THE SYMBOLIC MEANINGS OF KRATON YOGYAKARTA

By K.P.H. Brongtodiningrat

Freely translated to Indonesian (from Javanese) by R. Murdani Hadiatmaja (a tourist guide at Kraton Yogyakarta) and issued by Museum Kraton Yogyakarta

PART 1: GENERAL VIEW

Karaton is a place where ratu-ratu (queens) live, coming from the words ka + ratu + an = karaton. It is also called kadaton, i.e. ka + datu + an = kedaton, a place to which datu-datu or ratu-ratu (queens) belong. In Indonesian, it is called istana (palace), then a kraton means a palace; but in the other hand, a palace is not (always) a kraton. Kraton is a palace that has meanings, i.e. religious, philosophical and cultural meanings.

Kraton Yogyakarta definitely contains those meanings: figured in the architecture, the layout of the bangsals (a sort of shed), carvings, decorations, even colors of the buildings. Trees that are planted in its yards have meanings as well. Everything inside the Kraton seems to suggest us to love and devote ourselves to the God, to keep being unpretentious and persevere, to behave well, etc.

Who was the architect of the Karaton? It was Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I himself. When he was young, he was titled Pangeran Mangkubumi Sukowati and called de bouw meester van zijn broer Sunan P.B. II (‘the architect of kakanda Sri Sunan Paku Buwana II’, according to Dr. Pigeund and Dr. L. Adam in a Javanese Magazine in 1940).

The Kraton seats in the center, but the whole complex stretches from Kali Code (Code River) to Kali Winanga (Winanga River), from the north to the south, from Tugu to Krapyak. Names of the surrounding kampongs clearly define the relationship between their citizens and their responsibilities for the Kraton in the past, e.g. Gandekan = where gandek-gandek (couriers) of Sri Sultan, Wirobraja live, Pesindenan = where sinden-sinden (singers/vocalists) live.

Kraton is located in an area that used to be called Garjitawati forest, next to Beringin and Pacetokan villages. Because the area was said to be inappropriate to establishing a Kraton and its fortress, the Stream of Code River was bended to the east and Winanga River to the west.

A Pantun Mijil (a sort of old Javanese poem) popularly describes the location of Kraton Yogyakarta as follows:

Kali Nanga pancingkok in puri,

Gunung Gamping kulon,

Hardi Mrapi ter wetan prenahe,

Candi Jonggrang mungkang ing kali,

Palered Magiri, girilaya kidul

The meaning:

Winanga river turns (left) when it is about to reach Kraton (castle), Mt. Gamping is on the west, while Mt. Merapi is on the east. Jonggrang temple was built very close to Opak river, Plered, (the previous capital of Mataram Kingdom), Magiri (Mataram Kingdom’s Royal Cemetery) and Girilaya (Gunungkidul) is on the south (of Kraton).

Kraton Yogyakarta was built in 1756 or 1682 in Javanese calendar, recorded in a condrosengkolo memet (a unique old Javanese calendar to name a year using certain words order that represent certain numbers and is read backward) in the Kemagangan and Gadung Mlati gates, which are two dragons twisting each other. In Javanese it reads Dwi naga rasa tunggal that means, Dwi = 2, naga (dragon) = 8, rasa (feel) = 6, tunggal (one) = 1 and is read backward: 1682. The dragons color green and it symbolizes hope. On the outside facade of the gates, on the right and left walls, there is also a decoration relief that is two dragons getting ready to fight/defend. In Javanese it reads Dwi naga rasa wani that means Dwi (two) = 2, naga (dragon) = 8, rasa (feel) = 6, wani (one) = 1 and shows 1682. Both gates were made in the same year, but they have different decorations depending on the architecture, the purpose and the facade being decorated. The ‘outside’ dragons color red that symbolizes courage. There used to be self-defense/martial art tests in Kemagangan yard where prajurit (the Kraton’s royal soldiers) candidates used tombak (Javanese traditional weapon). They might feel angry and dauntless.

