11th June 2008:
To the Istana Mangkunegaran, Surakarata (Solo)—Central Java’s prettiest palace
The Serimpi dancers in the Istana Mangkunegaran main pavilion.Twenty five odd years ago Sukmawati Soekarnoputri—sister of Megawati and daughter of the proklamator President Soekarno—married ‘crown prince’ Gusti Raden Mas Sujiwo Kusumo, prince of the Mangkunegaran Palace in Solo, Central Java.
The Mangkunegaran Royal family have strong connections to the elite in Jakarta (Mrs Tien Soharto, for example is from this family; and one of the princesses has always lived in Jakarta and worked for Iwan Tirta (Indonesia’s famed batik impresario) so today’s wedding of Sukmawati and Jiwo’s daughter, to a celebrity crooner from Makassar, is quite an affair.
Out in force are the batik and kebaya fashionistas, the fancy fans and the dazzling jewels.
At this morning’s Akad Nikah ceremony princesses in party frocks arrive by horse-drawn state coach from Kraton Kidul (the South Palace) as black S.U.V drop off Jakarta big wigs and their husbands at the fabulous Pendopo Agung hall.
The Akad Nikah ceremony in the Dalem section of the palace; the groom’s witness (ex-President Megawati’s husband, Bp. Taufik Kiemas) is seated at the table, facing camera.
11 a.m.
The groom appears with a full Raja Goa contingent, in colourful Mandar sarongs, ushered in by the bride’s sisters and cousins in ancient Javanese dance costumes. Even Yani Arifin, the batik bombshell daughter of former Soeharto crony Bustanul Arifin is here, front and centre, with the sensational Ibu-Ibu Gaya Group (for full story see this month’s Jakarta Kini).
During the ceremonies I chat to my friend Gusti Putri, sister of Jiwo, whose garden I decorated in Johor Baru, Malaysia (Istana Abu Bakar). Putri confirmed that the groom is not of royal Makassar blood and that the whole entourage are doing a fabulous job passing as aristocrats. “Never let the truth get in the way of court spectacle” is the message.
Later the same night I arrive for the evening’s reception in the middle of a spectacle of transcendental beauty.An exquisite Bedoyo dance of the princesses is in progress, framed by a row of VIP guests and, from above, by a set of chandeliers, weeping pink jali jasmine strips (see photo previous page).
I am lifted an inch out of my slippers by this scene of heart-wrenching beauty. The wail of the Tembang Bedoyo plus female chorus; the clouds of incense de l’orient; and the flutter of canary yellow selendang, all make for a vision of paradise.
21.30 p.m.
The course brown necks of the men from Makassar strain to get an eyeful of Ibu Yani Arifin sitting front-row/centre, like Audrey Hepburn at a Givenchy show.
The Mangkunegaran Royal family have strong connections to the elite in Jakarta (Mrs Tien Soharto, for example is from this family; and one of the princesses has always lived in Jakarta and worked for Iwan Tirta (Indonesia’s famed batik impresario) so today’s wedding of Sukmawati and Jiwo’s daughter, to a celebrity crooner from Makassar, is quite an affair.
Out in force are the batik and kebaya fashionistas, the fancy fans and the dazzling jewels.
At this morning’s Akad Nikah ceremony princesses in party frocks arrive by horse-drawn state coach from Kraton Kidul (the South Palace) as black S.U.V drop off Jakarta big wigs and their husbands at the fabulous Pendopo Agung hall.
The Akad Nikah ceremony in the Dalem section of the palace; the groom’s witness (ex-President Megawati’s husband, Bp. Taufik Kiemas) is seated at the table, facing camera.11 a.m.
The groom appears with a full Raja Goa contingent, in colourful Mandar sarongs, ushered in by the bride’s sisters and cousins in ancient Javanese dance costumes. Even Yani Arifin, the batik bombshell daughter of former Soeharto crony Bustanul Arifin is here, front and centre, with the sensational Ibu-Ibu Gaya Group (for full story see this month’s Jakarta Kini).
During the ceremonies I chat to my friend Gusti Putri, sister of Jiwo, whose garden I decorated in Johor Baru, Malaysia (Istana Abu Bakar). Putri confirmed that the groom is not of royal Makassar blood and that the whole entourage are doing a fabulous job passing as aristocrats. “Never let the truth get in the way of court spectacle” is the message.
• • •
20.30 p.m.Later the same night I arrive for the evening’s reception in the middle of a spectacle of transcendental beauty.An exquisite Bedoyo dance of the princesses is in progress, framed by a row of VIP guests and, from above, by a set of chandeliers, weeping pink jali jasmine strips (see photo previous page).
I am lifted an inch out of my slippers by this scene of heart-wrenching beauty. The wail of the Tembang Bedoyo plus female chorus; the clouds of incense de l’orient; and the flutter of canary yellow selendang, all make for a vision of paradise.
21.30 p.m.
The course brown necks of the men from Makassar strain to get an eyeful of Ibu Yani Arifin sitting front-row/centre, like Audrey Hepburn at a Givenchy show.
(From left) Supreme Solo sirene Yani Arifin; Bp. Taufik Kiemas, husband of former President Megawati Soekarnoputri and a Mangkunegaran royal; GRAy. Retno Putri Astrini and her daughter, Tunku Atiah, of Johor.