JAMASAN KERETA KRATON NGAYOGYAKARTA
HADININGRAT
uro, the first month in the Javanese calendar,
also called Muharram or the birth of Muhammad prophet, has great significance
to some Javanese people. For them, the month is sacred and there’re things or
types of behavior forbidden to be used, made contact with, or engaged in.
During the month, javanese people arranged different cultural rites. One of
them is Jamasan Pusaka, a Javanese
ritual in which people rinse their sacred items or their heirlooms.
According
to various texts, the word ”Jamasan”
is derived from the word “Jamas”. It
means to rinse or to bath. The word “Pusaka”
includes certain items with process mystical power thus believed to be sacred.
Javanese
people claim that there’s a soul that dwells in a sacred item. Therefore it
also has names like a human being. Such items are Yogyakarta Palace’s
heirlooms, Kiai Sengkelat, Kiai Nagasasra
(a keris dagger), Kiai Guntur Madu (gamelan
percussion), Kanjeng Nyai Jimat and Kiai Puspaka Manik (royal carriage).
To
certain people, spiritual enlightenment is very important. This is also the
case with javanese people. The Javanese since the Islamic Mataram kingdom era
hold their belief deeply rooted into Hinduism and Islam-that to purify one’s
soul, one must purify the spirit inside their sacred items. Yogyakarta Palace
regularly holds such ritual, jamasan pusaka, to purify spirit and soul. The
event is usually held every Tuesday Kliwon
or Friday Kliwon during Suro month.
One
of the much anticipated events is rinsing the royal carriage. The ritual is
unique. Wearing obligatory Peranakan,
Javanese traditional clothes, all people responsible in the events are male.
They wear Surjan, a traditional shirt
and Blangkon head cover for male.
Unlike other Jamasan Pusaka events,
the royal carriage rinsing ritual is open for public.
No
wonder the ritual always full of Jamasan enthusiasts who throng Rotowijayan
Royal Carriage Museum on that day. A lot of them compete against each other to
get Banyu Klemuk, the residual water
after being used to rinse the carriage. They collect the water dripping down
from the carriage into a bottle, even fuel tanks. They believe that the water
has a mystical power that can cure diseases and fertilize farming land. Thus,
The royal carriage rinsing procession poses mystical and religious values.
Among the enthusiasts are people who come from different places only witness Ngalap Berkah, competition to get the
enchanted residual water.
In
every Jamasan pusaka events, there are Sesaji
of offerings are meant to provide food for the sacred items. The offering
includes Jajanan Pasar (traditional
snacks), cone rice and Gudangan
(vegetables dishes), Jenang Baro-Baro
(assorted porridge), a jar of water with flower petals, a living chicken, an
egg, Ingkung Ayam Cemani (streamed
chicken whose feathers are all black) and Ayam
Kampung (chicken raised not inside cages), incense, Kloso Bongko (pandants mats), and Kembang Setaman ( a set of various flowers). Each of them
symbolizes different aspects. The traditional snack symbolizes the current
life. People are reminded to be aware of
their surroundings and never let themselves adrift in life and always remember
the life hereafter.
To
attain the desirable afterlife , people have to undergo spiritual purification,
cleaning the soul using sacred and pleasant smelling items. The oferings
include water with flower petals, which symbolizes the purifier, because
flowers are almost identical with nice smelling and purity.
By
observing the offerings, human beings are reminded about their spiritual life,
their relationship with GOD and with other fellow human beings. The balance
that exists between a leader and his
followers is symbolized by kloso bongko. This item represents an expression
“have you sat down with your heart
knowing and willingly to work genuinely?” In this case, pelungguh (a leader)
must whole-heartedly carry out his duties, to serve GOD and his people.
Good
governance will materialize when people work whole-heartedly and achieve
spiritual and material balance. Also, there should be a balance between the
people and their leaders.
