The Important Royal Ceremonies

Garebeg Maulud, Garebeg Syawal & Garebeg Besar

The ceremonies held on the 12th of maulud, the third Javanese month, is to commemorate the birth of Mohammad the holy Prophet. For about a week the people of Yogyakarta celebrate this event with a festival called Sekaten. At the end of this festival the Kraton Soldiers in their traditional colorful uniform will be on display while escorting the Gunungans (mountain-shapes cones, containing rice and ornamented with vegetables, fruits and other food-stuff), carried from a quarter of the Sultan’s Palace to the Great Garebeg.

After the praying ceremony in the Mosque, some of the Gunungan will be distributed among those attending the ceremony, called Garebeg.

The intersting and attractive pageantry of those Royal Soldiers with the Gunungan procession is also held on two other Garebeg occasions namely: Garebeg Syawal.

Held on the 1st of the tent Javanese month of Syawal, after the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan: Garebeg Besar.

Held on the 10th of the last month of the Javanese year, for celebrating the religious festival based on the Abraham’s intention to sacrifice one of his sons as a token of absolute obedience to God.

Labuhan

Labuhan ceremony is held to celebrate the birth of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono. "Labuh" in Javanese means throw something scared to a river or the sea. The offering from the Yogyakarta palace consists of food, cutting of fingernails and hair of Sri Sultan which is thrown to the South Sea or Indian Ocean. The offering is intended to be presented to the Goddess of the South Sea, Kanjeng Ratu Kidul. It is hoped by performing the ceremony the King and the people of Yogyakarta get their welfare. The same ceremony is also held on the top of mount Merapi and Lawu.