DUGDERAN, A TRADITIONAL RITUAL TO CELEBRATE THE COMING MONTH OF HOLY RAMADHAN

PEOPLE OF SEMARANG HAS ITS OWN TRADITIONAL RITUAL TO CELEBRATE THE COMING MONTH OF HOLLY RAMADHAN SO CALLED "DUGDERAN". THIS UNIQUE TRADITIONAL RITUAL HAS HELD AS A SIGN OF THE BEGINNING OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FASTING AND WAS STARTED IN 1881 DURING THE REIGN OF THE REGENT OF SEMARANG, PURBANINGKRAT. DUGDERAN RITUAL THAT GOES FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION IN THE GREAT MOSQUE KAUMAN, JOHAR MARKET AREA, SEMARANG IS PRECEDED BY A DRUM PROCESSION ESCORTED BY SOLDIERS DUCHY TETABUHAN SEMARANG PAST.

Dugderan, this traditional ritual has goes through time to time to celebrate the coming month of Holly Ramadhan along the years. In this ritual procession there are also typical animal mascot called Warak Ngendok which has been convoy throughout the street. Approaching Kauman Great Mosque, the oldest mosque in Semarang, a convoy of soldiers guarding the mayor of Semarang, who has played as the Regent of Semarang.

Some soldiers escorted by walking backwards towards the mosque. Thousands of people drawn to this tradition, even dozens of children appear to be happy playing music or stamping drums used to wake the dawn.

The atmosphere is also rang with food vendors, merchants and entertainers toys tiban, as well as visitors from various parts of the city come along this way to take part in this celebration.

Toys warak Ngendhog is typical toys that appear once and only present at the celebration of dugderan tradition, with a shape resembling a goat's body and serpent-shaped head. According to the legend of this animal is the combination of animals and mythical Chinese dragon Buroq from Arabic, in other words warak ngendhog as a symbol of unity of various ethnic groups in Semarang, since the city established this Ki Ageng Pandanaran many ethnic Chinese live.

Celebration of this dugderan tradition is still preserved until now and dugderan traders recently, focused on the Polder Tawang.

GREBEG SEKATEN OF YOGYAKARTA

ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY HELD FROM 5TH (THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AH, "RABIUL") UNTIL 15TH OF THE JAVANESE MONTH OF MAULUD, IN THE REGENCY OF DEMAK BINTORO SEVERAL CENTURIES AGO. ITS INITIAL PURPOSE IS TO COMMEMORATE THE BIRTH OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD.

Sekaten derived from the word syahadatain. Through Sekaten, religious leaders aim to introduced Moslem to the visitors. Whenever people entered the mosque porch, They were required to pronounce a confession of creed called syahadat, syahadatain or sahadat kalimah loro (in javanese language). In this day sets of gamelan will be played simultaneously until months of 11th Maulud for 7th consecutive days.

In the Great Mosque yard, They were asked to make a ritual ablution called "wudlu" by  washing their hands, faces and feet with water from the pond outside. Nowadays, Sekaten tradition has developed into a traditional festival involving thousands of people, and even domestic visitors and foreigners. 

The festival has become the pride of the Sultan and people of Yogyakarta, for it makes a meaningful contribution to the feature of the Special Region as a unique cultural tourism center.

A RITUAL MEAL TO CLEAN THE SPRING POOL

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE OUR ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE, ONE OF THEM ARE RUNNING THROUGH THE RITUAL MEAL TO FEED THE EARTH SHRINES OF THEIR COMMUNITY AS SUGIHMANIK VILLAGE. DISTRICT OF TANGGUNGHARJO IN THE REGENCY OF GROBOGAN. YET, BEFORE IT’S DONE, THEY ALWAYS PRESENT THE TRADITIONAL JAVANESSE DANCE, NAMELY PASUGATAN TAYUB, 

The Javanesse dance so-called “Pasugatan Tayub”. Or popular as Siwur. Is the previous process of the ritual meal series and it’s always done once a year. Promptly. In every tuesday kliwon of the Javanese Calender at Sugihmanik village, district of Tanggungharjo in the Regency of Grobogan,

The story tells that Sunan Kalijaga. Once arrived here. In order to find woods for the material of the Grand Mosque of Demak and Pasugatan Tayub is a ritual which has to perform. In the night. A day before the ritual meal begins, and they‘ve belief that something will happen if this ritual is disregarded in the upcoming year.

A ritual of cleaning the spring pool is the following of the ritual meal. And is aimed to clean the natural resources, especially water, finally. The villagers will present a ritual of spring meal in which everyone are allow to eat together.

Sesepuh told that the process of ritual meal to feed the earth has reflected the arrival of Sunan Kalijaga to the village and the dance is a media to give an honor for him.

TAUR KESANGE, A RITUAL CEREMONY TO EXPEL THE EVIL SPIRITS

HAVE YOU KNOW ABOUT A RITUAL CEREMONY, SO CALLED “TAUR KESANGE”? YES, THIS IS THE HINDU’S CEREMONY TO EXPEL THE EVIL SPIRITS IN THE UPCOMING OF NYEPI. YET, NOT ALL OF US HAVE UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CEREMONY IS BEING DONE.

The ceremony begins with the arrival of the followers of Hinduism into a house of worship for followers of Hinduism, namely, “Pura”. They will then, have to do a ritual ablution, using holly water, before they recite a prayer, into “Sang Hyang Widi”, and will give offerings to their God.

At the same time that the sun sets , in the west, this ritual ceremony, begins with reciting a prayer or magic spell, which is lead by a leader in the Hindu community.

Afterwards, They have to walk over the Hindu temple, and bring a torch, and kenthongan, then scream out, in order to both expel the disaster and calamities of all sorts.

And this ceremony, will continue, to run, until the late of night, and the Hindu’s celebration of Nyepi has begun.