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'Wayang kulit', night bazaar enliven cultural park in Surakarta
Central Java Cultural Park (TBJT) regularly holds a wayang kulit show on Thursdays from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.
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The Javanese word 'wayang' means "shadow" or "image", and aptly describes 'wayang kulit', or "shadow puppet". (JP/Stefanus Ajie)
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undreds of people could be seen flocking to Central Java Cultural Park (TBJT) in the Jebres district of Surakarta (Solo) to watch a wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performance.
The show is held regularly from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Thursday evenings – or Kliwon according to the Javanese calendar – at the pendopo, a Javanese pavilion. People usually start arriving in the afternoon.
Wayang puppet theater is one of Indonesia’s most prized cultural heritages, and has several forms including wayang kulit, wayang orang (a theatrical dance derived from wayang puppetry) and wayang golek (wooden puppet theater). UNESCO inscribed wayang kulit on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Nov. 7, 2003. The date is now celebrated as the National Wayang Day in Indonesia.
Wayang kulit is a puppet show induring which a dalang (master puppeteer) manipulates puppets cut from leather and projects their shadows against a cloth screen to bring to life a tale from the ancient Indian epics, The Ramayana or The Mahabharata.
Read also: 'Wayang kulit' craftsmanship still flourishing in Wonogiri village
The show is accompanied by a Javanese gamelan orchestra and a traditional female vocalist, warangana, and a male vocalist, wiraswara.
During the performance, audience members and other visitors can browse the night bazaar around the pendopo. They can enjoy dishes and treats like steamed peanuts, wedang ronde (glutinous rice balls in sweet ginger broth) and kupat tahu (chopped fried tofu served with rice cakes, blanched bean sprouts and peanut sauce), and even buy books or traditional handicrafts made from wood or buffalo horn.
A night bazaar always accompanies a wayang kulit show. Together, they are a tourist attraction that offers the complete experience of traditional performing arts and foods. It also offers a cultural platform for socializing with local residents. (iru/kes)
