The traditional Javanese people who are living in their native land or in the other places where live communities of Javanese lineage commemorate 1st of Suro, a day considered sacred. As in accordance to tradition, people wishes to “ngalap berkah” –to receive blessing from the great holy day. In the night of 1st Suro many people pray solemnly, meditate in solitude or they do not sleep the whole night some even for 24 hours.
1st of Suro is New Year according to Javanese calendar. If in the International New Year of 1st January, people around the world celebrate by making parties, for their New Year of 1st Suro, the traditional Javanese people celebrate it by doing spiritual deed.
The spiritual value of 1st of Suro traditionally understood as follow :
1st of Suro is celebrated as the beginning of a new life. The human beings from the bottom of their hearts pray and respect Gusti, God, The One who has
created the whole universe with all its contents including human beings.
In that case the 1st of Suro ritual ceremony is done solemnly, people are doing introspection, cleaning their bodies and souls and at the same time thank God who has created and given life to all of us to be born and live creatively in the world.
Grateful to the noble chance given by God, in this limited time of life on the earth, we have to do the best not only for ourselves and family but also for the whole creature. We have to preserve the world , as otherwise there will be no life in the planet earth.
This kind of life attitude has always been reminded by our ancestors since the ancient time. We consciously inherit and preserve this life principle from our ancestors . Thus, the commemoration of 1st of Suro, can be hold in various places with different kind of celebrations. One can do it in accordance to his belief, other may follow to the local tradition.
Places commemorating 1st of Suro
Many people are doing pilgrimage to various places considered having strong supernatural power. Many climbers are on the top of Mount Lawu, eastward of Solo. Thousands of pilgrims spend the night of 1st Suro awake in the south sea beaches of Parang Tritis and Parang Kusumo in Jogjakarta and Dieng Mountain.
Some springs, lakes and rivers are crowded with night bathers to clean their bodies and souls. The favorite places are the meeting of two rivers where the spiritual energy is stronger. Some bathers remain for hours in the river, only their heads appear above water. After bathing , they stay on the bank of the river doing spiritual deed until sunrise.
Some graveyards and ex- retreats ( petilasan in Javanese) of distinguished ancestors, kings or wise men and women are also visited by a number of pilgrims .One of the favorite places of pilgrimage is Dlepih, the ex retreats/petilasan of Panembahan Senopati and Sultan Agung. The pilgrims do solemn spiritual deed in these sacred places, pray to God, meditate.
People in many towns and villages enjoy wayang kulit performance for the whole night to celebrate 1st of Suro where they receive many valuable advices to carry out a good and correct life in a civilized and prosperous society. The wayang performance is an efficient way to learn decent morality and spirituality. If there is no wayang kulit performance in the village or in the neighboring villages, the villagers will make a whole night gathering and listen to wayang kulit narration from radio broadcast.
Famous places to commemorate 1st of Suro
Village of Pantaran, 16 kilometers north of Boyolali, on the eastern slope of Mount Merbabu.
The cold weather is biting. The water of river Sipendok is as cold as ice but it is not preventing people to bath in the river during the night. Holding a lighted candle, the bathers stay in the stream for about an hour until the light of the candle is off. After that, the pilgrims meditate on the bank of the river until sunrise. Pantaran was a hermit’s abode of the court family of Pengging.
The young Jaka Tingkir also meditated in this abode, later on he was inaugurated as the King of Pajang Kingdom as Sultan Hadiwijaya.( in the 16th century).
Mount Merapi
The villagers of Selo village living in the north slope of Merapi (The Fire Mountain) make a traditional mountain offering ( Sedekah Gunung) to commemorate 1st of Suro. The offering consist of among other a buffalo head be buried on the peak of Merapi. If the situation is dangerous , it shall be buried in a place locally known as Pasar Bubrah.
Mount Merbabu
In the night of 1 st Suro, the inhabitants living in the northern slope of Merbabu make a traditional offering in the crater of Merbabu.
Mount Sumbing and Mount Sindoro
In Temanggung and Wonosobo regencies, 80 km north west of Jogjakarta. In the eve of 1 st Suro, the people living in the feet of Mount Sumbing and Mount Sindoro climb to the peaks of the mountains with more than 3000 meters of height. They stay on the peaks until sunrise. It is a tradition faithfully followed by the villagers since ancient time.
Village of Guyangan, Nogotirto, Sleman, Jogjakarta
Many pilgrims come to this village to bathe and drink from a well made by Demang Cokrodikromo in 1877. They believe they shall be healthy and safe, freed from bad problems in life.