Kraton Yogyakarta is 14.000 m² wide. It has many buildings, yards and fields. Starting from the Kraton yard to the north, there are:

1.        Kedaton/Prabayeksa

2.        Bangsal Kencana

3.        Regol Danapratapa (a gate)

4.        Sri Manganti

5.        Regol Sri Manganti (a gate)

6.        Bangsal Poncowati (along with Kemandungan yard)

7.        Regol Bajranala (a gate)

8.        Siti Inggil

9.        Tarub Agung

10.    Pagelaran (with its 64 pillars)

11.    Alun-Alun Utara/North Square (with its two 62-branched banyan trees)

12.    Pasar/Market (Beringharja)

13.    Kepatihan

14.    Tugu

The number 64 figures the age (64 years old) of Prophet Muhammad SAW in the Javanese Calendar, or 62 in the Masehi (Christian) Calendar.

From the Kraton yard to the south, there are:

15.    Regol Kemagangan (a gate)

16.    Bangsal Kemagangan

17.    Regol Gadungmlati (a gate)

18.    Bangsal Kemandungan

19.    Regol Kemandungan (a gate)

20.    Siti Inggil

21.    Alun-Alun Selatan (South Square)

22.    Krapyak

Regol               : a gate

Bangsal           : an open building

Gedong            : a closed/walled building

Plengkung       : a fortress’ gate

Selogilang       : a high leveled floor in a bangsal, a sort of short podium, a place where Sri Sultan sits, a throne of his

Tratag             : a building, usually for people to take shelter, plaited-bamboo roofed with high posts and no wall. In the reign of Sri Sultan H.B. VIII, the tratag was renovated. The roof was changed with iron sheeting, but the architecture was unchanged.

In the middle of Kamandungan Kidul (south) yard, there is a bangsal called Bangsal Kemandungan. This Bangsal used to be Sri Sultan H.B. I’s pesanggrahan (a retreat house) in the village of Pandak, Karangnangka during the Giyanti War (1746-1755).

Krapyak is a high podium made of bricks for Sri Sultan, when he was watching his soldiers or relatives showing off their skills in besetting, hunting or running after deers. The Kraton complex is surrounded by a wide wall called beteng (a sort of fortress). It is 1 km long, square, 3.5 m high and 3 – 4 wide. In some spots on the beteng there are some pathways to keep weapons and ammunitions, and in each of its four corners there are bastions, small holes on their walls to spy on enemies. Three of the bastions still exist and can be seen. The outside facade of the fortress is surrounded by a wide and deep ditch.

Five plengkung or gates connect Kraton to its outside world. The plengkung are:

1.        Plengkung Tarunasura or Plengkung Wijilan in the north east

2.        Plengkung Jogosuro or Plengkung Ngasem in the south west

3.        Plengkung Jogoboyo or Plengkung Tamansari in the west

4.        Plengkung Nirboyo or Plengkung Gading in the south

5.        Plengkung Tambakboyo or Plengkung Gondomanan in the east

In front of each plengkung there is a bridge that connects areas in the Kraton to areas outside. If there is a danger, the bridges are pulled up, blocking the access to the inner part of beteng. Meanwhile, the gates will be tightly closed.

The plengkung are closed at 8 p.m. and opened at 5 a.m. signed by drum beats and trumpets blown by soldiers in Kemagangan.

Plengkung Tambakboyo used to be closed, but in 1923 was reopened by Sri Sultan H.B. VIII. Only 2 out of 5 the plengkung still have their original forms, while the others do not, tunduk to zaman modern. The plengkung are Plengkung Nirboyo (Gading) and Plengkung Tarunasura (Wijilan). The following Pantun Mijil depicts the situation of Kraton in its golden era:

Ing Mataram betengira inggil

Ngubengi kedaton

Plengkung lima mung papat mengane

Jagang jero toyaniro wening

Tur pinacak suji

Gayam turut lurung

The meaning:

Mataram had high walls, surrounding the Kraton, there were 5 plengkung, and only 4 of them were opened, water in the surrounding the ditch was deep and clean and given neat fences and along the way, Gayam trees were planted.