Culture in Jogjakarta, a Multicultural City with a City Spirit
Ditulis pada: June 29, 2021
Culture in Jogjakarta, a Multicultural City with a City Spirit - It's enough to take a train all night accompanied by the Kla Project song with the same title as the destination city, then we arrive at a historic city in Central Java, namely the City of Yogyakarta. The culture in Yogyakarta will make us easily fall in love with it.
The city of Yogyakarta serves as a repository of Javanese culture and historical pieces left behind in this republic.
Yogyakarta became a special region that was still ruled by the sultan. Yogyakarta is a living museum for crafts, cuisine, architecture, and the Indonesian world.
Culture in Yogyakarta is turned on and off in line with the life and death of the atmosphere and movement of the people of Yogyakarta. If in the past there were cases of thuggery, then forget it because that is not the real face.
In Yogyakarta, the government is not a civil servant of the republican government, but a sultan who is commensurate with the position of governor. However, it still gets supervision from the local DPRD.
This time the ruler of Yogyakarta was Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. The person who ruled from the palace or palace was located in the center of the city.
The palace serves as a religious, political, and cultural center for the local population. Religious processions through the palace are centered near the Gede Kauman Mosque on special holidays.
Open air festivals are held in the northern square next to the palace, and daily cultural performances are held at Bangsal Sri Manganti within the palace.
The palace palace is not as grand as those who live in the kingdoms of other countries, such as Thailand or Europe, but the buildings are rich in symbolism. Tour guides usually join the story. They were very helpful in explaining the legends and symbols associated with the sultan, the royal family, and the area of residence.
The Art of Batik Clothing
Yogyakarta's batik industry is rooted in the city's long history of people, linked to the presence and blessings of the sultan. The city's batik makers are close to the city center with a number of workshops located south of Taman Sari.
Many batik centers have their own shops in front of them, and workshops are made in the open which is left behind and can be seen for visitors who want to see how the colorful fabric patterns are being made.
You can visit Luwes Putra Batik Handicraft on Jalan Mongkoyudan No. 45 which sells various kinds of batik fabrics. Prices are competitive, but looking into the bustling and exciting process of making batik you can gain a number of experiences, from laying hot wax lines onto the fabric to soaking the fabric in dye.
Seeing the Silver Craft Workshop
Like the batik trade, the silver industry in the city of Yogyakarta is related to the long history of the artists in their service to the Mataram Sultanate which was then divided into two, Yogyakarta and Surakarta.
To see Yogja's silver artists in action, you can visit Kota Gede, about 2 km southeast of Jalan Malioboro. The place can be accessed by bus or rickshaw.
The main street in the area, Jalan Packaging is packed with silver workshops, silver crafts and jewelry. Look for craft miniatures, such as silver harley motorcycle miniatures and many other crafts. Like batik shops, some silver shops allow visitors to see silver made by artisans.
While in this area, you can join the pilgrimage to the Keraton Cemetery. The burial place of the kings of Mataram which was established in Kota Gede since 1500. The palace cemetery is a burial center and a place of pilgrimage for the people of Yogyakarta.
Culinary Culture
Yogyakartahas long been known as the "gudeg city", and of course it's a loss if you don't try this savory dish in Yogyakarta. Gudeg can be found anywhere, but directly from the source is the most important thing in culinary tourism.
Gudeg is jackfruit meat boiled in coconut milk, spices, and palm sugar. Then served with boiled eggs, beef skin (krecek), and rice. Served warm and delicious.
Visitors from other parts of Indonesia often order gudeg to take home in the form of buying directly from the cooking jug package. Then, bring the package to their respective hometowns to share with friends or family at home.
The best gudeg restaurants can be found at Sentra Gudeg Wijilan, located east of the northern square along Jalan Wijilan near the palace. For upscale gudeg, visit Bu Tjitro at Jalan Janti 330, a cozy family restaurant located across from the Jogja Expo Center.
Watch Cultural Show
You can also watch performances at various places, including several silver shops offering wayang performances, and if you're lucky the Yogja street artists show you the power of performance art. There you will meet Jemek, a famous mime.
From the palace or around Jalan Malioboro, you can rent a becak or a wagon that will take you around the historic parts of the city or just take a walk from one place to another. The rates are cheap. Only IDR 10000 per trip.
A leisurely trip is not rushed because the passenger is positioned in front of the driver so you can really feel the atmosphere of Yogyakarta up close, especially if you ride a wagon.
One disadvantage of taking local rickshaws is that the pedicab drivers are rather colluding and often work for commissions from certain shops in the area. They are also constantly trying to detour to those stores in the hopes that you buy from these places, where they get their commission.
Wash your eyes on the splendor of buildings
Cultural tourism in Yogyakarta is not complete without stopping by Jalan Malioboro which is the center of Yogyakarta for cheap shopping. The entire street is lined with stalls selling mass-produced batik, silver and souvenirs, from the Beringharjo Market to the merchandise of small stalls.
This street was one of the main streets of Yogyakarta in ancient times. Malioboro is used for the sultan's ceremonial walk and parade journey to the palace. This place is historically important as a number of historic buildings stand along its length.
Fort Vredenburg, the State Palace, the Central Post Office, and Yogyakarta's oldest hotel all have a unique Dutch colonial architecture.
The surrounding land of Yogyakarta has long been the territory of the kings and has been the main theater of the March 1 general attack since the war of independence.
Traces of ancient Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms that once ruled Java can still be found nearby, namely Prambanan Temples and Borobudur Temples. The place can be reached in about 40 minutes from Yogyakarta by car.
When you go to Borobudur, you can play in the Kali Urang area which is fun because it is cool. Not only those two temples, there are also Plaosan Temple (located near Prambanan), Sambisari Temple, Dieng Plateau and other Hindu temples. This confirms that this trip is a cultural journey in Yogyakarta.
