Jogja At A Time
33. From Beringharjo to Drini Island

Beringharjo market in the early morning of 1995 looks crowded. Droplets of residual rainwater that flushed Jogja seemed to drip from the sidelines of the tarpaulin roof that houses a hawker vendor's shop next to the front entrance.

In the midst of the busyness of each of the traditional market los two pairs of legs look agile avoiding some puddles that pool on the floor. Fast-forward to the market.

Some of the mothers of hawker sellers greeted a pair of young men and women who were hurrying earlier and seduced him to buy the merchandise held. Seti and Asri the pair of young men returned with friendly smiles. The two continued their steps in the middle of Beringharjo's morning squirm which began to warm up.

Beringharjo is said to be derived from the word Bering which means banyan forest, and Harjo or welfare. This name has the meaning of the area that previously banyan forest is expected to provide welfare for the community as a center for buying and selling daily needs whose existence is not separated from the existence of Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.

Initially Sultan HB I built a means of trade through traditional markets in the form of rows of simple stalls that then developed along with the increasingly crowded capital of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta when the Dutch East Indies government began to develop Dutch settlements along with other public facilities around the market area, followed by Chinese people.

Sultan HB I captured the situation as an opportunity to develop a market that is still simple but broad and crowded. On March 24, 1925, Sultan HB I gave the market los construction project to the Dutch East Indies Concrete Company or Nederlandsch Indisch Beton Maatschappij. By the end of August 1925, 11 stalls had been completed, and then others followed gradually. At the end of March 1926, the construction of the Art Deco architectural style market was completed and began to be used a month later to complete the construction of the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace since 1758.

In accordance with the pattern of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta called the single chess, the Palace was built as a government center equipped with a square as a public space, the Gede Kauman Mosque as a place of worship, as a place of worship, beringharjo Market as the center of economic transactions. The name Beringharjo comes from the word bering which means banyan and harjo which means welfare. Beringharjo Market is built on former banyan forest land which is expected to provide welfare. Construction of the modern Beringharjo Market began on March 24, 1925 by a concrete company from the Dutch East Indies. The interior of Beringharjo Market is a blend of Javanese and colonial styles.

Asri who has repeatedly entered Beringharjo still enjoys a proper stopover. Unlike the shadow about the traditional market he had visited, this time in addition to shopping needs, there was always a tourist atmosphere of excitement to release all fatigue just by looking at all kinds of merchandise held in Beringharjo.

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Asri looked at the steady back of her lover who was holding her hand from the front. The tight grip of the hard hand reminded him of his graduation last year when Seti's friendly touch grabbed his hand. Dividing the sense of happiness of graduation when accompanying his graduation.

Five years have passed Asri with Seti in Jogja. There was no other happiness that day when his college finally finished in the midst of his family's financial storm. Joko who passed away exactly one year after repeatedly going in and out of the Hospital treatment room had made Asri think about taking a leave of absence from college.

If there is no Seti who sustains his living costs during his time in Jogja and Seto who helped restore the workshop finances, it could be Asri has not completed his lecture on time.

Aside from the Malioboro lapak, Seti got additional appreciation given to Asri from Seto's fish shop on Drini beach which finally stood up after Dibyo wanted to help first after his lecture was completed two years ago.

Originally a simple wooden-walled shop with sandy floors that stood by the road near the pak Slamet pak Dibyo field only occasionally visited by buyers. Its strategic location and Dibyo who help supply sea fish from his friendship with fishermen who stop by the island of Drini slowly make Seto fish shop become big.

The affordable price and the freshness of the fish served make Seto fish stalls increasingly known by word of mouth. More and more days are visiting the fish shop, especially during weekends and calendar holidays.

"Why dream ?" Seti laughed a little and then rebuked slowly Asri who did not pay attention to the puddles.

The rebuke of Seti and his sneakers that stepped on the puddle of water made Asri aware of his daydream. "Ah ... shit," Asri giggled at the sight of her wet shoes next door.

Pulling Asri towards her, Seti made sure her lover stayed away from the puddle, "Wet ?"

"Slightly, .. is okay ... Later can change the sandals in your boarding house after finishing shopping." Answer Asri.

Shopping for rice, brown sugar and soy sauce in Beringharjo every morning before the weekend becomes Asri's new routine while waiting for a job application answer sent him.

From Beringharjo with Seti stop by first to the boarding house Samirono look at Mbah Jum. It was only late in the afternoon with Seti delivering groceries to the Drini island fish shop awaited by Dibyo.

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"Eh cah ayu," the sound of Mbah Jum friendly saw Asri standing at the entrance of his stall.

"Healthy mbah ?" Asri went in and kissed the hand of Mbah Jum.

"Healthy .. kowe healthy also to ?" Mbah Jum asked back, "Where is this ?" Ask Mbah Jum again.

"Health mbah ... After talking to Muji, come here later,"

"Oh.. make coffee there for Seti,"

"Yes mbah." Asri goes into the kitchen, taking the boiling hot water over the kettles to brew coffee.

Soon Seti and Muji followed into the stall, then sat on the dining chair near the Jum altar.

"The coffee is another As ... make Muji," pinta mbah Jum towards Asri.

"Yes Mbah," said Asri from the kitchen.

Before long the Mbah Jum stalls were bustling with familiar conversations after Asri delivered two cups of coffee at the table.

"Your mas room has been cleaned Set ?" Mbah Jum reminds Seti to clean Seto's room.

"It's mba." Answer Seti.

After being accepted to study at Purwokerto and then began to set up a fish shop on the island of Drini, finally Seto kost in Samirono occupied the former Dibyo room for transit during the back and forth Purwokerto-Gunung Kidul at the beginning of the establishment of the fish shop Drini island. Now only at the beginning of each month Seto occupied the room, before going to Gunung Kidul to see the fish shop of Drini island.

Seto who eventually became more familiar with Muji at the Samirono boarding house told Muji to always remind Seti about his lecture.

Do not want his sister burdened if he delivered it directly, through Mujilah Seto many entrust every desire.

Muji who knows exactly the closeness of the brothers agree with Seto's request. It seems Seto hopes Seti will finish his lecture soon, so the time to accompany Asri is getting more and more.

Muji's conversation with Seti was also not far about the lecture Seti who stepped on the tenth semester and it seems Seti was having trouble with the script material. Unlike Joe and Doni who are waiting for graduation, Seti is still busy with the affairs of the Final Duty consultation.

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