Solo Launch Kirab Boyong Kedaton

Solo -  The "Kirab Boyong Kedaton" (Boyong Kedaton Carnival) to commemorate the 265th birthday of SOlo City, Wednesday, was lavishly received by Solo local community. The crowd gathered along the Slamet Riyadi Street to watch the procession.

The major of Surakarta, Joko Widodo, and the vice major of Surakarta, FX Hadi Ruyatmo, wore Javanese traditional cloth, participated in the procession on horse back. The other participants were dancing along the street. The procession reflected the move of Keraton SUrakarta to the Sala/Solo village and the supreme values of the nation. The procession was started not from Kartasura but from the west bank of the city and ended in the Surakarta City Hall.

A couple of art works was performed at the procession by the students of various schools in Solo, as well as students and lecturers at Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta and some artists from several art workshops in Solo.

The participants also took Gamelan Sekaten, Gamelan Cara Balen, Gamelan Monggang, Gamelan Kodok Ngorek, and Gamelan Slendro and Pelog. There were also around 80 dancers and 100 santris plaed rebana, shadow puppet and mask dancers. The four sumbols of the Kartasura Palace were also took part in the procession, namely Gunungan Lanang and Wadon, Panggung Songgobuwono, Mahkota Keraton dan Canting Raja Mala. (Is)

• Written by Ismanto, from various sources
• Photo source: google.com at Kompas.