Grebeg Maulud

Gerebeg or Grebeg has the meaning "the wind". Garebeg is one of the customary Kraton Ngayogyakarta that for the first time organized by the Sultan Hamengku Buwana I. This royal ceremony involving the entire Kingdom, all royal officials and involving all levels of society. Formally, Garebeg religious character that is associated with the birthday of Prophet Muhammad SAW and the two Islamic holidays (Eid al-Fitr and Adha Idhul).

Politically Garebeg also describes the title of Sultan which is kemuslimatan (Ngabdurrahman Sayidin Panotogomo Kalifatullah). During one year there were three times the Garebeg Mulud Garebeg ceremony, Garebeg Large, and Garebeg Sawal held in the Palace complex and the surrounding environment, such as in the North Square.

Garebeg Mulud held to commemorate the birth (birthday) of Prophet Muhammad which falls exactly on the 12th Rabiulawal. Moon is also called moon Mulud Rabiulawal in-Islamic Javanese calendar. That is why Garebeg held to commemorate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, called Garebeg Mulud. Actually dated 12 Rabiulawal has two important meanings in the lives of the Prophet, because it is believed by Muslims that Prophet Muhammad was born and died on the same date and month.

The tradition of commemorating the birthday of the Prophet is only grown after Islam spreads to other countries outside the Arabian peninsula. Prophet Muhammad's birthday is not a legal holiday Islam, because Islam knows only two holidays, the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Celebration of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad SAW as the royal ceremony was spearheaded by the Sultanate of Demak, over time preserved by the Javanese kings who came to be known very popular as Garebeg Mulud.

Before Garebeg Mulud held, there are some traditional activities are held in the Palace environment Ngayogyakarta, namely:
- Ceremony dress rehearsal for soldier readiness by the Regent Palace Nayoko Kawedanan Ageng Soldiers,
- Ceremony Numplak Wajik as a sign of the beginning of the making of the mountain,
- Ceremony Miyosipun Hajad Dalem as peak discharge mengiring Hajad ceremony with a tangible Dalem mountains from the Palace to the Great Mosque of Kyai Pengulu Kingdom.

Besides Garebeg Mulud, Kraton Ngayogyakarta Garebeg Mulud Dal also held that occur once every one tiger, and held in a special way with great pomp, and more reveal elements of the old cultural identity of the king, the kingdom of Java.

In Garebeg Mulud Dal, the Sultan is present in the Great Mosque in public with a full show Javanist tradition with elements of ancient Javanese culture, heritage variety that is very sacred palace as the traditional statement that the sultan and the Sultanate of Yogyakarta is the legitimate heir of the kings and former Javanese royal. Also expressed the traditional attitude of the sultan as a representative of the tribal people in the glory of the ancestors.

Attendance at the Great Mosque of Sultan is also intended to conduct Islamic religious activity that is kicking the pile of bricks is placed at an open door on the south wall of the Great Mosque. This is a symbolic act that represents the people in the days of Demak Sultanate has formally left the religion of Buddhism Hinduï ¿½ to embrace Islam. The ceremony is conducted only once every eight years or once in eight years.

Dal Mulud mountains called Mount Kutug or Mount Bromo. At the peak, given a hole to reveal a brazier containing burning embers of a large lump of incense, so that continuous thick smoke when blown away by the wind. Pajangannya a wide variety of cakes, colorful displays almost the same as Mount Lana, varies with Mount Wadon. At the bottom, paved with tulak banung cloth and placed upright in a giant tray of wood framed measuring 2 x 1.5 m.