Places considered as favorite and visited by a number of pilgrims are :
The places where two rivers meet like in Jogjakarta : the meetings between river Oya and Opak; between river Kontheng and river Winongo; between river Gajah Wong and Opak in Jogjakarta.
In Surakarta, there are plenty bathers in river Ranji. There are also many bathers in the rivers in Semarang , Ambarawa, Banyumas and other places.
The famous graveyards and ex retreats with plenty of visitors are among other : Kembang Lampir, Kota Gede, Imogiri, Giring, Wotgaleh, nDoro Purbo in Kusumanegara street, Lawang Tunggal, Suralaya, Gunung Lanang, Syekh Bela Belu, Syekh Maulana Magribi, Selo Ening, Barat Ketigo, Panembahan Bodho in Jogjakarta.
In Surakarta many pilgrims come to Pengging, the remnant of Pajang Palace, Bayat, Laweyan, Langenharjo, Kyai Balak etc.
Some springs are also attractive for pilgrims to do holy bathing to cleanse their body and soul, such as Kasihan, Brajan, Seliran, Kemuning, Pengging, Tingkir, Jumprit etc.
Some caves with plenty of pilgrims among other are : Gua Langse, Cermin, Bribin, Rancang etc.
Along the beaches of South Sea- Segoro Kidul there are thousands of pilgrims in Parangkusumo, Parangtritis, Parangendog, Pandansimo. In Ngrenehan there is a sea offering – Pisungsung Jaladri. Ritual ceremonies are also held in Ngobaran and Kukup. Other places such as Baron, Samas and Krakal many pilgrims stay awake all night to celebrate 1st of Suro.
In the beaches of Java sea, people organize 1 st Suro ritual ceremonies such as in Jepara. Other places in Central Java celebrate 1st Suro are Cilacap, Gunung Srandil, a hill south of Randudongkal, Kadilangu, Demak, Krendhowahono etc.
The well-known places in East Java such as Alas Ketonggo, Mamenang, the ex retreat of King Jayabaya, Kediri, Lake Ngebel near Ponorogo, Madiun, Gunung Kawi, Malang, the remnants of Majapahit Palace in Trowulan, Surabaya, Alas Purwo are visited by a lot of pilgrims.
In Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, many people commemorate 1st of Suro, they make a spiritual gathering from evening until sunrise or by watching
a whole night wayang performance.
Sacred Days in the month of Suro
Besides the 1st of Suro which is considered a sacred day, Tuesday Kliwon in the month of Suro is also a holy day for the traditional Javanese people.
In the eve of Tuesday Kliwon ( malam Selasa Kliwon in Javanese), many people meditate in various places considered as having strong supernatural power.
If there is no Tuesday Kliwon during the month, then Friday Legi or Friday Kliwon will replace it.
Many people organize the rite of Ruwatan in order to have a safe, prosperous and happy life, freed from any kind of bad fate. In this ruwatan rite, a wayang kulit show with the story of Murwakala is performed.
Do more tirakatan
The traditional Javanese practice a spiritual way of life, they are familiar with with tirakatan or ngurang-ngurangi i.e doing self-denial in order to have peaceful life and spiritual enlightenment among other practicing a simple daily life by doing solemn pray to God, limiting worldly need and joy.
Before doing a spiritual deed , one will cleanse his body and soul by taking a holy bath, usually followed by fasting. The mind must be clean, free from any dirty taught. The way of talking and doing must be nice. He/ she should sleep less, only once a day from midnight until before sunrise.
He/she eat moderately, a small portion of rice with vegetables and fruits and drink only water. The consumption of meat should be avoided.
He /she has to pursue a good and correct way of living, work diligently, glad to help other people, maintain the cleanliness of the body, the house and the environment and preserve nature. In the daily life maintain the balance between worldly and spiritual life.
During the month of Suro, people do more solemn spiritual deed or tirakatan in Javanese language. It is the holy month, it is a proper time to cleanse the body and the soul and to be closer to Gusti, God The Creator.
In the month of Suro, traditional Javanese people do not organize party for worldly purposes such as wedding, start building a house etc.
The month of Suro is considered as a perfect time to inaugurate a King or a Queen. It is also a good month to cleanse the heirlooms like kris, spears, gamelan etc. Some villages make ritual ceremony of Bersih Desa – Village cleansing ceremony or Ruwat Bumi – to preserve the earth.
