The culture of ngumbah gong sekaten.

This culture comes from the Kanoman Palace which is only carried out once a year, namely during the month of Maulud. Ngumbah gong sekaten is a tradition of bathing the old gamelan that is approximately 600 years old.

According to Pangeran Patih, Raja Muhammad Qodiran, the ritual activities of the Kanoman Sultanate of Cirebon are a form of preservation of da’wah, culture, and customs from the ancestors of the Kanoman Sultanate of Cirebon, namely Sunan Gunung Jati or Sheikh Syarif Hidayatullah. Gamelan Sekaten and Gong Sekati are the relics of Sunan Gunung Jati or Sheikh Syarif Hidayatullah in spreading Islam.

In the culture of ngumbah gong sekaten for washing sekaten gamelan, people use ingredients such as mashed bricks mixed with fermented young coconut water, and they also prepare flower water, tamarind, and lime.

The event takes place from the 7th of Maulud or Rabiulawal until the 12th of Maulud. The procession begins when the Kanoman Palace family led by Prince Patih Raja Muhammad Qadiran brings out the sekaten gamelan set. The gamelan consists of saron, gong, and bonang from the Carving Ward (Gong Pejimatan).

The procession begins on 7 Mulud at 9 a.m. Once a year, they wash and play the sekaten gamelan and gong sekati stored in Gedong Pejimatan Kanoman Palace.

Washing the gamelan followed by playing it for the next five days is one of a series of Muludan rituals. Before washing them, they first paraded the gamelan from Gedong Pejimatan to Langgar Keraton, then prayed together.

Once clean and dry, they bring the gamelan to Bangsal Sekati. They begin playing the gamelan on 7 Maulud Night (8 Rabiul Awal) to the 12th of Maulud Month. The sound of the gong only stops during prayer times. Before playing it, the Sultan of Kanoman will hit the gong sekati for the first time as a sign that the ritual of muni (playing) the gong sekati begins.

This skaten gamelan was a gift from Sultan Trenggono, the King of Demak Bintaroro III, to Ratu Wulung Ayu. Ratu Wulung Ayu is the daughter of sunan gunung jati with wife Nyimas Tepasari from Majapahit. She received a gift of sekaten gamelan after the death of her husband, Adipati Unus or Pangeran Sabrang Lor. Ratu Wulung Ayu gave the gamelan when she wanted to return to Cirebon. She always played the sekaten gamelan every Maulud Month, and since then, she has always washed the gamelan until now.

Written by Shinta Nurginasih