Sitihinggil Binoto Waroto

View of Sitihinggil "High Ground", from the north looking south.

On the south side one leaves the Bangsal Pagelaran Sasonosumewo through a grand staircase leading south, in the midst of which is a square stone set level with a step of the stairs. This is a most auspicious stone, called Selo Pamecad, which was brought from the former court at Kartasura. It is said to have been used as an anvil to crush the skull of Trunojoyo, the Madurese leader of the violent uprising in 1680.

At the top of the staircase is a rather elegant gateway called Kori Wijil. It is closed with low iron bars, not forbidding (for it is easily climbed over, would one wish to do so), but rather modest and highly symbolic. The word wijil comes from mijil, meaning 'going out' or I appearing': thus Kori Mijil literally means the door through which one exits Pagelaran in order to enter Sitihinggil. It is also said that it carries the meaning of 'Wijil wicoro tatag tanggon hanggayuh sampurnaning hurip', or'the oath of a person determined to attain perfection in one's life" and Awas amut tansah hanjogo'wijilingwicoro, ojo nganti katalompen', meaning:'be careful of that which you express in speech, don't ever speak inappropriately and lacking in proper calm'.

Passing through Kori Wijil, one reaches the Sitihinggil courtyard, which also contains several buildings. Sitihinggil itself is meant to be a raised area, to be reached by going up a flight of stairs, and meant to resemble a small mountain, like'the back of a tortoise'. Literally Sitihinggil, 'high ground' comes from the Javanese words siti,'soil', and inggil, 'high'. It is said that the original soil level here was raised to its present height with earth from Tolowangi, a place where the soil is known to be extraordinarily fragrant. The complete name for this area is Sitihinggil Palenggahaning Ratu, a chronogram which defines its year of construction AD 1766 (A.J. 1701), during the reign of Paku Buwono III (r. 1749-1788).

On Sitihinggil's northern edge there is a long fence of low iron bars, along which is arranged a row of cannons facing north, towards Pagelaran and beyond. There are eight cannons from west to east; these are named Mriyem Kyahi Bringsing, a gift from the ruler of Siam; Mriyem Kyahi Bagus, a gift of the Dutch general Van der Lin; Mriyem Kyahi Nangkulo, a gift of the VOC; Kyahi Kumborowo and Kyahi Kumborawi. The latter bears an incised Javanese inscription, Aswani Kumbo. Next there are Mriyem Kyahi Sadewo, another gift of the VOC; Mriyem KyahiAlus, another gift of general Van der Lin; and finally Mriyem Kyahi Kadal Buntung, also known as Kyahi Pamecut, or Kyahi Kumah.

The most impressive feature of this area is the large open structure, once serving as an audience-hall, dominating the SitihinggiL It has a colourful tile floor and an enormous zinc roof which is supported by slender, wrought iron columns. This is Bangsal Sewoyono, once used for pisowanan or formal audiences with the ruler, especially on the occasion of Garebeg and other major celebrations. The word sewoyono means 'bright seating area': the hall was used as an open seating space from which a wide area was visible. Javanese guests of the ruler were seated according to rank and relation to the ruler. On the east were the various Pangeran ('princes'), Putro ('sons and daughters'), Sentono (other members of the royal family and courtiers), and the highest officials of the realm, abdi dalem bupati and Bupati Anom. The head of Kadipaten Mangkunegaran, K.G.P.A.A. Mangkunegoro, representatives of the Dutch administration and the Chinese and Arab minorities, as well as officials of the Mangkunegaran and Dutch guests from the agricultural estates in the city's vicinity were seated on the west side.

Bangsal Sewoyono was rebuilt during the reign of Paku Buwono X in AJ 1843 (AD 1912), almost simultaneously with the construction of other state and public buildings such as Bangsal Pagelaran Sasonosumewo, Gapuro Gadhing and many others. These latter ones were finished in 1914 (on the ruler's 48"' birthday). Originally this magnificent hall had a much more modest construction, with wooden columns, a woven bamboo roof, and a sand floor.

The ruler usually held court in the Sitihinggil every Monday and Thursday, auspicious days in Java. It was also used on other days, when

the ruler wanted to announce an important decision. Thus the hall is also called Bangsal Ponconiti, referring to the extraordinary meeting sometimes held here between the ruler and four of his advisers. In Javanese ponco means'five', a reference to the five members of this council. These men were considered the most important leaders of the realm. Besides the ruler, who acted as the head of the meeting, there were his formal representative, Pepatih, who would act as a judge; the court-poet, pujonggo would be the secretary; the Pengulu (head of the realm's Religious Affairs); and the Senopati, the military commander.