Have you ever visited Alun-Alun Selatan Yogyakarta (South Square Kraton Yogyakarta)? You can find a wide field identified by two big banyan trees covered by white fence. It is also as a heritage building that is identically as the Kraton’s. That is Sasana Hinggil Dwi Abad. The meaning of Sasana Hinggil is high-land, Dwi Abad means the age of that building itself, 200 years old. It was built in 1755-1792 during the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I.
Historically, it was used to be as a place where the king see the preparation of the troops before Gerebeg ceremony. Besides, this place is known as a place for a man who wants to fight with a tiger (called rampogan).
As time goes on, it becomes heritage building and being a place for art attraction. If you want to see leather puppet shadow play (usually called Wayang Kulit), you can visit Sasana Hinggil every second Saturday of the month. It starts from 9 AM to 5.30 AM in the morning. That is why people usually name it as Wayang Kulit Semalam Suntuk (means during the night). In this performance, it tells story taken from old book of Java such as Ramayana, Mahabarata, Pustaka Raja Purwa, and Purwakanda (the variety of puppetry’s story).
Surely, it is an open-door performance. So, you should bring jacket and seat-cushion because Wayang Kulit performance is identified by the people who is sitting on the floor while they enjoy watching all the scenes of this show. (san/rag)
