PT TWC Launches Shinta Obong Fire Dance Presenting a Meaningful Performance at the Cultural Heritage Tourism Destination of Prambanan Temple

PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko (TWC) launched a new traditional art performance entitled "Shinta Obong", in the Prambanan area. Riverfront, Friday (29/9/2023). This new attraction complements the regular performances that have been present at the Prambanan Ramayana Theater and Stage, namely the Prambanan Ramayana Ballet Sendratari and the Roro Jonggrang Dance Drama.

Shinta Obong's performance presents experience value different for tourists who come, with a recreational and reflective performance nuance. The presence of Shinta Obong also enlivened the art and culture attractions as one of the magnets for tourist visits in the Yogyakarta and Central Java regions.

Shinta Obong is a performance that is taken from a fragment of a story in the Ramayana epic, which tells the story of the character Shinta who has a strong determination to show her loyalty to Rama, to the point of throwing herself into a growing fire. So that the couple Rama and Shinta are used as a symbol of loyalty that is timeless. 

The Shinta Obong performance presents a performance with Javanese dance movements with a more sacred and symbolic meaning. The audience is presented with a story about the character Shinta who feels sadness and longing for Rama. Shinta feels doubt, anxiety and disappointment because Rama doubts her purity. Until Shinta has to burn herself to prove her loyalty and purity to Rama.

This process of self-immolation is visualized with a performance fire dance attractive. Eye-pleasing dance expressions are produced in the performance with the help of visuals and explosive movement techniques. The performance fire dance This is not only the main attraction, but also presents an aesthetic beauty that is different from other arts and cultural attractions.  

Shinta Obong's performance is different from other performances, with more emphasis on the interaction and direct involvement of the visitors who attend. So, it is hoped that visitors can experience experience which is presented in a complete performance.

Visitors are invited to be directly involved in the Shinta Obong performance, starting from the parade, procession blessings (blessing) at the beginning of the show, and get a bracelet that has been blessed by the priest after the show is over. Shinta Obong, also presents musical accompaniment live,, so the show becomes more lively.

After the performance, the visitors were led into the area Harang's Obstacle to enjoy dishes with a local menu that has a distinctive and authentic taste. So, Shinta Obong's performance becomes a complete and complete presentation experience which is alluring.

"We present this performance with a different approach from the other two performances (Ramayana and Roro Jonggrang), where visitor involvement is the main thing. They can feel and experience the performance directly, follow the procession, receive blessings and local dishes at the end of the performance. Shinta Obong is not just a performance, but also a spiritual practice that can give deep meaning to them," explained the Director of Marketing, Services and Business Development of PT TWC Hetty Herawati in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Friday (29/9/2023).

This Shinta Obong performance also introduces a new area in the Ramayana Theatre and Stage area, Prambanan, namely Prambanan Riverfront. This area is right on the banks of the Opak River, which is right on the west side of Prambanan Temple. This show is a spectacular treat, with a location that presents the splendor of Prambanan Temple at night as background, staging.

Reserved riverside This is a new location that presents a green area that adds aesthetics and supports tourism activities at the UNESCO World Heritage destination.

"Shinta Obong is the first show that we present at Prambanan Riverside. Hopefully, with the presence of this show, it will become a new magnet for visits to Prambanan, so that it can provide wider benefits for the Indonesian tourism industry," he concluded.