Kotagede

One of the gates in Kota Gede.

Kotagede (also Kota Gede) is a name of a historic area and a kecamatan of the city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. One of the old capitals of Mataram, the area contains the remains of a kraton (palace), the royal cemetery, and royal mosque of Mataram, dated from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

History

Kotagede was previously a forest named Mentaok, to the east of Gajah Wong River. During the last quarter of the 16th century, the ruler of the Islamic Kingdom of Pajang, about 100 kilometers to the east of this site, awarded the forest to Ki Ageng Pemanahan, one of his courtiers who successfully put down a rebellion. Pemanahan opened the forest with his son Danang Sutawijaya, who was also an adoptive son of the ruler. A settlement was established and was named Mataram as Pemanahan himself was called Ki Gedhe Mataram, "the Lord of Mataram".

After Pemanahan's death in 1575, Danang Sutawijaya announced himself as the king of Mataram with the title of Panembahan Senapati Ingalaga, "the Lord to Whom Obeisance is Paid, Commander in the Battlefield. He expanded his territory by conquering some major parts of Java, including Pajang, the capital of his adoptive father. The small town became the capital of Mataram and perhaps since then it was dubbed Kotagede, "Great City". During this time the town was fortified with thick walls. The western wall was built along Gajah Wong River, channeled to water the moats on three other sides of the fort.

To successfully govern a territory, Senapati also established alliance with supernatural power by performing austere meditation. According to Babad Mangkubumi, while performing a meditation on a stone in the middle of a river in between mount Merapi and the Indian Ocean, a gigantic mythical fish named Tunggulwulung offered Senapati a ride to venture south of the ocean where the most powerful spirit of Java governed the netherworld, named Kangjeng Ratu Kidul. Overwhelmed by the aura of Senapati, the queen offered support for his great efforts to conquer the people of Java. She even presented herself to be his consort, as well as to all his reigning descendants, up to present.

A prince named Mas Jolang succeeded Senapati in 1601. During his 12 years of reign, he carried out many construction projects within the palace and the surrounding area, the most important buidling he constructed in the palace was Prabayeksa. The archeologist Willem Frederik Stutterheim notes the importance of this central building since the pre-Islamic Majapahit. In the contemporary palace of Yogyakarta this name refers to a gigantic fully enclosed wooden building serving as the inner sanctum of this kingly abode where most magically charged heirloom and weapons are stored. Jolang was also known to create a number of Taman (enclosed pleasure garden). Mas Jolang was remembered in his posthumous name as Panembahan Seda Krapyak ("Lord Who Died during Hunting (in Hunting Lodge)") because he was reputedly killed by a deer while hunting in his krapyak (walled hunting forest).

Jolang's successor to the throme of Mataram was Mas Rangsang (rule 1613-1645) better known as Sultan Agung Hanyakrakusuma, "The Great Sultan, Ruler of the Universe". He expanded his territory to include Central and East Java. He attacked Batavia twice although to no avail. Sultan Agung decided to leave Kotagede to a place called Kerta, about 5 km south of Kotagede, while initiating the construction of a new capital with much greater walls nearby named Plered.

The capital of Mataram moved several times afterwards only to return later to a location near Kotagede. From Kerta it was relocated to Plered by Agung's son Mangkurat I. Only one generation settled in Plered before the fall of this city after being defeated by some contenders of Mangkurat I in 1677. After the rebellion had been put down, his successor Mangkurat II, decided to establish a new capital named Kartasura 50 km to the east. Chinese riots in Batavia turned into turmoil in many major parts of Java during the first half of the 18th century. The rebel leader, Sunan Kuning, occupied the throne of Mataram in Kartasura after Pakubawana II had left the capital in defeat. Pakubuwana II later regained his kingdom, but the throne had been tarnished, and so a new palace had to be established to have a purified center. In 1745 he created a new place which became the heart of the city of Surakarta.

