Fireworks mark end of palace festival

Fireworks mark end of palace festival

YOGYAKARTA: Fireworks lit up Yogyakarta Palace's Pagelaran (royal field), marking the closing of the four-day festival of Indonesian palaces -- or the Nusantara Palace Festival (FKN) IV -- which was held here from Sept. 26 to Sept. 29.

Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X officially closed the festival on Wednesday evening, which was attended by sultans and representatives of participating palaces, who arrived in 10 horse-drawn carriages belonging to the Yogyakarta Palace.

The ceremony opened with the performance of noted music group Kyai Kanjeng, which brought the work of senior poet Emha Ainun Nadjib into musical play. The Padepokan Bagong Kussudiardja dance company also performed.

Previously, in the afternoon, a parade, involving thousands of people, headed from Jl. Malioboro to Alun-Alun Utara Square in front of Yogyakarta Palace. --JP