Yogya's Masjid Gede has colorful history

Yogya's Masjid Gede has colorful history

By Tarko Sudiarno

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Yogyakarta Grand Mosque was in the
spotlight lately following the foiled attempt to burn it down
late last month. Although the arson attack caused only minor
damage, the incident damaged the ancient city's peaceful image.

The attack, which took place in the wake of a rally by Muslims
to protest the bloody sectarian conflict in Maluku, is believed
by many to be the work of provocateurs seeking to cause a
conflict between Muslims and Christians in Yogyakarta.

The mosque, the pride of Yogyakartans, who refer to it as
Masjid Gede (Big Mosque), is the sultan's property and is nearly
as old as the sultan's palace. The mosque is not only a place of
worship for Muslims living in and around the palace, but also
where the palace holds many of its traditional rituals.

Located in the center of the city, the mosque represents the
axis in the Javanese philosophy of the universe. The Grand Mosque
is surrounded by four smaller mosques located around the city:
Mlangi Mosque in the north, Plasakuning Mosque in the east,
Wonokromo Mosque in the south and Tawangsari Mosque in the west.

These five mosques represent the court's religious philosophy,
called kiblat papat limo pancer (four directions and the axis).
The mosques are believed to have formed religious castles in the
past that protected the palace from danger.

The construction of the Grand Mosque, located on the west side
of the palace's North Square, began in 1760, or 1,000 days after
the palace was constructed in 1757. The project was completed in
1773. It was built on the order of sultan Hamengku Buwono I, and
the architect was Wiryokusumo.

The architecture was based on the Grand Mosque of Demak in
Central Java. It is a blend of Arabic, Javanese and Hindu
architectural styles. The roof is three-tiered, and a pool is
located in the yard surrounding the front verandah. In the past,
clear water flowed in the pool.

As with the Demak Grand Mosque, outside of the complex proper
two bangsal, or small public halls, were built, across from the
south and north yards. The halls occasionally house the palace's
gamelan instruments, which are played every Sekaten and Garebeg
Maulud, two of the most important traditional ceremonies for the
palace.

The Grand Mosque has been renovated several times since its
construction, but it retains its basic architecture.

According to Suryanto Sastroatmodjo, a Javanese cultural
observer, the mosque has undergone extensive improvements over
the years. For example, in 1850, during the reign of sultan
Hamengku Buwono V, the mosque had its main pillars and beams, and
ceiling -- which are adorned with metaphysical carvings --
renovated and repainted.

In 1910, during the reign of sultan Hamengku Buwono VII, the
mosque was renovated again and white became the mosque's dominant
color. More Arabic calligraphy was also added -- all written in
green.

"The mosque was renovated seven times from the time it was
constructed to Hamengku Buwono VII's reign," Suryanto said. The
renovations were undertaken either to accommodate the sultans
different tastes in art or because of natural disasters, like the
earthquake which struck in 1867.

The Garebeg ceremonies, the three major Muslim religious
festivals, take place within the mosque complex. These ceremonies
are Garebeg Syawal, which coincides with Idul Fitri, Garebeg
Besar, which coincides with Idul Adha (the Muslim Day of
Sacrifice), and Garebeg Maulud, in celebration of the birth of
the Prophet Muhammad.

The Garebeg processions of traditional food and offerings end
in the mosque's yard, where crowds of people gather to receive
the food. They believe the food, arranged in the shape of a cone
called gunungan (mountain), will bring them good luck because it
has been blessed in the ritual.

Of the three traditional ceremonies, Garebeg Maulud is the
most elaborate. It is a month-long celebration, with the North
Square of the mosque each night becoming a bustling fair called
Sekaten.

In the last week of the Sekaten, two sets of sacred gamelan
inherited from the Majapahit and Demak kingdoms are moved at
midnight from the palace into the Grand Mosque's public halls.
There the gamelans, named Kyai Gunturmadu and Kyai Nogowilogo,
are played alternately.

The peak of Sekaten is on the eve of the Maulud Nabi (the
birth of the Prophet) celebration, in which the sultan appears at
the public halls and the mosque and throws coins to the crowd in
a ceremony called Nyebar Udik-udik.

The ceremony continues with the sultan and the common people
mingling in the mosque and listening to the history of Maulud
Nabi and the spread of Islam in Java.

At night, after the sultan has returned to the palace, the
gamelans are also returned to the palace. In the morning, the
Garebeg Maulud ceremony takes place in the North Square.

In the past, when Yogyakarta was still an autonomous
sultanate, the Grand Mosque was also used as a court to hear
criminal cases, marriage disputes and conflicts over inheritance.

The fasting month of Ramadhan is the busiest time at the
mosque. People from all walks of life come to the mosque for
religious activities, brushing shoulders with tourists who come
from around the world to marvel at the beauty and history of the
Yogyakarta Grand Mosque.