The Parangkusumo Beach area is known well as a place to perform cultural rite. Javanese people believe that Parangkusumo is a sacred place because it is a meeting place between Kings of Mataram and Nyi Roro Kidul as conquer of Hindia Ocean. So, it is appropriate to perform cultural rite.


It is like what Tri Tunggal of Yogyakarta group did on Friday, as the expression to celebrate Nyepi Day, which is commemorated by Hinduism. This group performed the rite of Ogoh-ogoh (the giant statue) burning. The Ogoh-ogoh burning is a rite in Tawur Kasanga ceremony, which is performed by Hinduism one day before the Nyepi day celebration.


According to the teacher of Tri Tunggal group, Dr Sapto Raharjo SIP when he was met at the location, cultural rite does not only involve Hinduism, but also Java beliefs people and it is open for public. The cultural rite, which was begun from noon to night, mixed Java, Hinduism and many cultures from other tribes of all Indonesia. "The meaning of this rite is to consecrate ourselves from human negative elements ", Sapto said.

This cultural rite was begun with a pair of gunungan (a sacred meal, which is arranged like a mount), male gunungan, which contents of 2 meters high fruits and female gunungan, which contents of 1.5 meters high fruits and cooking spices. It was followed by Ogoh-ogoh and participants who wore Java, Bali, Dayak Kalimantan and Toraja Sulawesi dress.

When the sun begun setting on the west, the group member started to burn incense and stick-incense as the media of ceremony. Gamelan music was played and the teacher led the reading of wishes to the Oneness God.

Then, traditional dance from Toraja tribe of Sulawesi was performed, continued with Dayak tribe of Kalimantan dance. After the dances, as one of symbols of consecration, according to Tri Tunggal group, the hair cutting ceremony of the members was performed. It was done by the teacher. The cutting hair ceremony was followed by the members and also some people, who attended since afternoon.

The top of cultural rite was the burning of Ogoh-ogoh, a giant statue, which was as a symbol of crime, greediness, and angry and other negative characteristics. Before the statue burned, the colossal dance with the theme of Kembang War against the crime was performed. The dancers of that group and SMKI danced it

A fire arrow was shot by Sapto Raharjo; Ogoh-ogoh started burnt, followed with dancers’ shouting and spontaneous movement. The big wind at that night made the statue burnt fast, and it only remained burnt wood. This cultural rite was ended with ‘rayahan’ (scrambled to get st.) a pair of gunungan and the remains of Ogoh-ogoh.

The visit is normal again
After the tropical storm issue and tsunami wave traumatic, the visit to the Parangkusumo beach is normal again. Some programs, which were recently performed at Parangkusumo, seemed filled up by visitors.

Suroyo, a member of SAR team who also guided the program, said that in month of Suro, there are a lot of programs, such as Melasti (Hinduism day), Labuhan (discard offering into the sea), Wayangan (performing leather puppet) and that night program is always desired by the visitors. “But, apparently the Parangtritis beach is not lively visited, yet. So, the SAR team work intensity is not high yet," he added.

Meanwhile, Yudi, a visitor from Yogyakarta City who was accompanied by his couple, said that he knew this cultural rite from print media, so he forced himself to watch the rite of Ogoh-ogoh burning. "Some disaster issues a couple days ago do not influence us to visit this beach," he said.