Sekaten’s Eternal Rhythm: When Gamelan Becomes the Heartbeat of Jogja

When people talk about Sekaten in Yogyakarta, there’s one thing that always steals the show: the mystical sound of gamelan echoing from Masjid Gedhe Kauman. This isn’t just any set of instruments it’s Gamelan Sekati, a royal heirloom that only comes out for sacred ceremonies inside the Keraton.

And here’s the thing: Sekaten isn’t powered by just one gamelan, but two Kyai Guntur Madu and Kyai Nogo Wilogo. Together, they don’t just play music; they carry centuries of stories within every note.

From the Mataram Kingdom to Jogja and Solo

The story begins way back in the days of the Mataram Kingdom. Originally, there were two gamelan sets: Kyai Guntur Madu and Kyai Guntur Sari, both crafted during Sultan Agung’s reign in 1644.

But history being history, nothing ever stays whole. After the Giyanti Agreement, the sets were split like an old family inheritance. Yogyakarta received Kyai Guntur Madu, while Surakarta took Kyai Guntur Sari. Refusing to settle for “half a legacy,” Sultan Hamengku Buwono I ordered a duplicate of Guntur Sari to be made, which became known as Kyai Nogo Wilogo. And just like that, the Sekaten duo we know today was born.

Placement with Meaning

One fascinating detail: these gamelan aren’t placed randomly during Sekaten. Kyai Guntur Madu, being the elder, always sits in the southern pavilion (Pagongan Kidul) of Masjid Gedhe Kauman, to the Sultan’s right. Meanwhile, Kyai Nogo Wilogo, the “younger sibling,” is stationed in the northern pavilion (Pagongan Lor). Even the positions reflect deeper layers of meaning.

Sacred Rituals Before the Performance

When not in use, both sets rest quietly inside the Keraton, guarded like royal treasures. Three days before Sekaten, they undergo a jamasan ritual, where each instrument is cleansed with reverence.

Then comes Miyos Gongso a grand procession where the gamelan are paraded out of the palace, accompanied by abdi dalem (palace servants) and bregada troops in full Javanese attire. The moment the first strike is heard, Sekaten officially begins, and the air in Jogja shifts with anticipation.

More Than Music

To outsiders, gamelan might just sound like “traditional music.” But in Yogyakarta, Gamelan Sekati is identity, heritage, and memory woven into sound. Each beat isn’t just rhythm it’s history, a reminder of promises, and a celebration of togetherness that returns year after year at the alun-alun.

So when those notes echo across the night, you’re not just listening to music you’re tuning into centuries of stories that still live on, beating in harmony with Jogja itself.