Semarang Mayor, residents welcome Ramadan

SEMARANG: Hundreds of residents packed the heart of Semarang city Tuesday afternoon to watch a “Dhugdheran” parade to welcome the fasting month of Ramadan.

The parade, which involved a drum band and rebana music played by students, also displayed two chariots pulled by four horses.

Semarang Mayor Soemarmo and his wife were on board the first of the two chariots, borrowed from the Yogyakarta Palace for the event. Meanwhile, the city’s deputy, Hendrar Prihadi and his wife followed in the second.

The two chariots were followed by dozens of horses and carts carrying other city officials.

“The parade was so much fun, maybe because the city’s mayor is new,” one resident said.

The mayor then arrived at Kauman Grand Mosque and received halaqah, a decision determining the starting date of Ramadan, from the mosque’s imam, Achmad Naqid.

Soemarmo then announced the official starting date of Ramadan by beating the mosque’s drum seven times. — JP