Kirab Pusaka – Heirlooms Procession
The royal palaces of Surakarta and Puro Mangkunagaran organize Heirlooms Procession in the night of 1st of Suro.
Puro Mangkunagaran
The Kirab ( procession) begins at 07.00 p.m. in the 1st of Suro. ( As we already know that Javanese calendar follows the lunar circle, the new day and date begin in the evening of 06.00 p.m.).
In the heirlooms parade, several famous heirlooms belonged to the royal palace of Mangkunagaran are brought by some royal officials, escorted by Mangkunagaran princes and court families and many participants.
The heirlooms taking part in the procession among other are Kanjeng Kyai Tambur and Kanjeng Kyai Poh Jenggi and other heirlooms stipulated by K.G.P.A.A. / His Highness Mangkoenagara IX.
The route of the parade is a walk on foot encircling the palace. After a solemn procession, the heirlooms shall be housed again in their respective place.
At midnight, the Mangkunagaran court performs a sacred court rite in nDalem Ageng of the palace, in front of the krobongan – the most important chamber of Javanese palace or house.
In front of the chamber stand two wooden statues of Loro Blonyo, the symbol of prosperity.
For one hour the electricity is switched –off in the whole compound of the palace during spiritual rite. The participants of the rite consist of some court families and employees. They sit cross-leg solemnly doing samadi. Other people do samadi in Pringgitan( the middle part of the palace) and in Pendapa ( the front hall of the palace).
The Mangkunagaran Heirlooms in Wonogiri
The Mangkunagaran palace has some heirlooms in the village of Nglaroh, Selogiri, Wonogiri. It is the commitment made by His Highness Mangkoenagoro VII to honor the people of Nglaroh for supporting the struggle of Prince Sambernyowo or Sri Mangkoenagoro I.
The heirlooms ( pusaka) are Kanjeng Kyai Togog, Kanjeng Kyai Baladewa, Kanjeng Kyai Karawelang which are placed in a seven meter high monument in the form of a candi/temple. The stones for this monument were brought from Mount Lawu. On top of this monument , there is a door which must be opened by 8/eight people, the native of Selogiri. Every month of Suro, the heirlooms are brought to pendapa-village hall of Selogiri for heirloom cleansing ritual.
The pusakas/heirlooms , one by one are held above a brazier with the smoke of burning incense ( dikutugi in Javanese language). At the end of the ritual ceremony, the heirlooms are stored again in the monument.
During the cleansing ceremony, many heirlooms belonged to local people are also cleansed with purpose to preserve the heirlooms and at the same time to keep their supernatural power intact.
Karaton Surakarta
The heirlooms procession begins at midnight. Thousands of people attending the parade, waiting along the route of the procession. It starts from Karaton to Alun-alun Utara ( North Square) and then Gladag, turn left to Pasar ( market) Kliwon, Gading ( South Square) , Nonongan, North Square and back again to Karaton/ Surakarta Royal Palace.
The leading group of the procession is unique, it is a group of white buffalos by the name of Kyai Slamet. White buffalo ( kebo bule in Javanese) is the symbol of safety.
The pusakas ( heirlooms) paraded are among other : Kanjeng Kyai Baru, Kanjeng Kyai Kebo Mas, Kanjeng Kyai Brekat, Kanjeng Kyai Batok, Kanjeng Kyai Kertaraharja, Kanjeng Kyai Jompong and other heirlooms stipulated by King Paku Buwono XII.
In the town of Solo in the night of 1st of Suro, people can see two heirlooms parade, first from Mangkunagaran and then from Karaton Surakarta. The city of Solo is full with plenty of people attending the two processions. Even if it is raining, it does not prevent them to watch those processions. Some people respect solemnly the sacred heirlooms passing in front of them by giving “sembah”( respectful greeting made by joining both palms together, fingertips upward, the two thumbs touching the tip of nose). It is a tradition since ancient time.
Message from Pakoeboewono XII
Referring to heirlooms procession in 1st of Suro, Pakoe Boewono XII ( the late) said : “ For the Royal Palace of Surakarta, a heirlooms procession is a traditional custom to commemorate the New Year of 1st of Suro. The heirlooms believed as having supernatural power should spread their magical power. During the procession, all members of the royal family related to the event, are obliged to request to God the Almighty, the safety of the country with all its contents.
The Kirab Pusaka ( heirlooms processions) is not a show of weapons, it is a traditional culture organized at the fixed date and time”.
