Hijriyah New Year or for the Javanese people in Indonesia it is better known as the night of one Suro which is a very sacred night. On this night, Javanese people in Indonesia perform various kinds of rituals depending on their respective regions. Such as the One Suro Night Carnival at the Surakarta Palace.
As the name implies, the first Suro Night Carnival is held at night, to be precise, the night before the 1st of Muharram. This ritual for hundreds of years has always been carried out in Surakarta for generations.

The meaning of this Suro One Night Ritual is self-reflection or remembering the mistakes that have been made during the past year. The night of one suro marks the change of year, so that in this new chapter it is hoped that our character will change for the better than before.

On the night of the Kirab Satu Suro Ritual at the Keraton Surakarta, thousands of people participate. Starting from the King and his family and relatives, then servants in the Greater Solo area, to the general public. Kebo (Buffalo) Caucasians are not left behind as the grandkids of the carnival, a descendant of Kebo Kyai Slamet. Kebo Bule is not an ordinary buffalo, it is said that these buffaloes are very valuable heirlooms for Sri Susuhunan Pakubuwono II, which were given by the Regent of Ponorogo. The buffalo was given to Sri Susuhunan PB II along with an heirloom named Kyai Slamet, so this white buffalo was named Kebo Kyai Slamet. The Caucasian buffalo which are now in the palace area are descended from Kebo Kyai Slamet hundreds of years ago.

All carnival participants wear black clothes, where men wear black Javanese traditional clothes or what is known as Jawi jangkep clothing, and women wear black kebaya.
The line of kebo Caucasians is at the very front along with their handlers, the second and subsequent rows are the royal courtiers with Sinuwun’s sons and daughters and also the Palace Lords who carry ten Palace heirlooms. During the procession, none of the participants said a single word, this meant self-reflection on what had been done over the past year.

What is unique is that after this ritual is carried out, many people take the kebo bule’s excrement. For some people, this is believed to bring blessings and prosperity.

Source: Surakarta City Culture Office