Uluk Gangsa, The Discourse of Glory in Pesarean Gunung Kawi-Style Karawitan

Abstract

Karawitan, a traditional Javanese orchestra, is part of the ruwatan 'purification' ceremony in Pesarean Gunung Kawi for pilgrims and general spectators. Its repertoire includes gendhing giro-giroan, gendhing uyon-uyon, and lelagon, presented in Mataraman and East Javanese karawitan style. The performance also includes songs that symbolize glory, implied through the gamelan tones. This study aims to document the repertoire of the songs as literary objects and elements of the intangible cultural heritage. Data were collected from a karawitan performance in Gedong Wilis area on a Legi Sunday and Pahing Monday through observations and video recordings of the performance, and interviews with the composer. In addition, song lyrics and gendhing notations were gathered from a library at the Wiyaga Sasana Wilis community. Our research focuses on (1) the narrative of glory symbolism presented in the lyrics of the karawitan songs and (2) the narrative of glory symbolism conveyed through the image of instrumental gendhing musical presented during uluk gangsa procession. Our findings show that the narrative is intended to symbolize the prayers and hopes of the audience. The glory symbolism enables the gamelan players to guide the ceremony performers and the audience into the realm of rasa 'affect, feeling, intuition'.

The role of symbolism in moral education: a study of the ruwat murwakala ritual

“…The murwakala story conveyed that after giving Bathara Kala permission to eat the human Sukerta, Bathara Guru advised Bathara Kala that if one day he meets someone who can read the inscriptions (mantras) on four parts of his body, that means that someone is older and more powerful than Bathara Kala. When he had to submit to whatever he ordered [26]- [29]. The mantra reading stage is the core of the ruwat murwakala ritual because this section presents the symbolism of the process of 'taming' Bathara Kala [30].…”