Category Archives: Jogjakarta
Ramayana Ballet
The Plot of Ramayana Story
Open Theater. Photo Credit: victor_deka
Ramayana Ballet is the great a must see show in Jogjakarta. The ballet is conveying the Ramayana epic and is held at the open theatre in Prambanan temple. When it is rain, the show is held on indoor theatre. With Prambanan temple as the background of the open theatre stage, the show is becoming more dramatic.The Ramayana Ballet is conducted by hundreds of dancer. The dance and and the uniform are portraying the Javanese tradition and culture. Not only dancers who are involved but also gamelan (Javanese traditional music instruments) musicians and sinden (Javanese singer with unique voicing) Here is the full plot of Ramayana.
Dewi Shinta. Poto Credit: victor_deka
Scene 1: Introduction
Prabu (King) Janaka, the king of Mantili Kingdom has a very beautiful princess named Dewi Shinta. A competition (get a Prabu Janaka’s bow in hand) is conducted in order to decide the right person who will marry Dewi Shinta. At last, Raden Rama Wijaya, the prince of Ayodya, wins the competition.
Prabu Rahwana, the King of Alengkadiraja is eager to marry Dewi Widowati. Knowing Shinta, he assumes that she is the reincarnation of Dewi Widowati whom he is waiting for.
Prambanan Temple
Credit: deka
Prambanan Temple is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia which was built in the 9th century. It is not sure who has built the temple, but it is believed it was built by one of these kings, King Rakai Pikatan or King Balitung Maha Sambu during the periode of Sanjaya (Çanjaya) Dynasty. The location of the temple is on Prambanan village, about 17 kilometres from Jogjakarta.
Prambanan has eight shrines which is three of them are the main shrines. Those three shrines are called Trisakti, dedicated for Siwa or Shiva, Wisnu or Vishnu and Brahma. The biggest shrine is Siwa which is 47 meters high.
The Siwa shrine is in the middle among the temples. It has four chambers, facing four directions. The first chamber consists of the statue of Siwa which is three meters high. The other chambers consist of the statue of Durga or Loro/Lara Jonggrang, Siwa’s wife, Agastya statue, Siwa’s guru and Ganesha, Siwa’s son.
Jogjakarta Bakso and Mie Ayam Festival
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Bakso: food consists of noodle and ball shaped meat served with sauce
Mie ayam: food consists of noodle and chopped chicken served with sauce
A Bakso and Mie Ayam festival will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2008 at Jogjakarta Expo Center, Jogjakarta. About 1000 thousand bakso and mie ayam sellers will participate on it. The festival provides twenty thousand bowls of those foods free for visitors.
Taste The King’s Cuisine at Gadri Resto
The King of Jogjakarta or commonly called the Sultan has secret cuisine. The kind of cuisine can not be found at any restaurant. The restaurant that holds the secret recipe is only at Gadri Resto Jogjakarta. The place is located at JL. Rotowijayan no.5 Kraton, Yogyakarta, near the west gate of Kraton (Sultan’s Palace) Jogjakarta.
When the tourists are finished observing the historical places at the Kraton surrounding like Museum Kereta (Sultan’s Horse Wagon Museum), Ngasem Bird Market and Tamansari, it is the time to satisfy the tongue with the historical tasted cuisine. Why it is historical tasted cuisine? The answer is that the recipes are the heritage of the Sultans. The foods are what the Sultans love to eat. The recipes are only known by close relative of Sultan.
Tunggulwulung Parade
Indonesia is rich of ethnic groups in which cultures are live and grow for years. One of the cultural festivals in Indonesia is held in Jogjakarta, a province in the Java Island. Jogjakarta itself has so many rituals in which the religions and faith that exist have very strong relation to the ceremony or festival. One of the cultural events or ceremonies is Tunggulwulung Parade.
Tunggulwulung Parade is usually held on August or September after the celebration of Indonesia’s Independence Day on 17th of August. The parade is held for only one day. The start of the parade takes place at Godean, a city about 15 kilometers to the west of Jogjakarta, and will march for about 10 kilometers to the west and it will end at Minggir village.