The heirlooms of Surakarta Royal Palace are stored in nDalem Ageng Prabasuyasa. Some women court servants are assigned to take care of the heirlooms. Before the procession, the heirlooms are prepared in a place called Parasdya. Then, upon the decision by the King himself, some court families and officers are ordered to parade the heirlooms in the stipulated route. Every heirloom is covered by velvet and brought by two persons.
During the four hours heirlooms parade which is considered as sacred event, all participants are not allowed to speak to each other as well as not allowed to drink, to eat, to smoke and they have to behave accordingly. Some court servants are assigned to guard the heirlooms by continuously burning incense.
In Jogjakarta
The Royal Palace/ Karaton of Jogjakarta has no tradition to make a heirlooms procession in the month of Suro. The royal heirlooms are paraded outside the Karaton wall , only in case of necessity and upon request of the society for instance to combat epidemic, flood and fire which endanger public life.
The royal heirlooms which have ever been paraded in the past are Kanjeng Kyai Tunggul Wulung and Kanjeng Kyai Pare Anom to combat a dangerous epidemic in Jogjakarta.
Kanjeng Kyai Tunggul Wulung is a black flag decorated with yellow lines on edges, with design of sword, red circle in the middle and Arabic letters.
Kanjeng Kyai Pareanom is a blck flag with Arabic letters.
Both heirlooms are considered as having very strong white magic to stop the epidemic .
Parade by encircling Benteng Karaton
In 1950, an association of royal family by the name of “Hari Dewado” commemorated 1st of Suro by walking together encircling the Bentng Karaton/ The fortress of the Karaton. This parade becomes a tradition since then.
Every night of 1st of Suro, many people spontaneously walk encircling the Benteng Karaton and it becomes a ritual. In the earlier years, the procession was not officially organized, more and more people participate. They walk solemnly, they do not speak during the rite ( mbisu in Javanese). It is considered as one of spiritual deed to receive God’s blessing for safety and wellbeing.
Now, every one may join this procession. Usually it will end at 04.00 – four o’ clock in the morning.
The Rituals conducted by court officers
Karaton Jogjakarta and Puro Pakualaman every night of 1st of Suro make some ritual ceremonies performed by some court officers assigned. These rites are not for publication, but if some people happen to know these rites and they come to watch these rites, the court officers would not chase them away.
Some court officers of Karaton Jogjakarta performed Suro rite in Ngobaran lately, in the beach of South Sea; while some Puro Pakualaman court employees did ritual performance in Gunung Lanang.
Ngobaran and Gunung Lanang are places with strong supernatural power according to some Javanese spiritualists.
Usually in the night of 1st of Suro, Sri Sultan Hamenku Buwono X and Sri Paku Alam IX have their own program.
Siraman Pusaka ( Heirlooms Cleansing)
The Royal Palaces of Surakarta, Jogjakarta, Pakualaman perform ritual ceremonies of heirlooms cleansing in Tuesday Kliwon in the month of Suro. If there is no Tuesday Kliwon during that month, then it will be performed in Friday Kliwon or Friday Legi. Puro Mangkunagaran organizes heirlooms cleansing in the morning of 1st of Suro.
The other meaning of “ Suro” is courage. The royal heirlooms are weapons having strong magical power used in the war in the old days.
By cleansing or bathing ( Jamasi in Javanese), the heirlooms will keep their attitude of courage and will spread positive energy.
The heirloom cleansing in the month of Suro is also a tradition outside the palace wall. The owners of heirlooms cleanse their heirlooms also in the month of Suro. Those who can not do it themselves, will look for an expert of heirloom cleansing.
The Royal Palaces in Surakarta and Jogjakarta have special employees to take care of the heirlooms.
The Heirlooms Cleansing Ceremonies
On Tuesday Kliwon at 10 o’clock in the morning begins the heirlooms cleansing ceremony. The King himself will cleanse the most important heirlooms. Kanjeng Kyai Baru is the favorite heirloom of Karaton Surakarta, while Kanjeng Kyai Plered is the most important heirloom in Karaton Jogjakarta.
The heirlooms are taken from the chamber Prabayeksa by the King or by some high ranking court officers assigned for this task.
The cleansing is done by the following steps :
- Mutihi - cleansing
- Marangi - smeared with material by the name of warangan
- Anjamasi - smeared with cendana oil
Afterwards, the heirlooms are stored again in the chamber Prabayeksa.
Offerings
Before the implementation of the Royal Heirlooms Cleansing Rite, a set of offerings ( sesaji in Javanese) consist of various colors of porridges, several kinds of fruits, a live rooster and meat for certain heirlooms. Then the heirlooms are arranged nicely in the Bangsal Manis. During the process of cleansing, incense is burnt continuously.
