Keraton Surakarta Confirms Grebeg Besar Ceremony for May 28, 2026

The Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat will hold the sacred Iduladha tradition known as the Grebeg Besar Adat ceremony Dal 1959 on Thursday Kliwon, May 28, 2026, at 9:00 AM WIB within the Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat complex. ‘This traditional event has been held by the Keraton to commemorate Iduladha for generations. Since the era of Pakubuwono XII, the Grebeg Besar has been conducted on the second day after Iduladha, as per government decree,’ said Pengageng Sasana Wilapa Keraton Surakarta, GKR Koes Moertiyah Wandansari, on Monday evening (May 25, 2026). Grebeg Besar, she added, symbolises the Keraton and community’s gratitude for God’s blessings and bounteous gifts. Since the reign of Sinuhun Pakubuwono XII, the event has been scheduled on the second day to allow sentana and abdi dalem to spend the first day with their families. Pakubuwono XIV Hangabehi, in his royal decree, urged all sentana dalem, abdi dalem, and the public to view Grebeg Besar as an opportunity to strengthen gratitude, unity, and the preservation of the noble cultural heritage of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom. Quoting Sinuhun PB XIV Hangabehi’s decree, the Grebeg Besar tradition is not merely a cultural ceremony but a spiritual proclamation and royal charity to the people, symbolising the relationship between Keraton Surakarta and the community. ‘During the Grebeg Besar procession, the Keraton will release a pair of gunungan along with other offerings, paraded from the Keraton to Surakarta’s Grand Mosque accompanied by Keraton soldiers, sentana dalem, and abdi dalem,’ added the wife of KP Wirabhumi. The pair of gunungan consists of Gunungan Jaler, filled with agricultural produce symbolising fertility and prosperity, and Gunungan Estri, containing cooked dry food symbolising abundance of sustenance. Both gunungan will be blessed by Keraton religious leaders at Surakarta’s Grand Mosque. After the blessing ceremony, Gunungan Jaler will be contested by the public as a symbol of blessings, while Gunungan Estri will be returned to Kori Kamandungan for distribution within the Keraton grounds. In addition to the Grebeg Besar procession, the Keraton Surakarta will conduct a jamasan ritual—the cleansing of sacred heirlooms—one day before the main event. Among the items to be cleansed are Meriam Nyai Setomi and Songsong Kyai Brawijaya. Simultaneously, the Islamic Mataram heritage Keraton will sacrifice two cattle donated by sentana dalem and presented to the Keraton. The sacrificial meat will be distributed among abdi dalem and the needy. As part of its social service commitment, the Surakarta City Health Department will provide free health checks on the same day for Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat abdi dalem and the general public. Alongside PB XIV Hangabehi’s faction, PB XIV Purbaya’s faction will also hold the same grebeg tradition this Iduladha (H-2). All sacrificial animals were sourced from donations by the Head of IKN Authority, its staff, the public, and state-owned and private companies in the IKN region.