PART 7: JENGKAR DALEM

Jengkar dalem means going home to Kraton, depicting our going back to heaven. After leaving Sitihinggil, Sri Sultan gets to Kemandungan Lor, where there are Keben trees. These trees mean” Tangkeben (close!) your eyes, your ears, feelings; because you are going to die”.

Then we get in Regol Sri Manganti. Sri Sultan used to be willing to sit a while in Bangsal Sri Manganti, picked by His Queen/Lady and sons. This depicts when we humans are in Alam Barzah. Then there would be two Bupati Nayaka coming to deliver a drink. It depicts the coming of two malaikat (angels) who give advices or guidance in Islam referring to Al Quran in Alam Barzah.

In the Sri Manganti yard there is another bangsal called Traju Mas. It symbolizes that we should consider which thing is right, which one is wrong, and better if no longer think about the world, wife and children who we leave.

On the south of Sri Sultan there is a big and high building called Purwaretna. It symbolizes that we should always remember where we come from. Above the Regol of Purwaretna there is a circle that surrounds a jagad/buwana (the globe). Surrounding in Javanese means Hamengku. Those words read Hamengku Buwana, Sri Sultan’s name. Then there are two animals below the globe called Slira. Slira means eight. These images altogether mean Hamengku Buwana VIII.

Next please take a look at the two white giants on the right and left sides of the Regol!

Purwa = first = origin

Retna = intan, cahaya = light

Gedong Purwaretna is of three storeys, depicting Baitul Makmur, Baitatl Mucharam and Baial Muchaddas (Betal Makmur, Betal Mukaram and Betal Mukadas). Then it has 4 windows of kiblat or ketauhidan (piety), i.e. Syari’at, Tharikat, Chakekat and Ma’rifat.

Then Sri Sultan would see Regol Danapratapa. On its left and right, there are Jambu Dersono trees. Dersono means good, primary. Regol Danapratapa advises that the best of humans are those who give anything sincerely and erase their lusts.

The gigantic areas on the Regol’s left and right sides depict evil lusts and good lusts in every human. The Jambu Dersono trees with arcas on its front advise us that the best of humans are those who know what is evil and what is good.

After going through Regol Danapratapa, Sri Sultan would arrive in the Kedaton yard and get in the Bangsal Kencana. The word Kencana contains a meaning of luminous characteristics and elements. Bangsal Kencana is a figure of the unified kawula-gusti. Thus condrosengkolo of the time when it was established reads “Trus Satunggal Panditaningrat” which means 1719.

Then Sri Sultan would enter Gedong Prabayeksa. Inside the gedong, there is an eternal flame called Kyai Wiji. Praba means light, yeksa means big, then prabayeksa means a big/bright light. These entirely mean that according to the soul/spirit’s journey in the afterlife world, it follows the light until it gets to a serene, clear, holy place called eternal heaven.

Yellow is the color of everything pious. All that have been described above is only a depiction of symbols, an advice from an old to the young, visually and educative. Reality, it is all gone back to Allah SWT the Almighty.