The Kraton Surakarta Hadiningrat

The Kraton Surakarta Hadiningrat


“Hey you who do penance ! if you want side for a capital city,go to the village of Solo,because it is decreed by Allah swt .That it will become a great city and very prosperous…..”

This was the voice,coming from nowhere heard by Tumenggung Tirtawiguna and Pangeran Wijil when they did penance at the side of “Kedung kol .By the order of the king they went on of search for asite suitable for a new “Kraton”.The king concerned was Paku Buwono II of Kartosuro and the time was just after the rebellion of the Chinese people.The Capital city and the palace campaunds had suffered very much from the fierce fighting and were almost in ruins.This was the reason why the king ordered them to go and by the Mercy of God they heard the voice which made their heart rejoice.

They when to the village of Sala and met with the village chief who told them a story that confirmedtheir faith in the voice they heard,as they belived that it was devine revelation . They returned to king Paku Buwono II,who sharedtheir confiction after hearing the story. But the trouble was not over yet. The village of Sala was located near a lake and they had to drain it first before they cold begin with bulding the city . So king Paku Buwono II ordered all the regents of the outer region to come with timber to fill up the lake,but to no avail. The well could not be stoped and seemed to increase in power. Even sea- fishes were seen. The king and his subject were in despair.

But the Almaigty God was on their side. Another revelation came saying :” To stop the well,you have to cover it with the gong sekar-delima and they head of the lady dancer,together with rubharb leaves”The King interpretedthe revelation as follows:gong means gangsa ,in turn gangsa means uni (voice),that the story-teller. A lady dancer is a ringgit,in turn ringgit means money (2,5 guilders),the head means the amount of the money,namely 10.000 ringgit,which should be given to the story-teller.
So Kyai Sala ,the village-chief was granted 10.000 ringgit with the order to stop the well. He succeeded very well in doing the job. The well was stopped with Sekar-Delima (flower of pomegranate )and rubharb-leaves.
That is why the place was then called Kedung-lumbu,up to present. So the lake was drained and was filled up with the soiltaken from Taliwangi (the present campong Kadipolo). Then the new palace was build together with the other buildings needed,but the compun was only ringed with the bamboo wall.

Sesaji (Offerings)

Then the king summoned up Pangeran Wijil and Tumenggung Wiroguno. He asked about the offerings,sesaji,to be given at events as important as the move from Kartasura to Sala. As they were Pujanggas of the Kraton,they knew very well what kind of offerings should be given in accordance with tradition. After hearingsome example of offerings done by king in ancient time. P.B II agreed with the total of them with addition of “Unton-unton”(all kind of spices), “reracikan” and “rerajungan”.

So it was decided that the offerings to be placed at certain spots of the new kraton of consist of :

1. gecok kecapa,
2. bekakak ulam ,
3. pring sedapur,
4. penyon-sunglon’etc
5. all kind of robyongan,such as :

a. robyong sekar ,b. robyong pradapa,c. Robyong kinang,d. Robyong rokok, e. Robyong konyoh, f. all kind of tumpeng ,such as :

1. tumpeng megana, 2. tumpeng kenit, 3. tumpeng urubing dammar, 4. jenang srasah, 5. tumpeng rawon, 6. tupeng rerajeken, 7. tumpeng rukmi, 8. tumpeng lulut, 9. tumpeng lulus, 10. tumpeng giling

6. All kinds vegetables.
7. All kind of meat,fish and poultry
8. All kinds of porridges,such as :
a.)jenang abrit/pethak (red and whiteporridge), b.)jenang salaka, c.)jenang manggul ,d.)jenang timbul e.) jenang grendul f.)jenang sumsum ,g.)jenang lahan, h.)jenang pathi, i.}jenang kalop diringan, j.)jenang ngangrang,k.)jenang dodol, l) jenang taning, m )jenang lemu, n )jenang kaloh

j. jadah, wajik ,pundak,pondhoh and kinds of snacks made from sticky rice.
k. all kinds of fruit : pala kirna,pala gumantung,pala kasimpar.
l. all kinds of eggs.
m. all kinds of yarn.
n. all kind of batik,all with tindih of gold,silverbronze,copper,iron,etc. Each one tahil of weight.
o. all kind of offerings consistings of living things.

The Procession

Then the removal began

Frist : food (rice etc)
Second :kitchen-untilities and spices.
Third : poultry
Fourth : cattle
Fifth : furniture
Other things went together with the king

One day after offerings were done and the above mentioned were moved,the king himself together with all his family,official,army,and people went from Kartasura to Surakarta. The route through where the spectacular procession would passwas decorate beuttyfully down the site of the new kraton. Every cross-road was ornamented with thousands of lamp and along the road people erected beuttyfully decorate gates and on a several places gamelan orchestras were arranged to improve the gay and happy atmosphere.