The Heirlooms cleansing Rite
Up to the present date, heirlooms cleansing rite in the royal palaces both in Jogjakarta and Surakarta are conducted internally, it is only participated by the kings, some court families and officers assigned by the kings.
At 10.00 am, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the ruler of Jogjakarta Royal Palace, wearing traditional keprabon dress ( dress of a king) comes out from Prabayeksa chamber, flanked by a prince in charge walk to Bangsal Manis to begin the ritual ceremony.
The most sacred heirlooms of the Karaton, Kanjeng Kyai Ageng ( KKA) Plered, escorted by three spears by the name of K.K.A. Gadatapan, K.K.A. Gadawedana and K.K.A. Megatruh through Bangsal Kencono are brought to Bangsal Manis. ( The heirlooms of Karaton have court titles such as Kanjeng Kyai or Kanjeng Kyai Ageng).
The heirloom K.K.A. Plered ( in the form of a spear) is put in a special place, then its cover be opened, the same done to other heirlooms.
Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X brings K.K.A Plered to a place called Gilang in the yard of Bangsal Manis to cleanse it himself.
He cleanses also several heirlooms in the form of keris, namely : K.K.A Kopek, K.K.A. Jaka Piturun, K.K.A. Sengkelat, K.K.A. Mahesa Nular, K.K.A. Simbar Inten. The other famous heirlooms in the form of spears are K.K.A. Baru and K.K.A. Macan.
Other heirlooms are cleansed by court officers assigned by the Sultan.
After K.K.A. Plered has been cleansed, a court employee is instructed to go to the Royal Museum of Carriages to inform that K.K.A. Plered has been cleansed. It means that the royal carriages should begin to be bathed.
In accordance to tradition,The Royal Carriage Kanjeng Nyai Jimat is bathed first, it is inherited from Sultan Hamengku Buwono I,on the same day all 18- eighteen palace carriages are bathed one by one.
The Cleansing of the Karaton Carriages
The bathing ceremony of the royal carriages takes place in the front yard of The Karaton Musium of Carriages, in Rotowijayan, west side of the Karaton. At the night before the bathing of all carriages, the related court officers have made traditional rite complete with the necessary offerings .
Many people believe that the water used to bathe the carriage has magical power, among other to cure sick people, to combat insects in the rice and tobacco fields, also to increase fertility of the land.
So it is common that many farmers come to attend the cleansing of the carriages, and they bring home some bottles of used water. The farmers come from Jogjakarta and the surrounding areas such as Wonosobo, Temanggung, Dieng etc.
Puro Pakualaman
The heirlooms cleansing in Puro Pakualaman is led directly by K.G.P.A.A. Paku Alam IX, assisted by some court families and officers. The ceremony takes place in the Puro compound in the same day of heirloom cleansing in Karaton Jogjakarta.
Besides keris and spears, the gamelan( music instruments) belonged to the court family of Pakualaman named K.K. Gambir Anom are also cleansed.
Imogiri
The two kerises belong to the Jogjakarta Palace namely K.K. Jakakilat and K.K. Pacar inherited from Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII which are stored in Saptarengga, the royal graveyard of Imogiri are also cleansed in the same day of the heirlooms cleansing rite in the Jogjakarta Royal Palace.
The Cleansing of Water Bowls
In the month of Suro usually in Friday Kliwon at 09.30 0’clock in the morning, the court officers from Surakarta and Jogjakarta Palaces perform a traditional ritual to clean the 4( four) water bowls in the yard of Supiturang, in front of the graveyard of Sultan Agung, The great King of Matatram II Dynasty.
The names of the water bowls are :
- Nyai Siyem and Nyai Mendhung are taken care by the court officers of Surakarta Palace.
- Kyai Danumoyo and Kyai Danumurti are taken care by the court officers of Jogjakarta Palace.
Following the tradition, before the cleansing of the water bowls, the court employees of the two royal palaces hold separate pray and also give some offerings.
The Surakarta court employees wear traditional white “beskap” jackets, while the Jogjakarta court employees wear traditional dark blue “pranakan” long sleeve shirts.
Many people mostly farmers from Jogjakarta , Surakarta and other places of Central Java attend the ceremony to be able to get some bottles of the magical water from Imogiri Royal graveyard. The water will be used to cure sick people, to ward off the rice fields from dangerous insects and to fertile the land. So, they believe to get abundant harvest. It has become a tradition since a long time ago.
