Dandangan in Kudus welcomes Ramadan and celebrates history

The centuries-old tradition of Dandangan was held again in Kudus Regency, East Java with a lively cultural procession. Thousands of residents poured onto the streets to witness the procession that marked the arrival of Ramadan in the city.

The activity was held on Feb. 28, 2025, afternoon and became one of the most anticipated annual events for the local community.

Kudus Regency Regional Secretary Revlisianto Subekti emphasized that Dandangan has now received recognition as a national Intangible Cultural Heritage, hence its preservation has become a shared responsibility.

"Alhamdulillah, this tradition can still continue and we will [work to continue to] preserve it. In addition to cultural and religious aspects, Dandangan also has a major economic impact on the local community, although the exact figures still need to be studied further," he stated.

Revsilianto added that the Kudus City Government is committed to continuing to develop Dandangan so that it grows from beyond a local celebration to attract tourists from various regions and thus provide more economic benefits, especially for the regency's micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector and the creative industry.

Moreover, the Dandangan Parade occasion for the annual event involves various elements of Kudus society, ranging from representatives of the regency's nine districts, village and sub-district heads, business owners, as well as cultural and tourism communities.

Together, they walked their way to the historic Kudus Tower Mosque, the center of the celebration. The procession depicts how people in ancient times flocked to the mosque to wait for Sunan Kudus, who is identified with the spread of Islam to the regency, announcing the beginning of Ramadan by beating a bedug drum.

Kudus Regency Culture and Tourism Office Head Mutrikah explained that on top of being an annual festival, Dandangan is also a mean of educating the youth on the history of Islam in Kudus Regency.