REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA - The Sultanate of Yogyakarta on Thursday held the Grebeg ceremony by distributing a variety of food products to the people, as part of the commemoration of Prophet Muhammad`s birthday or "Maulid Nabi".

Five out of the seven types of gunungan (piles of food products) arranged in the shape of a mountain and locally known as "Kakung, Putri, Gepak, Pawuhan and Darat" were distributed by the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat sultanate to thousands of people on Thursday. People from various regions vied to get their hands on the five types of Grebeg. The Grebeg ceremony is considered a symbol of the prosperity of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. It also symbolizes the generosity of the King (Sultan). 

The King is regarded as a nurturing figure who provides food to his subjects. The tradition has continued since the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I, the first king of the Yogyakarta Sultanate. 

The Grebeg ceremony began with a parade of traditional soldiers. The soldiers who guard the gunungan (giant cones containing food and flowers) paraded from the Yogyakarta Palace to the Grand Mosque. The gunungan were then distributed to the people, who were seen vying for small portions.

They are willing to wait for a portion of the gunungan for as long as they can, because most of them believe the gunungan to be a blessing. Meanwhile, the head of the provincial cultural office, GBPH Yudhaningrat, said the Grebeg ceremony was held annually in a bid to commemorate Prophet Muhammad`s birthday. 

The Prophet was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 610 AD to a noble Quraish family. Indonesian Muslims commemorate his birthday a national holiday in different ways.

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