Pangastho Aji: Exploring the Intellectual Legacy of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII at Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat

The Yogyakarta Palace presents Pangastho Aji, a temporary exhibition honoring the forward-looking cultural vision of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII, on view from September 27, 2025 to January 24, 2026.

Ascending the throne in 1921, Sultan HB VIII championed education, the arts, and architectural renewal, reshaping the palace as a dynamic center of Javanese expression while sustaining the prestige of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.

The exhibition opened with an extraordinary three-night revival of the Sultan’s Wayang Wong Yasan—a trilogy of elegant court dance-dramas first staged in February 1928. Presented from 26 to 28 September 2025 at Kagungan Dalem Bangsal Pagelaran, the trio of performances featured Parta Krama, Srikandhi Maguru Manah, and Sembadra Larung, newly reconstructed from archival sources and performed before enthusiastic public audiences. The inaugural evening was graced by the presence of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X. It marked the Palace’s recognition as an official Creative Works Area by the Ministry of Law of the Republic of Indonesia.