated to Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX Pilgrimage In Imogiri (10 Km South of Yogya city) are the graves of Sultan Agung-the great King of Mataram and other kings and important families of Mataram, Surakarta and Yogyakarta Kingdoms. There are also other graveyards of the court families, respected and visited by many pilgrims such as Wotgaleh, Karangturi, Mlangi etc. Besides the above there are some sacred places, the abodes of Mataram founding fathers, managed by the Karaton Yogyakarta such as: Petilasan Dlepih, the retreat of Panembahan Senopati and Sultan Agung Petilasan Banglampir, the abode of Ki Ageng Butuh, Ki Ageng Pemanahan, Ki Ageng Juru Mertani and Panembahan Senopati. Petilasan Beton, a meditation place of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, when he was a young prince. Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X and his wife, G.K.R. Hemas are prominent figures in Yogyakarta. They chair many social, education, sport foundations, showing their honorable position in the hearts of the people, even before his inauguration as Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region. Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X is a wise leader with progressive vision who can accommodate the people’s aspiration. The art and culture are well maintained and developed accordingly. Sometimes banquets with traditional dance performances, accompanied with gamelan are organized in Karaton, some other times, Sri Sultan gives opportunities to foreign cultural troupes to perform also in Karaton. This is a broad-minded policy supporting cross-cultural relation for better cooperation and appreciation among people of the world. The court families of Karaton Ngayogyakarta are also taking part actively in many social engagement.
Suryo S. Negoro |