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Yogyakarta. Thousands of residents and visitors alike lined the famed Jalan Malioboro on Tuesday to watch the newlywed royal couple of the House of Yogyakarta parade down the street.

“I’m from Sleman and I came here around 1:30 p.m. to see the parade,” 30-year-old Putra Pratama said. “I needed to grab a spot for me and my son to watch the parade.”

Yogyakarta was in full festive mode on Tuesday as Sultan Hamengkubuwono X’s youngest daughter, Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Bendara, and civil servant Kanjeng Pangeran Haryo Yudanegara wed at a mosque inside the Palace complex.

The ceremony was the culmination of three days of rituals and weeks of preparation.

The traditional Javanese ceremony was witnessed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the first lady, Ani Yudhoyono, who were the first guests to congratulate the couple .

Jalan Malioboro was closed to vehicles, save for the horse-drawn carriages that transported the couple to Kepatihan Hall for the reception.

Instead, the street was filled with thousands of onlookers and hundreds of stalls offering free food to mark the day. Several artists also danced and played music, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Darsini, 55, grabbed a spot near Kepatihan Hall at 10 a.m., patiently braving the heat in her traditional Javanese dress.

“As a Javanese, I have to respect my sultan,” said the widow, who had traveled alone from her home in Bantul. “I believe that it will bring me and my family good luck.”

Hariadi Santoso, a 51-year-old entrepreneur from Batam, said he and his wife had come to visit their son, who attends a university in Yogyakarta.

“Me and my wife and son will watch the parade before we head home,” he said.

After exchanging their wedding vows, the couple performed the panggih, or “meeting” ritual, where the bride washes her new husband’s feet as a symbol of service and respect.

The groom then carried the bride, with the help of her uncle, Prince Suryodiningrat, symbolizing patience and responsibility toward his wife.

Yudhahadiningrat, a spokesman for the palace, said wedding ceremony was “a time for the bride and groom to show their commitment to each other.”

“ The procession was full of meaning and symbolized the husband and wife relationship in family life,” he said.

The groom entered Bangsal Kencono, the main hall in the palace complex, preceded by two edan-edanan couples, types of clowns who dress and act silly in a ritual to ward off any misfortune for the newlyweds.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds then greeted the guests gathered in the hall, the president and his wife, Vice President Boediono and his wife, and many other senior government officials and public figures.

Other VIP guests included Akbar Tanjung, Jusuf Kalla, Din Syamsuddin and Emil Salim.

Meanwhile, in Jakarta, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) reminded the sultan to report all gifts he received for his daughter’s wedding within 30 days.

The reminder was necessary, KPK deputy chairman M. Jasin said, because some people could take the opportunity to give lavish gifts to the sultan, who is also the governor of Yogyakarta, in exchange for favors.
Prince Suryodiningrat, left, and the groom Kanjeng Pangeran Haryo Yudanegara, hold up the bride, Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Bendara, during the lavish Javanese wedding ceremony at Yogyakarta Palace on Tuesday. Reuters Photo/Dwi Oblo