Last month, our neighbour got married. Surely it was a special moment in her life. As the eldest daughter in her family with a good job she's got. Nothing else her parents had long been waiting for until finally their beloved daughter found the best man to be her husband to accompany her life both in joy and sorrow. And I think this also the wish of all parents.
One day before the solemnization of marriage. As a Javanese, there was a ritual of siraman which was held in her parents' home by pouring her body with water which was taken from seven wellsprings. The purpose of this ritual is to clean the body and soul, so a woman who will get married will be entirely ready for the wedding.
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The ritual of siraman was done in front of her parents' home, which was in a housing, at 01.00 pm. We came 30 minutes earlier to have lunch provided to invited guests. It consisted of salad solo and a plate of rice with seasoned beef which was garnished with sliced tomato and lettuce for the main course.
After having lunch, we all watched the procession of siraman. On the right side near our neighbour who was having the ritual of siraman, there were tables displaying tumpeng of yellow rice, tumpeng of white rice with ingkung ayam and jajanan pasar (market munchies or traditional snacks).
Nasi Tumpeng (cone-shaped rice) symbolizes the existence of God while Ingkung Ayam are Javanese words for whole cooked ayam kampung (organic chicken) symbolizes the resignation of God's authority as well as to purify the people who are having the rite. This tumpeng is also served with side dishes; sliced boiled eggs, fried tempeh and urap sayur (cooked vegetables with spiced grated coconut).
The ritual of siraman was done in front of her parents' home, which was in a housing, at 01.00 pm. We came 30 minutes earlier to have lunch provided to invited guests. It consisted of salad solo and a plate of rice with seasoned beef which was garnished with sliced tomato and lettuce for the main course.
After having lunch, we all watched the procession of siraman. On the right side near our neighbour who was having the ritual of siraman, there were tables displaying tumpeng of yellow rice, tumpeng of white rice with ingkung ayam and jajanan pasar (market munchies or traditional snacks).
Nasi Tumpeng (cone-shaped rice) symbolizes the existence of God while Ingkung Ayam are Javanese words for whole cooked ayam kampung (organic chicken) symbolizes the resignation of God's authority as well as to purify the people who are having the rite. This tumpeng is also served with side dishes; sliced boiled eggs, fried tempeh and urap sayur (cooked vegetables with spiced grated coconut).