Tugas 3: Kraton Ngayogyakarta

On January 2011, me and my friends went to Yogyakarta for a school trip. One of our destination was the king’s palace, or it is more famous with the name ‘Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta’ or ‘Kraton Ngayogyakarta’. The palace was established in 1756 and located in the downtown of Yogya. This palace is the residence of the Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X who is also the governor of Yogyakarta. Kraton is also a major tourist attraction in the city of Yogyakarta, both in terms of heritage buildings, museums, and customs that exist in it. Here, besides the beauty of the past that can be enjoyed through the architecture of the building, you can also enjoyed traditional art that is served every day in Ward Manganti.

Kraton Ngayogyakarta began to be established by the Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I few months after the Giyanti Agreement in 1755. It was constructed from 1755 and continued for almost 40 years, during the long reign of Hamengkubuwono I. After he died in 1792, little else was added to the complex. Today only the innermost compound is considered as Keraton, whereas the lanes and lesser compounds became part of the city. Location of this palace used a place called Garjitawati. This place used to be a place for taking a break of  the funeral procession of the kings of Mataram (Kartasura and Surakarta) which will be buried in Imogiri. Another version states the location of the palace is a spring, Umbul Pacethokan, which is in the Beringan woods. Bbefore living in this palace, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I lived in Pesanggrahan Ambar Ketawang, which now is included to the District of Sleman.

Physically, the palace of the Sultan of Yogyakarta has seven main complex, which is Siti Hinggil Ler (the North Hall), Kamandhungan Ler (North Kamandhungan), Sri Manganti, Kedhaton, Kamagangan, Kamandhungan Selatan (South Kamandhungan), and Siti Hinggil Selatan (South Hall). In addition, the Yogyakarta Palace has a variety of cultural heritage both in the form of ceremonies and ancient objects and historic. On the other hand, Sultan Palaceis is also a traditional institution.

Yogyakarta Palace has several museums, the Museum of Painting, Museum of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Railway Museum and the Batik Museum. In addition, almost all parts of the palace is used for storage of valuable cultural objects, including a replica. In Pagelaran complex, for example, exhibited a variety of custom clothing of the King’s family. The museum opened for public every day except when there is a ceremony. Museum is open from 08:30 AM until 2 PM, except on Friday which is only open until 1 PM.

The first place you’ll see as you enter the palace/museum is the Sri Manganti ward. The Sri Manganti ward is where puppet shows are being held. Then if you keep walking inside, you’ll see the main gate, called the Danapratapa gate. Inside the gate there is a courtyard which is called the Court ‘Pelataran Dalam’. This is the main part of the palace, where the main buildings are located here which can not be entered by the public, including the Yellow building (the place where Sultan lives) and Prabayeksa ward, the most sacred place in the palace that used to storage the most sacred heirlooms and jewelry.

There are some wards inside the palace complex, like Prabayeksa Ward and Kencana Ward and Manis Ward that are used for the coronation ceremony of Sultan and entertain important guests of the Sultanate. Manis ward, which lies more in advance, used to hold a banquet or party for the guests of the Sultan. 

Wood poles and rafters made ​​wards engraved with  beautiful pattern and painted by the dominant colors of green,  yellow, ivory and red brick, the traditional colors that were encountered in the Sultan's Palace. According to the guide, Kencana Ward has been used to welcome country and royal guests from abroad such as Prince Charles and Hillary Clinton.

Inside the Kraton, there is a museum dedicated to the late Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, the father of the present Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was a famous political figure and leader in Indonesia. His support and contribution for the Republic of Indonesia to gain independence are sincerely respected and recognized by almost every citizen.

Yogyakarta was temporary capital of Indonesia (1946-1949) and by law is granted the status of special region equals to province. The museum exhibit gilt copies of sacred Pusaka (the heirlooms), gifts from foreign monarchs, gamelan, royal carriages and some photos of the royal families and family tree.

There is a special pavillion dedicated to the active participation of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX for the struggle of Indonesia's independence. Besides his position as a traditional leader as the Sultan of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, he was also appointed as the Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region for life by the President of RI.

SRI SULTAN HAMENGKUBUWONO IX MUSEUM: THE SULTAN’S DESK

Entering the Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX museum. which was built in 1992, you’ll see the glass-walled room, with several chairs and tables. The desk and chair was used by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and the other fighters to plan the attacks of ‘Serangan Umum 1 Maret’ in Yogyakarta back then. In addition, there are also a collection of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX’s office desk along with other objects such as antique clocks, charter, lights, and so on. IN another room of the museum, you’ll see a room full of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX’s antique clocks, general clothes, toys that he used to play during his childhood, old cameras, old documents, and others. In the last room there is also a collection of Sri Sultan Hamengkuwono IX, who became the father of Scout, such as his scout shirt, scout hat, photographs of the Sultan while fostering Scouts. In addition there is a collection of award star Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX has achieved from the government and other empire abroad. Apparently, Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX is famous throughout the world.

Here is the picture of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX's desk.

BATIK MUSEUM

On the other side of the Keraton, you’ll find the Kraton Yogyakarta Batik Museum. Kraton Yogyakarta Batik Museum was inaugurated by Sri Sultan HB X on October 31, 2005. The museum occupies one of the buildings in the compound Kraton Yogyakarta. In the museum collections are stored various batik cloth batik to equipment from the Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono VIII to X. It also saved some of the collection presents a number of employers in Jogja batik and other areas.The material exhibited in the museum include fashion coronation of Sri Sultan HamengkuBuwono X as King of the Palace of Yogyakarta, a variety of fabrics Breeds grants from Sri Sultan hamengkubuwono VIII and IX, preservatives and dye batik process such as a cup of wood, mahogany, hundred, lerak, Srigading flowers, wood Jambal , even old-fashioned iron and even bicycles in this museum. No less interesting, in this museum there are also relics of ancient wells age.

Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X states, in the past, batik art not only to practice drawing and painting skills. Batik art will actually laden ethical and aesthetic education for women in his day. Batik art became very important in life, because of batik cloth was woven tightly in the cultural circles of community life.

In addition, batik also has significance in marking an important event in the life of Javanese people. For example truntum batik style, suitable for ceremonies or Midodareni consent. Nagasari and various other shades, perfect for wedding ceremonies. But there is also such a ban wearing parangrusak style batik cloth, to avoid a broken marriage. While wearing a cloth or sidomukti Sidoluhur motives, the parents hope that their children will become a prominent.