Sekaten (Javanese: ꦱꦼꦏꦠꦺꦤ꧀; from the Arabic word syahadatain) is a week-long Javanese traditional ceremony, festival, fair and pasar malam (night market) commemorating Mawlid (the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad), celebrated annually started on 5th day through the 12th day of (Javanese Calendar) Mulud month (corresponding to Rabi' al-awwal in Islamic Calendar).
The festivities usually took place in northern alun-alun (square) in Yogyakarta, and simultaneously also celebrated in northern alun-alun of Surakarta. This ceremony originally were initiated by Sultan Hamengkubuwana I, the founder of Yogyakarta Sultanate to promote the Islamic faith.[1]
- ^ see other versions of the source - "A short history of the 'Sekaten' festival", Asia Africa Intelligence Wire, Financial Times Ltd, 2004-04-03, retrieved 30 November 2017[dead link]