Great Procession to highlight `Kraton' Festival

Great Procession to highlight `Kraton' Festival

YOGYAKARTA (JP): A caravan of vintage carriages and men
dressed as traditional Javanese soldiers will kick off the week
long Kraton Festival billed as the largest ever held in this
provincial town.

Known locally as Kirab Ageng (the Great Procession), the
fanfare will involve several antique carriages and 1,500 guards
from the Yogyakarta Royal Palace as well as the Kasunanan
Surakarta, Puro Pakualaman, Puro Mangkunegaran, Kasepuhan
Cirebon, Kanoman Cirebon and Kacirebonan palaces. They will
circle the Yogyakarta Royal Palace fortress on Saturday,
beginning the festivities that will run through to Aug. 20.

"We have thoroughly overhauled the carriages to make sure that
nothing will go wrong with them during the upcoming carnival,"
said a 85 year old museum official of Kraton Yogyakarta.

The procession, expected to draw a great deal of attention
from both foreign and domestic tourists, will mark the opening of
the third Kraton Festival, whose major goal is to conserve the
nation's cultural heritage while boosting tourism.

Held at Kraton Yogyakarta and Puro Pakualaman, another
Yogyakarta royal palace, the festival will feature a vast array
of cultural programs, including a large scale exhibition of the
artifacts from the palaces, traditional dance, music and wayang
kulit (leather puppet) performances.

Among the artifacts to be showcased are carriages, kris,
various traditional weapons, royal wedding stretchers, umbrellas
and ancient scripts.

The carriages are on loan from the palace museums in Cirebon,
Surakarta and Yogyakarta. They will include the Kanjeng Nyai
Jimad, one of the 15 remaining antique carriages housed in the
Museum Kareta (Carriages Museum) here. The carriage dates back to
1750 when Hamengku Buwono I was in power. Another historically
significant carriage is the 130 year old Garuda Yeksa, an
uniquely designed carriage with gilded dragons used mainly for
coronation ceremonies.

Sacred

The Kraton artifacts are considered sacred because they are
closely linked to their original owners in spirit, according to a
royal palace spokesman.

Heirlooms of the mighty kings believed to possess supernatural
powers were greatly honored, he said.

GBPH Jayakusumo of Kraton Yogyakarta said that Kraton
activities, such as the exhibition of the palace's artifacts,
should not only benefit tourism but other sectors as well.

"The Kraton should serve as a cultural center with activities
aimed at the public interest," he said.

Apart from the cultural programs, there will also be bird
singing contests, vintage motorcycle and bicycle displays and a
demonstration of Mataram archery, where the archers are required
to sit cross-legged.

The event will add to the festive aura of the city's royal
palace already enlivened by the ongoing month long night fair in
its square.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
Soesilo Soedarman is scheduled to deliver an opening speech at
the Melia Purosani Sol hotel where the sultans of the seven royal
palaces will receive tokens of appreciation for their tangible
contribution in developing tourism in the country.

The festival is being organized jointly by the local tourism
agency, the tourism, post and telecommunications office and the
information office.

-- Sudibyo M. Wiradji