SEKATEN JOGJAKARTA

Kraton in the environment, each year the ceremony was held Sekaten or better known as the Night Market Celebration Sekaten. Because before the ceremony Sekaten started, first organized activity 'night market' for a full month. This tradition has existed since the time of the kingdom of Demak (16th century) and is held every month Maulud, third month of the Javanese year, with locations in North Square Kraton Ngayogyakarta.
Sekaten origin of the term comes from the word 'Sekati', the name of the 2 devices in the form of heritage palace gamelan 'Kanjeng Sekati clerics' warning that sounded in a series of Maulud Prophet Muhammad. Another opinion said that Sekaten derived from the word love and ati (like liver, happily) because society welcomes Maulud day with a feeling of gratitude and happy at the celebration Sekaten night market in North Square.
There is another opinion says that Sekaten berasaldari word 'syahadataini' two sentences in the Islamic Creed, the creed of monotheism (Asyhadu Alla ila-ha-ilallah) which means: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah" and the apostles creed (Waasyhadu anna Muhammadarrosululloh) which means: "I bear witness that the Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of God".
Before the ceremony Sekaten implemented, there are two preparations, namely physical and spiritual preparation. Physical preparation in the form of equipment and supplies ceremony, the Gamelan Sekaten, Gending Sekaten, a coin, a flower kanthil, Sekaten uniform fashion, samir for musicians and other equipment including history texts Maulud Prophet Muhammad.
Sekaten Gamelan Kraton is heirloom called Kyai Kanjeng Sekati, which consists of two smart, Kanjeng Nogowilogo and Kanjeng Kyai Kyai Guntur Madu. Gamelan is Sekaten heritage created by Sunan Giri who is an expert in the art and known as gamelan musicians with pelog that was first created.
Spiritual preparation done some time before the ceremony Sekaten. The sultan's palace courtiers who will be involved in the ceremony, before preparing mentally for the task and the inner sacred. Especially for the courtiers who will serve hit gamelan Sekaten, they purify themselves with perpuasa and flush jamas.
Sekaten ceremony began on 6 Maulud (Rabi) in the afternoon by issuing gamelan Kyai Kanjeng Sekati from persemayamannya, Kyai Kanjeng Nogowilogo placed in Ward Trajumas and Kanjeng Kyai Guntur Madu in Ward Srimanganti. Two army soldiers courtiers in charge of keeping the heirloom gamelan, the soldier and the soldier Ketanggung Mantrijero. Kemandungan yard or Keben many small merchants sell wuduk chew of betel and rice.
In the evening, over time Sholah Isha, the courtiers in charge reported to the Sultan that the ceremony is ready to begin. After courtiers had orders and instructions of the Sultan, the ceremony began with a sounding sekaten Kanjeng gamelan Kyai Sekati.Right on time at 24.00 pm, the orchestra moved to page Sekaten Grand Mosque of Yogyakarta with both troops escorted courtiers and soldiers Mantrijero Ketanggung. Kanjeng Kyai Guntur Madu placed Pagongan south gapuran page and the Great Mosque of Kyai Kanjeng Nogowilogo in Pagongan north. In the Great Mosque courtyard, gamelan Sekaten sounded continuously day and night for six consecutive days. except on Thursday nights until after Friday prayers at noon.
On May 11, Maulud (Rabi), starting at 20:00 pm., Sri Sultan came to the Grand Mosque to attend the ceremony Maulud Prophet Muhammad with a history of Maulud Prophet read the script read by Kyai penghoeloe. Prophet Maulud ceremony finished at 24.00 pm, and after the ceremony all the gamelan Sekaten Kraton brought back to the ward. Ward displacement towards the palace gamelan is a sign that the Prophet Maulud ceremony has been completed and the next day gave way to the ceremony Grebeg Gunungan Sekaten.
Grebeg ceremony Gunungan sekaten Maulud implemented on the 12th in the morning at around 09:00 to 10:00 pm. Communities that have been waiting and had to stay overnight, as well as coming from morning after Fajr prayer is usually already waiting in front of the Palace and in North Square. Grebeg Muludan memorial ceremony is the culmination of celebrations Sekaten. Mountains that contains the results of the earth, which is glutinous rice, food and fruits and vegetables will be taken from past palace Kemandungan Sitihinggil and performances to the Grand Mosque. After Benediction ceremony held at the Great Mosque, which symbolizes prosperity Gunungan or fertility Mataram Kingdom's ready contested outside the mosque courtyard. Usually before the procession Grebeg Gunungan up at the town square, several pairs Gunungan the community will be sought out in seconds