Boyolali - Thousands of people from 15 villages in Cepogo Subdistrict, Boyolali Regency, Central Java Province gathered at Cepogo Subdistrict Square on Sunday morning (9/2/2025). Most of them wore traditional Javanese clothes and carried tenongan (food storage made of woven bamboo) containing various food dishes. The residents of the slopes of Mount Merapi filled the square to attend the opening of Grebeg Sadranan. This event is not only attended by residents around Cepogo, but also people from outside the area such as Kartasura, Solo and Yogyakarta.
The performance marks the start of Sadranan or Nyadran, which has been carried out for generations by the local community ahead of the holy month of Ramadan or Ruwah in the Javanese calendar month. It is usually held in turn in each dukuh or village from the 10th of Ruwah onwards.
For this reason, the Association of Village Heads and the Cepogo District Government held Grebeg Sadranan. It begins with a procession by all participants, representatives of residents from 15 villages in Cepogo sub-district, from the Mliwis village head's house to Pancasila Square. In addition to tenong containing various foods brought by residents, there are also 9 gunungan. This gunungan is filled with various typical sadranan snacks, namely apem cakes, sagon, jenang, jadah and others. There are also people who carry mountains of vegetables and market snacks.
The procession also carried tumpeng and side dishes complete with chicken ingkung. Arriving at the square, gunungan, dozens of tumpeng, and hundreds of tenong are placed in a row on the field. There are also thousands of people who attend and seek blessings from Grebeg Sadranan.
The tenongan is divided into two groups or directions, namely the west direction. The west direction is from the villages of Wonodoyo, Jombong, Gedangan, Sukabumi, Genting, Cepogo, Kembangkuning and Gubug. While from the east from the villages of Sumbung, Paras, Mliwis, Jelok, Bakulan, Candigatak and Cabeankunti.
The core of this Sadranan event is prayer and reading the sadranan schedule of 15 villages. It is expected to become an annual festival in the form of kenduri tenong, mountains of crops and speciality foods, as well as praying together so that Cepogo will always be a prosperous, just and prosperous area.
‘This is a form of our gratitude to Allah Swt, who has given so many blessings,’ said Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mawardi.
The Sadranan tradition in Cepogo Sub-district, Boyolali is held until 21 February 2025. After the opening, 14 villages in Cepogo sub-district continue the Sadranan tradition according to their respective schedules.
The Beginning of Sadranan
It is said that this tradition has been carried out since the 15th century. The beginning of this Sadranan tradition was when Sunan Kalijaga and his followers were preaching or spreading Islam. In this region, before the existence of Islam, local residents had held rituals to pray for their ancestors.
Sadranan ritual is a tradition to clean the graves of ancestors and grave pilgrimage with a procession of delivering prayers and feasting. It is performed every year in the middle of the month of Ruwah or before Ramadan. This procession is often called Nyadran or Sadranan which is still maintained and continues to this day.
For the people of Cepogo Subdistrict, this tradition is like the homecoming tradition of Eid al-Fitr. The overseas residents take the time to return home to Cepogo when this Sadranan tradition is held. This tradition begins in the morning with a pilgrimage carrying a tenong. After praying, they continue to eat together, and everyone is welcome to take the food available in the tenong. Afterwards, residents hold an open house, opening the door for the public to stay in touch and enjoy a banquet with local dishes.
In addition to strengthening kinship ties between siblings, relatives, and other communities, the Sadranan tradition also maintains spiritual traditions for the safety and prosperity of the Cepogo community. The Regional Secretary of Boyolali Regency, Wiwis Trisiwi Handayani, appreciated the grebeg sadranan.
‘The Boyolali Regency Government appreciates the organisation of this grebeg sadranan. This activity is purely the participation of the community from 15 villages in Cepogo. There is not a single cent from the district government. The community's interest is extraordinary. We would like to thank and appreciate the people of Cepogo. We will make this an annual programme,’ Wiwis said. (Indonesia.go.id)