Ritual, Rasa, Raga: Menyelami Upacara Adat Pernikahan dalam Serat Centhini Jilid 6

Abstract

Serat Centhini is recognised as a comprehensive compendium of Javanese culture, embracing a wide range of subjects including ethics, traditional recipes, and metaphysical teachings. This study specifically highlights the richness of descriptions of Javanese traditional wedding ceremonies in the Centhini Manuscript Volume 6, through the integration of three main dimensions, namely the symbolic (ritual), emotional (feelings), and physical (body) dimensions. The objective of this study is to identify the fundamental meaning behind each procession, to trace the traces of cultural transformation, and to affirm the relevance of these values to the spirituality of contemporary Javanese society.  The text was analysed using a qualitative approach and literary hermeneutic methods, with the analysis being both descriptive and interpretative. The results of the analysis demonstrate that wedding ceremonies, particularly those involving Jayengresmi and Niken Tambangraras, exhibit a profound syncretism between Javanese traditions and Islamic values. Moreover, this procession evinces the symbolism of the body (raga), emotional experiences (rasa), and reflections on traditional gender constructs. Therefore, the wedding ceremony described in Serat Centhini is not merely a series of traditions, but rather a concrete manifestation of the relationship between humans and moral values, spirituality, and Javanese cultural identity, which is in a state of constant adaptation.