Satu Suro (
Javanese: , ) is the first day of the
Javanese calendar
The Javanese calendar ( jv, ꦥꦤꦁꦒꦭ꧀ꦭꦤ꧀ꦗꦮ, Pananggalan Jawa) is the calendar of the Javanese people. It is used concurrently with two other calendars, the Gregorian calendar and the Islamic calendar. The Gregorian calendar ...
year in the month of Suro (also transcribed "''Sura''"), corresponding with the first
Islamic month
The Hijri calendar ( ar, ٱلتَّقْوِيم ٱلْهِجْرِيّ, translit=al-taqwīm al-hijrī), also known in English as the Muslim calendar and Islamic calendar, is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or ...
of
Muharram
Muḥarram ( ar, ٱلْمُحَرَّم) (fully known as Muharram ul Haram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is forbidden. It is held to be the second holiest month after ...
. It is mainly celebrated in
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
,
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, and by
Javanese people living elsewhere.
''Satu Suro'' has numerous associations in Javanese
folk tales and superstitions in Java that vary considerably through regional variation in cultural practices. The prevalent theme of most ''Satu Suro'' superstitions is the danger of going out from home, similar to the
Balinese holiday of silence, ''
Nyepi
Nyepi is a Balinese "Day of Silence" that is commemorated every ''Isakawarsa'' (Saka new year) according to the Balinese calendar (in 2023, it falls on March 22). It is a Balinese celebration mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia. Nyepi, a publi ...
''.
An Indonesian film, ''Malam Satu Suro'', explores the dangers and superstitions about leaving home on the night of ''Satu Suro''.
Rituals During the Eve of Satu Suro
The
Javanese day begins at the sunset of the previous day, not at midnight; as such, considerable emphasis is placed on the eve of the first day of the month of Suro.
''Satu Suro'' rituals include:
:*Meditation, a common practice in the
Kejawèn religion. The objective is to examine what has been done in the past year and to prepare what will be done in the future. The two main types of ''Satu Suro'' meditation include:
::*''Tapa Bisu'': meditation in silence;
::*''Tapa Kungkum'': meditation while submerged underwater.
:*''Tirakatan'' and ''tuguran'': Staying up all night engaged in self-reflection and prayer, often accompanied by ''
wayang kulit'' (shadow puppetry). Many people also visit graves and holy sites during ''tirakatan''.
:*''Ruwatan'': rituals to spiritually cleanse an area, such as a house or building, from evil spirits and calamity.
:*''Kirab Malam Satu Suro'': in the city of
Surakarta (Solo), a traditional cleansing ritual of the royal ''pusaka'' (heirloom) items held at the
Palace of Surakarta.
[ - ''Kirab Pusoko'' - page 283, and 299-301 - procession of the heirlooms ]
See also
*
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar ( ar, ٱلتَّقْوِيم ٱلْهِجْرِيّ, translit=al-taqwīm al-hijrī), also known in English as the Muslim calendar and Islamic calendar, is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 ...
Notes
Further reading
*Soebardi. ''Calendrical traditions in Indonesia'' Madjalah IIlmu-ilmu Satsra Indonesia, 1965 no.3.
External links
Javanese Calendar and Its Significance to Mystical Life by Suryo S. Negoro
Kirab Malam Satu Suro Ritual, Dukun Indonesia
Indonesian folklore
Javanese culture
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