Tradition of Sekaten, Ritual Ceremonies which Has Some Religious Elements

Sekaten In Yogyakarta

The word Sekaten or Sekaten ceremony comes from the Arabic Syahadatain. Syahadatain means two words as asserveration of moslem people to Allah and Muhammad SAW as the Prophet of Allah. Sekaten itself actually a ceremony to commemorate the birth of The Prophet of Muhammad SAW that always be done at 5 Rabiu’ul Awal (Arabic month and at Javanese Month is Mulud) and always held on North Surakarta Town Square anad Yogyakarta. The ceremony formely used by Sultan Hamengku Buwana I, the founding of Yogyakarta palace to invite the people to be a moslem.

With progressing of the era now, Sekaten or more known be Pasar Sekaten is not only livened with the moslems but also from the other religions see and to be spectators in every events at Pasar Sekaten. They are not only amused with the traditional ritual spectacle and also the Yogyakarta traditional food. There are also some shanties that build on the area of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace and Surakarta Hadiningrat Palace

Sekaten In Solo

The History of Islam Culture in Two Mataram Palaces.
As stated above, Sekaten is a commemorate the birth Muhammad SAW. And it is applicated in traditional ceremony and be hold by two sons of Mataram Kingdom. They are Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat (Yogyakarta) and Surakarta Hadiningrat (Solo). There are some similarities and also differences both of that traditional ceremonies.

By scruntunizing each histories version, it can be found that in reality both of kingdoms share a story about the birth provenance of Sekaten. Sekaten had began at the first time at Kasultanan Demak (16th century), and sekaten is the effort Wali Sanga in spreading islam using the art and culture approach.

Keraton Solo ( Surakarta Hadiningrat Palace )

Art and Culture breath is very exquisite in thi traditional ritual-religious. Gamelan to be a main factor for both kingdom. At Yogyakarta palace, Gamelan Sekaten consists of two kinds gamelan.  The gamelan are Kyai Nogowilogo and Kyai Guntur Madu. At Surakarta Palace two kinds of gamelan are Kyai Guntur Madu and Kyai Guntur Sari. At that both palace, several days before 12th Robiul awal  (Maulud)the gamelan will be played. The differences of them, at Yogya Palace the prosession  begins on 6th Rabiul Awal (Mulud) while at Surakarta  Palace is earlier than Yogyakarta Palace. It is on 5th Rabiul Awal (Mulud).

For approximately one week, at Masjid Agung of each palace the gamelan are played. For that period around Masjid Agung will rousing with the hustle of the trader and the people who want to see the pagelaran. At Yogyakarta palace tradition, since a month before, usually held pasar malam order to enliven the traditional-religious ceremony so Sekaten also known as Pasar Malam Sekatenan.

Keraton Yogyakarta ( Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace )

At 12th Rabiul Awal, in the morning there is a Grebeg Gunungan Prosession or known as Gerebeg Mulud as  top of Sekaten at each palaces. The Gunungan constitute of the term of many kinds of food that arranges like a mount. Many kinds of this food are crops like vegetables, fruits, cake etc. At Surakarta Palace a couple of gunungan are known as Gunungan Kakung (man) and  Gunungan Putri (woman).

The Myth of Sekaten
The people are ready since early morning waiting the gunungan. They will scrambling to get one kind of food at those Gunungan.

For the peole wholive near the palace, the food is more than a snack. It is something that has something that can blessing their live, they believe that it can protect and give welfare for everybody who eat the food from sekaten.

Pasar Malam In Sekaten Yogyakarta

Pasar Malam In SekatenSolo

Sekaten. Indonesia Culture that still on going till now
Until now Sekaten or more known as Sekatenan has become something to be waited with the people around Yogyakarta and Solo. Not only the people on Yogyakarta or Solo who want to see the ceremony of gunungan but also the people from Magelang, Muntilan and Semarang and some cities often come to Ngayogyakarto Hadiningrat Palace and Surakarta Hadiningrat at Solo to see and to enjoy the tradition that have religious elements.