Reasons for Jogja Keraton's Grand Garebeg Held Without Arak-arakan and Rayahan
The Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Keraton has cancelled several ceremonies in the Garebeg Besar tradition, ahead of Eid al-Adha 1447H/Dal 1959, on Wednesday 27 May 2026. Ceremonies such as the arak-arakan and the rayahan gunungan are also called off. Here are the reasons behind the policy.
Wakil Penghageng II Kawedanan Sri Wandawa of the Yogyakarta Keraton, KRT Sindurejo, explained that Garebeg ceremonies, through time, have undergone changes or adjustments to suit the era.
Kanjeng Sindurejo, the nickname, illustrated that adjustments to the procession have been made during the Covid-19 pandemic. This means that the simplification of the Garebeg Besar procession is not the first time such changes have occurred.
“From the era of earlier Sultans who presented Garebeg as the greatest ceremony, complete with the presence of the Sultan and the regalia, then it underwent simplification during the Indonesian independence struggle,” he said in a written statement received by detikJogja on Wednesday 20 May 2026.
“Even during the reign of His Excellency Sri Sultan Hamengku Bawono Ka-10 there were changes to the Garebeg ceremony when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. This shows that the sequence of cultural ceremonies can change according to the times, circumstances and conditions, so long as the essence remains the same,” added Kangjeng Sindurejo.
The Nayaka Regent at the Keraton Yogyakarta, KRT Kusumanegara, stated that the reason for the simplification of the Garebeg Besar procession tomorrow is based on the dhawuh, or command, of the Raja of the Keraton Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X.
“Indeed, we, Abdi Dalem Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, recently received a Dhawuh Dalem (a command from the Sultan) to simplify the Garebeg procession starting from tomorrow’s Garebeg Besar,” he explained.
KRT Kusumanegara said that the cancellation of the procession for this year’s Garebeg Besar is fairly extensive. It ranges from the sequence of ceremonies initiating Garebeg to the arak-arakan and the distribution of gunungan to the public.
Procedures such as Gladhi Resik Prajurit and Numplak Wajik, which are usually held three days before the Garebeg Besar, have also been cancelled. Meanwhile, the king’s almsgiving to the kawula remains manifested through the distribution of ubarampe pareden to all Abdi Dalem at the Keraton Yogyakarta.
“There will be no gunungan leaving the Keraton, and no military procession either. All ubarampe pareden will be distributed only to Abdi Dalem Keraton Yogyakarta,” said Kangjeng Kusumanegara.
(alg/afn)