Unlike many other parts of Java, some ancestral lands including Kotagede were indivisible because they were regarded as a kind of heirloom rather than measurable territory. The cemetery and mosque were guarded by officials from both courts and the surrounding lands were assigned as appanage to sustain the life of these officials. As the political power shifted, Kotagede became principally a pilgrimage town with its royal mausoleum and other sites associated with the initial establishment of Mataram kingdom.

By the end of 19th century, transportation and monetization of the agricultural economy improved. Kotagede's merchant prosper during this era. Walled merchant houses appeared during this era, constructed in thick masonry walls to protect the accumulated possessions. These traditional merchant houses sometimes combine element from Dutch architecture which was considered luxurious, producing an eclectic architecture. Silverware flourished during this era.

Islamic reform emerged during the first quarter of the 20th century. Some local religious leaders established a religious organization named Syarikatul Mubtadi (The Union of the Beginners) intended to educate the people of Kotagede the "true" Islamic ways of life. This initial movement grew much more expensive with the introduction of Muhammadiyah, a Yogyakarta-based Islamic reform organization. This reform aims at introducing rationality and Islamic teaching to the society of Kotagede considered superstitious. Masjid Perak (Silver Mosque) was constructed in 1940 on the major streets of Kotagede.

Only very few ruins can be found being remnants of the city walls. The most intact is the royal cemetery. Today, Kotagede is still considered the site of origin with supernatural power being the focus of ancestral blessings and prosperity.

Town planning

There are many legends and local tales connecting the site to the Mataram palace; however, there are very few physical remains of the palace and city. Parts that have survived include the Kota Gede royal mosque, the royal cemetery (precursor to Imogiri) and some sections of the original palace walls .The only physical trace of the royal residence is a square stone slab that was reputedly the seat of Mataram rulers. However, the word dalem indicates that its former existence was a walled compound.

The fourfold configuration of mosque-palace-market-square recalls the contemporary setting of a Javanese palace-city as well as ancient royal capital of Majapahit. The Market and Square were primarily open space, while the other 2 were walled compounds each containing many buildings.

Toponyms indicate many traces of the initial urban planning of the town. A neighborhood called Alun-alun is situated to the south of the market, right in front of the great mosque. A place called Dalem (inner house) signifies its former designation as residence of the ruler.

Kedhaton (the royal palace)

The Kedhaton, also Kedaton ("royal palace") existed on the site in 1509. The only remains of the royal palace are three stones, each called Batu Gilang ("glittering stone"), Batu Gatheng ("gatheng (stone-throwing game) stone"), and Batu Genthong ("water barrel stone"). At present, the stones are protected inside a small buidling, located in the middle of the road and surrouned by three banyan trees.

Batu Gilang (also Watu Gilang) is a square-shaped black stone believed to be the stone where Panembahan Senopati rested. Inscribed circularly on it are the words: "So Goes the World", each in Latin, French, Dutch, and Italian: Ita movetur Mundus - Ainsi va le Monde - Zoo gaat de wereld - Cosi va il Mondo. On the outside, the Latin words in circle say: AD ATERN AMMEMORIAM INFELICS - IN FORTUNA CONSOERTES DIGNI VALETE QUIDSTPERIS INSANI VIDETE IGNARI ET RIDETE, CONTEMNITE VOS CONSTEMTU - IGM (In Glorium Maximam) ("revile you who are worthy of reproach - why are you upset or surprised, you fool - behold, unwell assigns, and laughs - Farewell companions.

Batu Gatheng (also Watu Cantheng) are three pale yellowish stone balls of different sizes placed on a stone slab. These balls are called watu cantheng and are believed by the locals to be the playing stones of Raden Rongo, the son of Panembahan Senapati. Others claim that the stones are cannonballs.

Batu Genthong is believed to be the stone for containing the water used for Islamic ritual ablution. It is used by royal advisors of Panembahan Senopati: Ki Juru Mertani and Ki Ageng Giring.

