Wayang Kulit Show - The Real Night Entertainment for All

"Wayang Kulit Show is the real night entertainment for all, no need to pay, it's to share happiness together as a part of thankfulness"

About It

A friend of mine told me that there would be a wayang kulit show that night, December 24, 2011. I was so excited to see, not only because of wayang kulit itself but also because the show would be conducted in my favorite place: Sasono Mulyo, the house owned by Gusti Dipokusumo and Ray. Febri Hapsari. It is the house in the Kasunanan Surakarta Palace area witnessing the spirit of young people to do something great for their personal improvement and for dedicating their life for nation. Yes, Febri has done fabulous process in helping the youths to be more active in life in her house. Many youths organizations have been trained by her there, such as Solo Youth Heritage, Putra Putri Solo Foundation, Rotaract, Paskibra Solo, Solo LO, and many others. She has invited young people to organized prestigious International events like World Heritage City Conference, Women International Club Meeting, Lafarge International Annual Meeting, and of course the outstanding ASEAN Para Games which was just closed in December 20, 2011.

That night, the house did a little "make up". It beautified itself as the spotlight for entertaining the people. It became a place to conduct wayang kulit show. Well before going further to tell my experience that night, what is wayang kulit? Wayang Kulit or literally translated as shadow puppet is the performance of leather puppet which is shown to the audiences through its shadow. Wayang kulit is played by puppeteer which is called as dalang. Wayang kulit is well maintained in Java, Indonesia especially in Solo and Yogyakarta city.

Wayang kulit show is a colossal performance. I say so because it takes so many hours as seen that it is commonly done from 9 pm to 5 am in following day. It needs many people to support dalang in succeeding his performance. They are sinden (ladies singing traditional songs), para niyaga (gamelan traditional music players), and comedians.

Since I did not have much time to watch whole performance entitled Duta Kresna and performed by Dalang Kanjeng Gusti Haryo Pangeran Benawa, I decided to focus observing the color of that night during wayang kulit show. Just at a glance view, I could conclude that wayang kulit show is the real night entertainment for all for several reasons.

Firstly, it is free entertainment for all. Thus, no need to think whether you can afford it or not, even sometimes you get food here from the committee.

Secondly, the performance philosophically has the context of thankfulness. People want to share thankfulness and their happiness together by making performance. Usually, it is done after harvesting period, the birth of child, the opening of new company. That night show was as the form of thankfulness of life which was done in Sura month, one of months in Javanese lunar calendar.

Thirdly, all people from all classes can watch it without any gaps. Class I, VIP, VVIP, or even VVVIP do not exist here. Yeah, it is the celebration of togetherness. All people are blended into one spirit without focusing their social status.

Fourthly, you have many options to eat and drink here. In wayang kulit show place, it feels like you suddenly new market of food. Many sellers come to make their temporary spot to sell their stuffs. You will easily find wedangan (a place for drinking tea and coffee), bakso (meatball), mie ayam (chickennoodle), kacang godog (boiled peanuts), wedang ronde (kind of traditional Javanese beverage), and many more. Don't worry, you will not get starve when you watch wayang kulit show.

Fifthly, the story has meaningful message which is applicable for all types of audiences. Wayang kulit which commonly manifests the story from books of Ramayana and Mahabharata always has nice advice to tell. It teaches the wisdom for people to be better in life.

So do you agree that wayang kulit show is the real night entertainment for all?

Ya, talking about night entertainment is not always about going to the club, karaoke, or playing billiard. It can also be something cultural with amazing meaning. Wayang kulit show is kind of example. May it become inspiration for you to watch wayang kulit as a your choice to relax yourself at night. Get fun, get serious, get laugh, get emotional!!! Find those all here in wayang kulit show.

Me on the Spot

Absolutely, I could feel happiness here. Seeing the colors of people's life at night watching wayang kulit show.