Story

Grobogan Regency is a regency located in northeastern part of the Central Java province in Indonesia. Created on 4 March 1726, the Grobogan Regency has an area of 2,023.84 km2, and is the second largest regency in the Central Java Province. It had a population of 1,308,696 at the 2010 census and 1,453,526 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 1,525,214 (comprising 767,149 males and 758,065 females). Its capital is the town of Purwodadi.

Located between Surakarta (Solo City and Demak), Grobogan has been a strong influence of both the more direct Islam Culture from the Sultane of Demak and more subtle culture of Kingdom of Surakarta (Kasunanan Surakarta). This has been reflected in its traditional arts and performances, such as Shadow Puppet (Wayang Kulit), Javanese Theatre (Kethoprak). Although they almost disappear from the local society, those two forms of performances can still be easily found in different parts of Central Java. Other forms of cultural performances are almost wiped out from the live of Groboganese, such as Angguk, Kentrung, Ledhek/Tayup, Barongan and Reyog. Angguk was performed mainly by a group of young girls aged between 13 and 17 years, doing a marching dance inspired by the different forms of old Dutch army and royal army from Demak and Surakarta. Kentrung is a story telling in a form of songs performed by a man with the accompaniment of a traditional percussion (kendang). The stories were mainly based on the local history or the history of Muhammad. Ledhek/Tayub is a group of Javanese musicians and singer-dancers which was very popular due to their sensual gestures. Apart from the sensual gestures of the dancers, Tayup wasinvite the spectators to dance along with them. This kind of participative performance is rare in the Javanese context. Barongan is a Javanese version of Barongsay, the dance of Dragon, where the influence of Chinese culture can be seen from the form of the dragon, the use of the dominance red color. The difference with the Barongsay, Barongan normally presided Reyog, a trance dance. Reyog in Purwodadi was different with the more extravagance Reyog of Ponorogo. In the middle of the trance, some of the dancers could involve the eating of broken glasses and raw skins of rice (brambut).

Other examples of cultural performances were related with the life cycle rites such as Kathaman and Ngantenan. Khataman is a circumcision ceremony in which it is used as a symbol of a young boy's entrance into adulthood. Normally, Kathaman is applied only to Muslim boys. The boy would be dressed with a dress like an Arab Sheikh, and taken by horse from his house to the nearby mosque. This procession is accompanied with Islamic music. Ngantenan is basically the wedding ceremony, which we can see clearly the influence of Hindu culture. Nevertheless, while welcoming the invitee, the bride and groom would be put at the center of the house with brights and colourful costumes including the traditional Javanese costumes, Arabic costumes, and supposed to be modern western costumes with sun-glasses. They can change up to seven costumes within 6 hours.

It is very unfortunate, that most of these tradition has almost all disappeared due to coming of more global and uniformed culture. Kethoprak, Kentrung, Angguk, Barongan and Reyog were used to be the expressions of thanks of the people during the wedding or other important ceremonies. Now they have been replaced either by video-movies, or by Dangdut concerts.

In early 80s, Purwodadi had two cinemas, Bioskop Kencana, located right in the commercial center of the town, and Bioskop Simpang Lima, in the southern part of the town, not so far from Simpang Lima roundabout. Unfortunately, due to the presence of television and video (and now VCD and DVD players), now, both cinemas do not have activities. The outdoor cinema, more known as Layar Tancep, once used to be a source of entertainment in the villages around the town, which the organiser was invited by the village authority for special occasions to the villagers. This type of cinema has also faded away.

Grobogan Regency became the center of the Mataram kingdom with its capital in Medhang Kamulan or Sumedang Purwocarito or Purwodadi. The capital was later moved to around town Prambanan as Mamratipura or Poh Pitu or Watugaluh.

During the time of Medang and Kahuripan, the Grobogan region was important to the country. Later, in the time of Majapahit, Demak, and Pajang, Grobogan was always associated with the folklore of Ki Ageng Sela, Ki Ageng Tarub, Bondan Kejawan, and the story of Aji Saka.

During the Islamic Mataram kingdom, the Grobogan region were included as Mancanegara and had become the co-ordinative area of Regent Nayoko Ponorogo: Adipati Surodiningrat. In the times of War Prangwadanan and War Mangkubumen, the region was a power base of Prince Prangwedana (Raden Mas Said) and Prince Mangkubumi.

The Grobogan region covered the Sukowati area north of Bengawan Solo, Warung, Sela, Kuwu, Teras Karas, Cengkal Sewu, and even to the northern Kedu (Schrieke, II, 1957: 76: 91). The Sukowati area was then partially included in Sragen Regency - Bumi Kejawen, Sukowati, Sukodono, Glagah, Tlawah, Pinggir, Jekawal, and others. Areas such as Repaking, Ngleses, Gubug, South Kedungjati and Kemusu were included in Boyolali Regency.

Meanwhile, the areas which then included in Grobogan Regency were: Purwodadi, Grobogan, Kuwu, sela, Teras Karas, Medang Kamulan, Warung (Wirosari), Wirasaba (Saba), Tarub, Getas, and more.

Later, the provision of the Giyanti Agreement (1755) stated, as a Mancanegara region, Grobogan was included as a Sultanate, with Madiun, half of Pacitan, Magetan, Caruban, Jipang (Bojonegoro), Teras Karas (Ngawen), Sela, Warung (Kuwu-Wirosari). (Sukanto, 1958: 5–6).

Based on the agreement between the GG Daendels with PAA Amangkunegara in Yogyakarta, dated January 10, 1811, it was stipulated that the money that should be paid by the Dutch Government was deleted. Secondly, a part of Kedu (Grobogan area), some areas in Semarang, Demak, Jepara, Salatiga, Grobogan districts, Wirosari, Sesela, Warung, daerah-daerah Jipang, and Japan were submitted to the Dutch Government. And thirdly, areas around Boyolali, Galo, and the district of Cawer Wetan were given to Yogyakarta (Ibid.: 77).

During the Diponegoro War, the areas of Grobogan, Purwodadi, Wirosari, Mangor (?), Demak and Kudus were lost in the fire of war against the Dutch (Sagimun MD, 1960: 32, 331–332).

In 1848–1850, as a result of a famine, the population of Grobogan dropped substantially, from 89,000 in 1848 to only 9,000 in 1850.

Bledug Kuwu mud volcano, Central Java, Indonesia. Grobogan is a flat valley lying between two mountains, Pegunungan Kendeng to the south and Pegunungan Kapur Utara to the north. Although the town is known to be very hot during the dry season, Grobogan is one of the main rice producers in Central Java, which mainly supported by several man-made dams, such as Bendungan Klambu, Bendungan Sedadi and Bendungan Kedung Ombo.

The construction of Bendungan Kedung Ombo was a source of national debate due to the social cost of this gigantesque project supported be the World Bank. The two main rivers are Kali Lusi (or Pilang) and Kali Serang. During the rainy seasons, these two rivers cause floods which often destroy the harvests.