VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Ngarot tradition is a traditional ceremony at Lelea village, Lelea district, West Java. It has a meaning being ‘grateful’ on planting season. The ceremony is usually held on Wednesday, the third week in November or December. It is conducted because Wednesday is considered holy and good day to plant rice. Ngarot comes from Sundanese language meaning drinking. While, in Sanskrit “Ngaruat” means free from the God’s curse or sin. The first Ngarot culture was conducted by Ki Buyut Kapol, a figure who was loyal and influential in Lelea village. He was willing to give his rice field as wide as 26,100 square-meters as realization of Ngarot event and welcomed by Lelea villagers. The ceremony is usually conducted by youths of the Lelea village. Ngarot ceremony consists of three parts, namely parade, giving and performance party. The participants, who take part in Ngarot, must wear typical clothes. The girls wear Kebaya with shawls and accessories such as necklace, bracelet, ring, bros, gold safety pin, and hair ornament. While, the young men wear Komboran clothes and Gombrang pants or loose pants and head-bands. The ceremony begins at 08.30 A.M. and all the participants of Ngarot gather at house of village’s head to be made over. Thus, the youths parade to go around the village. Afterwards, the participants enter village’s hall and they are welcomed by regional dances. Then, they start performing the main event by first opening, reading Ngarot history, welcoming speech of Village’s head and handing over process to the youths.