Mosque compound

The mosque compound is situated right on the east of the mausoleum. It consists of a pair of buildings: the main prayer hall at the hear and a front hall commonly called serambi, typical component of a Javanese mosque. The mosque area is a vast yard of sawo kecik (Manilkara kauki) trees, the two main buildings cover less than one tenth of the entire area.

Alun-alun (square)

Being an open field, there is no remain of the alun-alun. A present kampung (neighborhood) called "Alun-alun" is situated to the south of the market, right in front of the great mosque, signifying where the former alun-alun was. Another kampung called Cokroyudan is also located close to the former alun-alun.

The kampungs of Alun-alun and Cokroyudan has been designated a heritage neighborhood under the name "Kampung Pusaka Alun-alun Cokroyudan".

Royal cemetery

The royal cemetery is located 100 meter south of the marketplace. It is the most intact part of Kotagede. Chronicles mention that Senapati's father, Ki Gedhe Mataram, was buried to the west of the mosque and Senapati himself was buried to the south of the mosque, in the direction of his father's feet. Other important people buried in the cemetery is Sultan Hadiwijaya. The cemetery is guarded and maintained by Juru Kunci who are employed by the two palaces of Yogyakarta and Surakarta. The portal to the cemetery has the feature of Hindu architecture, each portal contains a thick wooden handle heavily decorated with carvings. The walled cemetery does not act as a physical protection of the tomb treasure from robbery, as the tradition to accompany the death with valuables stopped existing in Java since the introduction of Islam. Rather these enclosures separate the realm of the dead from those of the living.

Another royal cemetery on site is Hastorenggo cemetery. Built in 1934, it is the royal cemetery for the descendants of Kraton Yogyakarta and is still used today.

Market place

Kotagede's marketplace is situated in the middle of the town, at the juncture of its four main streets. It is considered an important part of the town that Kotagede was also known as Pasar Gede ("Great Market") or in short, Sargede. Since Panembahan Senapati bore the youth name of Ngabehi Loring Pasar, "Lord of the North of the Market", the market's existence is as old as the kingdom. Similar to the Roman Forum, the market is also a meeting place.

Legi, a day in Javanese week, is the market day for Kotagede, and so the market is also known as Pasar Legi or Sarlegi. The Pasar Legi of Kotagede is always held on Legi, unique in Yogyakarta.

Defensive wall

Panembahan Senopati built the inner fort (cepuri) completed with the moat around the palace, the area covered more or less 400x400 meters. Ruins of the fort are still seen on the corner of Southwest and Southeast. The wall was 4 feets thick and made of stone blocks. The moat can be seen on the East, South, and West.

Walled merchant houses

Kotagede's merchant houses are walled to protect possessions. These traditional merchant houses sometimes combine element from Dutch architecture which was considered luxurious, producing a blend of Dutch-Traditional Javanese architecture.

Silverworks

Since the 1930s Kota Gede has become well-known for its silverworks and silver handicrafts.

Jalan Kemasan, the main street leading into town from the north, is lined with silver workshops selling hand-beaten bowls, boxes, fine filigree and modern jewellery .

Silverworks of Kotagede

Sastro Sarjono's silver sugar pot, part of a tea set.

Sastro Sarjono's silver teaspoon, part of a tea set.

Half-finished silver medallions.

A decorative silver model of a becak.

See also

• Javanese sacred places

Further reading

• Mook, H.J van, (1958) Kuta Gede before the Reorganization in 'The Indonesian Town/Studies in Urban Sociology', The Hague: W. van Hoeve
• Nakamura, M. (1976) The Crescent arises over the Banyan Tree Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press.
• Witton, Patrick (2003). Indonesia (7th edition). Melbourne: Lonely Planet. p. 220. ISBN 1-74059-154-2. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

• Yogyakarta Tourism Catalog page on Kota Gede
• Silver handycraft catalog Kotagede
• Kotagede as Islamic Mataram Capital