Gelar Songo and Gelar Pitu feature different ritual sequences in Glagah. Gelar Songo brings together an annual calendar date, processions, and various art forms. Gelar Pitu proceeds from an evening devotional gathering through processions to a shared meal. This distinction can be useful if you would like to plan your stay around cultural traditions.

Gelar Songo: an annual tradition in Glagah

Residents of Desa Glagah celebrate Gelar Songo every year on the ninth day of the month of Suro according to the Javanese calendar. The sequence described begins before the festival with an evening Mocoan Lontar Yusuf and a Quran recitation. Gelar Songo also includes visits to the graves of Buyut Ka’i and Buyut Gingsring. They are regarded as ancestors who are said to have cleared the land for the first settlement of what is now Desa Glagah.

In the sequence described, these evening events are followed by a Tumpeng procession featuring art forms from Desa Glagah, including Barong, Kuntulan, dance, and Othek. An Othek performance combines gamelan music and an alu—a rice mortar—with a Barong dance. The Gelar Songo village festival features nine different kinds of Tumpeng. In this way, prayer, procession, art, and village festival emerge as distinct parts of the tradition.

The 2023 Gelar Songo program lasted five days and began with Mocoan Lontar Yusuf. It also included a village festival, Wangsalan and Banasan competitions, and an art performance. These details offer a glimpse of that year’s edition; they do not automatically describe how the event is held in other years. The annual point of reference remains the 9th of Suro.

Gelar Pitu: devotional gathering, procession, and Kopat

Gelar Pitu is a tradition in Dusun Dukuh, Desa Glagah. It begins with Ruwatan, an evening devotional gathering with prayers and art performances. Wayang Kulit was performed in the past; Burdah has since replaced it as an adaptation to changing times. This change is part of the ritual’s described development.

During the Ider-Bumi procession, participants walk around the village with Kopat Gunggung, accompanied by gamelan music and Barong. The Mendak-Tirto procession features Mojo Putri: young girls wearing kebaya and white batik cloth. These names help bring the individual stages of Gelar Pitu to life without conflating them with the sequence of Gelar Songo.

After the Gelar Pitu procession, residents eat Kopat Lepet together, which has first been blessed. The ritual ends with a contest for Kopat Gunggung: residents try to obtain woven kopat containing money. These are regarded as a symbol of blessing and a way to ward off misfortune. Kopat Gunggung is thus part of both the procession and the closing contest.

For travel planning, the 9th of Suro provides Gelar Songo with an annual date to plan around, while Gelar Pitu can be identified by its ritual stages. If you would like to time your stay to coincide with either festival, check the exact date in advance. The five-day program and the events mentioned refer to 2023.

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