Purbaya Once Tried the Alkid Banyan Tree Myth: 'Looks Like I'm Going to Be a Minister'

Before becoming Minister of Finance, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa admitted he once tried the Masangin myth at the Alun-Alun Kidul (Alkid) of the Yogyakarta Palace. At the time, he kept repeating his wish in his heart: to become a minister. As is known, the Alkid area is home to the mythical Masangin ritual, where anyone who successfully walks blindfolded between the two twin banyan trees will have their wish granted. According to visitingjogja.jogjaprov.go.id, the Masangin tradition has existed since the founding of the Yogyakarta Sultanate. It originally formed part of the topo bisu (silent meditation) ritual performed on the eve of 1 Suro. During topo bisu, palace soldiers and court servants in traditional Javanese attire would circle the fortress in complete silence. They would begin the ritual from the palace courtyard, proceed to the alun-alun, and pass between the two twin banyan trees. This was believed to seek blessings and protection from enemy attacks, and from this practice, the Masangin myth developed. Purbaya openly admitted to having tried Masangin. He shared the story during his speech at the Bekalista Ecosystem Handover event at Sasana Hinggil Dwi Abad, Alun-Alun Selatan, Keraton Jogja. At the time, Purbaya, who was then serving as Deputy for Maritime Sovereignty and Energy Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, was on a leisure trip to Jogja. Alkid was one of the destinations he visited. Purbaya arrived at Alkid by becak. The becak driver then challenged him to try Masangin. ‘At that time, the becak driver said, if you close your eyes and manage to walk through the middle, whatever you wish for will come true. Oh really? Alright, I’ll try it,’ Purbaya recounted at Sasana Hinggil Dwi Abad, Alun-Alun Selatan, Keraton Jogja, on Thursday (16/7/2026). Purbaya admitted he was initially sceptical about the myth. He tried it anyway with optimism because the distance between the two banyan trees was quite wide. ‘So I closed my eyes, I walked, and what did I do? (In my heart I prayed) become a minister, become a minister, become a minister, become a minister. When I reached the middle, wow, this is real, it looks like I’m going to be a minister,’ Purbaya recalled, prompting laughter from the audience. After the incident, Purbaya did not think much of it and eventually forgot. But who would have thought, on 8 September 2025, President Prabowo Subianto officially inaugurated Purbaya as the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia. ‘At the time I thought there was no way I would become a minister. My career path was far from it, I was in maritime affairs, I had no political connections whatsoever, and at Bank Indonesia I was always in the background,’ he explained. ‘But this shows that from the past, we can take the good things,’ Purbaya concluded.