The Life of Panji’s Show in Yogyakarta: A Case Study of Jathilan Dance

Among the various arts that developed in Yogyakarta, jathilan is the most popular, stemmed from the story of Panji. The story itself is a unique and original of the Nusantara’s tradition. This story has undergone a variety of vehicle changes, both in the forms of text, relief, and performances (Prasetya & Dana, 2014). In the form of text, the Panji story is written in Central Javanese and New Javanese. In its reliefs’ form, the story of Panji is engraved in the reliefs of Gombyak in Kediri and the pavilion of Second Terrace of Penataran Temple. In the form of performances, Panji’s stories appear in Wayang Topeng, Wayang Gedog, Ketoprak, and Jathilan. The art of Jathilan was developed from the Ponorogo area, in which the jathil was a braid horse player of the art of Reog Ponorogo. One of the legend versions about the origin of Reog Ponorogo links Raja Bantarangin (Ponorogo) to the story of Panji. It is told in the legend that Klana Sewandono fell in love with Dewi Sanggalangit (Dewi Sekartaji) of Kediri, then he sent Bujangga Anom, his vice regent, to propose a marriage to her. Dewi Sanggalangit refused it subtly by demanded a dowry that too difficult to be fulfilled, namely in the form of a show that has never been displayed on the face of the earth involving a tiger-headed human with a peacock on it. The dowry must be escorted by a number of horsemens and they may no walk on the ground. Thanks to his supernatural powers, Klana Sewandana had been able to fulfill the dowry, but Dewi Sanggalangit remained unwilling to marry and run away from Kediri Kingdom. Klana Sewandono was depressed. To console him, Bujangga Anom performed the procession again accompanied by various attractions that which now is known as Reog Ponorogo (Simatupang, 2014: 143)