Karaton Surakarta: A Look into the Court of Surakarta Hadiningrat, Central Java [Hardcover]

Commissioned by Paku Buwono XII (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2005

Between 1945 and 2004, the court of Surakarta Hadiningrat in central Java was led by one man, Paku Buwono XII. This period was one of much social change, usually peaceful, although there were some violent incidents. Nevertheless, as ruler he managed to maintain much of the ceremony associated with the traditional role of the court, ensuring that it played a central role in Javanese cultural identity. He was also at the forefront of efforts to find a new position for the court as a stabilizing influence in Indonesia's search for modernity. Today, the Surakarta palace continues to strive to find new ways to achieve harmony between change and tradition, one of the main goals of Javanese philosophy.

Contents:
- Introduction
- Foundation and Development of Karaton Surakarta
- Architecture and Symbolism
- Beyond the Palace Walls
- Court Traditions
- Present and Future

Product Details

• Hardcover: 412 pages
• Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Editions (December 1, 2005)
• ISBN-10: 9812612262
• ISBN-13: 978-9812612267
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.5 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,649,324 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Insight into a Javanese Court, August 2, 2009

By 

danny boy "dbswongv" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Karaton Surakarta: A Look into the Court of Surakarta Hadiningrat, Central Java (Hardcover)

This is very much a niche topic, offering an intiguing insight into the workings of a Javanese Court.

There are two rival Javanese Courts which came into being after the fall of the Mataram Dynasty. One is based at Yogyakarta and the other is at Surakarta.

This book was commissioned by the then ruler of the Solo Court which almost guarantees the quality of coverage in this project. This book highlights various themes which are prevalent in these courts such as festivals, rituals, ceremonies, all accompanied by performance arts. Much is made of the court dances and orchestral accompaniment, all contributing to the tradition and heirlooms (pusaka) which resonate throughout this book. The splendour of the court is backed up by some magnificent pictures and the book makes an excellent case for preserving monarchical trappings in Javanese historical culture.