Bubur Suran
There is other tradition for Javanese families to dine Bubur Suran on the 1st of Suro, a special menu be prepared consisting of rice porridge and side dishes of : Fried black soya bean, slices of fried chicken egg, delicacy of fried coconut ( serundeng in Javanese), and a fresh drink from coconut with brown sugar. Besides Bubur Suran, a yellow coconut leaf is placed above the front door of the house.
The tradition of Bubur Suran depicts :
- Family dinner is depicting a harmonious relation of the family, how all are happy, have a good chance to be together enjoying decent and delicious dinner. At this occasion the family is grateful for the blessing of Gusti, The loving God. The food is a gift from Mother Earth, so in order to be able to have food as long as we live in this world, we have to preserve the planet earth, the place where we live.
- The white rice porridge depicts a holy way of life we follow.
- Fried black soya bean. It is a symbol of our life attitude which should always be loyal, do good and correct deed to comply with the teaching of our elders to worship God. We are obliged to walk through the road of life permitted and blessed by Lord. We must practice the good principles of morality and etiquette in the daily life.
- Slices of fried chicken egg depicting life existence everywhere. Human beings have to remember that they come from the same source of origin, human beings are brothers and sisters to each other, so human beings must use justly the products given by Nature.
- Delicacy of fried coconut ( Serundeng in Javanese).It depicts clearly that we have to follow the philosophy of coconut. The coconut trees can easily grow anywhere and adjustable with the local condition, so it is expected that human beings can do the same. All parts of coconut tree are useful : the fruit, the leaf, the trunk, the fiber, the palm-leaf rib. It is a good example that whatever we do , it should be useful for everybody. We should give good things and should not hurt other people’s feeling. We should always keep in mind the advice of our elders : Hurting others means hurting ourselves. Reflect deeply that no use to hurt others.
- Fresh drink from coconut mixed with brown sugar depicts an energetic life, enjoy to work well. It means we are grateful to God who gives us life. We invite all our brothers and sisters to carry out a joyful life. Let’s live in harmony and be happy.
- Yellow coconut leaf placed above the front door of the house is depicting that our real life is always be with Gusti, God. God always protects us night and day, anywhere, any time.
We have to carry out our life with pleasure, in all activities permitted by God. We have to do good deed wisely and consciously. This kind of attitude shows that our soul are enlightened.
The coconut leaf is called Janur in Javanese language, it is the symbol of Nur Sejati ( in Javanese) means The Real Light. The Real Light is the real life within our physical and fine bodies. It is Spirit.
The Spirit always lives, it exists with us to make us live as in accordance with God’s wish.
The one who contact Gusti, God is not the human body but our spirit, our Higher Self. That’s why a conscious man meditate to be able to make contact with Higher Self to know the real life.
The clean bright yellow color of the coconut leaf is a symbol of bright life because one has consciously embraced the real life. Life is not only for someone or a group of people, life is for all human beings and for all beings in the Universe. Consequently, we have to carry out and enjoy life in the best manner, correct and just.
A spiritualist in his/ her deep meditation, fully conscious, with opened or closed eyes, feeling so quiet, enjoys his/her calm regular breathing, he/she find himself /herself in the mid of fine bright white yellow light. It means his/her total surrender to God is accepted by God and he is blessed with good life in the world.
That’s the philosophy of Bubur Suran. It is the way the traditional Javanese elders teach the younger generation through symbol and we have to uncover and understand the real meaning wisely.
This article is to welcome 1 st of Suro 1943 Dal of Javanese calendar in Friday Kliwon , December 18, 2009.
Note : The commemoration of 1st of Suro started in 1633 International calendar when The Mataram King, Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo made a new Javanese calendar with the purpose to unite the king and the people.
The situation in that time was critical due to the menace of western colonialists. Sultan Agung did not performed the court ritual Rajawedha, instead he made 1st Suro celebration, a union between Rajawedha and peasant’s rite of Gramawedha.
1st of Suro is the same day with 1st of Muharram, the Islamic New Year.
The new Javanese calendar is following the lunar system, so the change of the day is at 06.00 o’clock in the evening.
The decision of Sultan Agung had also a political motif to strengthen the unity between the Islamic people in Mataram Kingdom and Banten Kingdom to fight the colonial forces.
JagadKejawen,
Suryo S.Negoro
( Edited from the book : “ Javanese Traditional And Ritual Ceremonies” published in 2001 by the same author).
