Solemn Wayang Kulit Gedhog Performance Before Mubeng Benteng at the Jogja Palace
A Wayang Kulit Gedhog performance opened a series of events held by the Abdi Dalem of the Yogyakarta Palace to celebrate the Javanese New Year, Warsa Enggal 1 Sura Be 1960. The performance was open to the public at Kagungan Dalem Bangsal Kamandungan Kidul, Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.
According to detikJogja’s observations, the performance began at 7:00 PM WIB, but people had already started arriving at the venue around 6:30 PM WIB. The event attracted not only Yogyakarta residents but also tourists from other regions and abroad.
As the performance time approached, the audience grew increasingly crowded. Uniquely, the majority of attendees were young people. They listened solemnly to the play performed that night.
One attendee was Eki (25), a young man from Mojokerto, East Java, who came specifically to watch the increasingly rare Wayang Gedhog performance. “I don’t really understand it, but it seems interesting, so I thought I’d better watch to learn more about the culture, which I am indeed interested in,” Eki explained when met at the venue on Tuesday (16/6). “I didn’t know about this type of wayang beforehand; I just read the synopsis on Instagram. That’s also what made me interested,” he continued. Eki also planned to join the midnight Mubeng Beteng ritual. “Insyaallah, yes (I will join Mubeng Beteng),” he concluded.
In addition to holding the Hajad Kawula Dalem Lampah Budaya Mubeng Beteng on the eve of 1 Suro, the Abdi Dalem of the Yogyakarta Palace also staged the Wayang Kulit Gedhog performance, or Pergelaran Ringgit Wacucal Gedhog. This was organised by the Kawedanan Kridhamardawa of Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.
The performance was led by dalang MB. Cermo Gupito, who is also an Abdi Dalem Dalang of Kawedanan Kridhamardawa tasked as the production leader for the performance. “Usually, to welcome the Javanese New Year, the Paguyuban Abdi Dalem organises the Hajad Kawula Dalem Mubeng Beteng,” Cermo Gupito explained in a written statement received by detikJogja on Monday (15/6/2026). “This year, we from Kawedanan Kridhamardawa are also participating in the celebration by presenting a wayang kulit gedhog performance held before the Mubeng Beteng cultural lampah,” he added.
According to Cermo Gupito, Wayang Gedhog is a unique and rare type of shadow puppet performance because it features stories from the Panji cycle, rather than the Mahabharata or Ramayana like Wayang Purwa. Wayang Gedhog itself is one of the rare asset collections belonging to the Yogyakarta Palace, which is now very rarely performed in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. This performance also aims to introduce and preserve Wayang Gedhog.
“Through this series of events, the public can interpret the wayang performance as a means of seeking ‘sangu’ for self-introspection, because of course, the wayang stories contain many life philosophies,” Cermo Gupito elaborated.
The performance took the Panji story with the play ‘Jaya Berdangga’ and lasted approximately four hours, from 7:00 PM WIB to 11:00 PM WIB. This play tells the story of Raden Panji’s efforts in disguise to fulfil the cravings of his pregnant wife, Sari Swara Renggani Jagad, for the future of the Jenggala and Kediri Kingdoms. Many temptations and obstacles arose in the Kediri Palace due to the actions of senopati from overseas kingdoms, ranging from hindering Raden Panji’s efforts to daring to propose to Dewi Sekartaji. Through Raden Panji’s persistence in his disguise, the craving was fulfilled simultaneously with the birth of the baby boy carried by Dewi Sekartaji.
“The selection of this Wayang Gedhog performance certainly considered the story aspect, which is no less interesting than Wayang Purwa. The Panji story, Lampahan Jaya Berdangga, was chosen because the weight and content of the story are very complex and closely related to the realities of Javanese society,” Cermo Gupito explained.