(oleh: Administrator - on: Oct 16, 2007 for country-city: Indonesia-Yogyakarta)
What kinds of indulgence a city may offer? Beautiful panorama, historical monuments, or nice and welcoming people? What if there is one city that provides more? Yup, one unique and old Javanese city, Yogyakarta (pronounced as “Jog-jah-car-ta”), has it all. It is believed as one of the Indonesia’s best kept getaways, since the city is simply a mixture of traditional Javanese culture, complete with its daunting mystique, and Dutch heritage. The city might not look as extravagant as Bali, yet let’s not get tricked by the humble appearance of this heart of Java. So, it is time for you to pack your bags and set your steps to peruse the city’s religious heritage, arts, and monarchy.
Yogyakarta as a cultural city, as well as a province nowadays, is a fascinating “mosaic” in terms of its religious heritage. Religious signatures can be traced easily from magnificent temples scattered on Yogyakarta’s corners. Borobudur temple, the biggest Buddhist temple in the world, leads up as a mark of Buddhist teachings that deeply rooted during Syailendra Dynasty’s reign (around the year of 800s). No need to say, it is a must for travelers to stop by on their visit to the city. Prambanan temple, another interesting tourism site, stands out as a stronghold for another religion, which is Hindu. Both temples, in fact, have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Also, there is one special building in the outskirts of Yogyakarta that symbolizes an integrated combination between Christianity and Javanese customs. As you take a glimpse of Ganjuran Jesus Sacred Heart Church, you will notice the intriguing yet beautiful statue in front of it.
it is a statue of Mary carrying Baby Jesus, dressed in Javanese clothing. The more you stroll into the building, the more you feel bewildered by the statues and the ornaments of the church. It is definitely a fusion of more than just one influential custom. There is a statue of Jesus in the church dressed in a way resembling a Hindu monk. Meanwhile, Dutch and Javanese architectural style dominate the building adornment. The atmosphere of the church, nevertheless, suddenly changes to a complete solemn as the Mass starts with gamelan music as the opening. Hundreds of parishioner barge in and struggle to spot their place to sit cross legged on the floor as in traditional Javanese style. You might find it hard to accept how rich multiculturalism a place can have. However, all of the differences diffuse into one united combination as the parishioners sing out their praise to their only single God.
Arts and Yogyakarta are two things that you may never be able to separate. Just scour the narrow alleys there, you’ll find many women holding a piece of cloth in a hand and canting (a pen-like instrument that discharges ink to the cloth) in the other. Sometimes they’re making some dots, while some other times they’re following a pattern. What they’re doing actually is making Batik cloth, a treasure of Indonesian textile industry. Batik clothes are worn particularly on formal occasion or by the sovereigns (in this case
it is Sultan). You can also seek Batik clothes on shadow puppets show, which is very popular in Yogyakarta. Forget about cinema, forget about theatre; shadow puppets do not need any kinds of special effects in each performance. It just needs a white screen as the stage, one dalang (a puppeteer), and some leather puppets. They will present a story in the form of shadows toward the audience. The stories are those of Mahabarata, Hanoman, and so on. It is possible that you’ll encounter some language difficulties if you don’t understand the native Javanese language. Nonetheless, keep in mind that the whole point of the story is that the right ones will overcome the evil villains. If these two forms of arts haven’t made any frown on your forehead, perhaps it is the best for you to take a trip to Serangan village to see how keris, a magical knife, is forged. For ages, keris has become a mystery for modern citizens since it is reckoned as possessing spirit inside the weapon. Keris is also essential to Javanese culture. It is due to the fact that its form and usage define the owner’s status. All Sultans (Yogyakarta governors) always have, at least, one tucked in their belt. Now, for contemporary art lovers, Yogyakarta provides Affandi Museum that exhibits the works of Affandi’s, a master of Indonesian impressionist paintings. His works have been well known as the reflections of Indonesia’s national identity. His sharp strokes of brush and variety of colors have distinguished his paintings as one of the best impressionist painters in the world. All in all, if you love arts, you’ll love Yogyakarta.
Finally, what makes Yogyakarta unique and different to other cities in Indonesia is its governmental system. Yogyakarta still maintains monarchy by putting Sultan, the king of Kraton Yogyakarta, as the ruler of the city. The current Sultan that has reigned over Yogyakarta since 1988 is Hamengkubuwono X. TIME magazine, once, promoted this Sultan as a hero of democracy in Indonesia. He had also been reckoned as the living embodiments of Javanese culture and a demigod in the eyes of his public. As a tourist, you can jump into his Kraton, his palace, which opens daily at 8.30 am to 1.00 pm. You will not meet the Sultan face to face, yet you can get to know him from the abdi, the abiding servants. These humble servants are chosen by the Sultan to serve until the rest of their lives. Well, it takes more than just courage to do so; it takes commitment. In Kraton, you may also observe Sultan’s private property, like his keris, horse-drawn carriages, and many others. It is best if you carry on your walk and stop at Taman Sari, the ruined Water Castle. This place was built as a playground for the first Sultan in 1765, consisting of a vast outdoor bathtub and a tower where the Sultan used to spy on his harems bathing. Being in Kraton, surely, would inspire you about how powerful and revered Sultan is by his public. While the rest of Indonesia has turned their heads and worshiped Republic government system, Yogyakarta monarchy stays the same. It survives through ages and remains faithful to Yogyakarta’s citizens.
After a whole day tour in Yogyakarta, you should have been able to grasp how rich Javanese culture is. Old and immense temples stand tall till today as fundamental monuments of religious heritage. While Yogyakarta’s arts vary from Batik clothes, shadow puppets show, Keris, and Affandi’s paintings. Altogether, these cultural treasures would not have existed if there weren’t great Sultan taking care of the city. The monarch system proves to be efficient for the citizens of Yogyakarta. Now, let’s return to our first question: Is there any city that offers more than attractive view, historical sites, and hearty citizens? Yes, Yogyakarta sure does.
