Celebrating the birth Muhammad SAW the prophet, Javanese Moslems hold a series of ceremonies during the Maulud (one of the months in the Islamic Calendar). Sekaten is arranged on the fifth day of the month, the ceremony starts at midnight with a short procession of abdi dalem (royal servants) from Ponconiti Hall in the Kraton [...]

The biggest ceremony of life cycle rites is marriage. Before the party is held rites have to be performed in the brides family house. Starting with siraman (showering with flower water). Siraman derived from the word “siram” (Java), which means bath. What is meant by being washed in the bath containing the bride and [...]

Both the Javanese noble and the ordinary person, conduct traditional ceremonies, which are all connected to rites of the cycle of life. A woman in the 7th month of pregnancy, especially the first pregnancy, will have a mitoni ceremony. Mitoni means the seventh month celebration and will include showering the woman with flowered water, the [...]

Commemorating Javanese New Year in the first day of the Sura first month, a labuhan ceremony is held on the southern beaches (Parangtritis – Parangkusumo, Pandansimo, Samas, Baron). On New Years Eve night, people arrange torch light processions and gambyong dances, throwing offerings in to the sea at 00.00 follows this.
Labuhan itself comes from the [...]

Pura Pakualaman or the house of Paku Alam is a principality (Kadipaten) court located 2 km east of Keraton Yogyakarta. The existence of this principality is connected strongly to the history of Keraton Yogyakarta.  The history dated back to the year 1813, when Prince Notokusumo, the son of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, was throned [...]

The enthronement celebration of SISKS Paku Buwono XIII. The ceremony shows the sacred dance, Bedaya Ketawang, a very special dance that can only be played by skilled dancers. During the ceremony, there is also an aristrocratic title granting from the Prince of Keraton Surakarta to those who have given their service to the Palace, as [...]

An exhibition of Keraton Surakarta’s cultural heritage which are tangible (traditional weapons, artifacts, etc) and intangible (traditional ceremony, traditional music and dance, etc)

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Mahesa Lawung is a sacred ritual held by Keraton Surakarta to ask for safety and protection againts any obstacles in the world. The ceremony is held in Hutan Gondangrejo, Karanganyar (14 km north side from Solo). The place is considered to be sacred. It is a place used by the ancestors of the Mataram Dynasty [...]