Establishing The Notorahardjan

     To most effective way to penetrate the cultural society in Jogjakarta, is thru facilitating the cultural education system. Build a cultural school facility and provide specific Javanese cultural lessons for free to the local people. Free lessons for Javanese Gamelan classes, Javanese dance classes, Javanese language Master of Ceremony classes, and also traditional Javanese bridal make-up classes.
We built the facility, we recruited the teachers, and we open classes for free to the people.
     The program was accepted well by the local people. Excitements among us in the family!
We started our activities by answering inquiries and accepting individual applicants and also group applicants. They come from Klaten, Bantul, and also from other areas. Some primary schools, and high schools, and even a few universities started to use the Notorahardjan facilities. The younger Javanese generations started to accept and embrace the Javanese culture again. "This is what I want, a Javanese cultural revival!"
     I started to open a talent scouting group. I asked Mr. Karsono, one of our neighbor, to recruit the older generation but experts in Javanese gamelan. The first class was started by a team of 25 people. They train in Notorahardjan every day, and eventually they became employees of The Notorahardjan. The group name is: Laras Madu.
     The Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat assigned KRT Hardjono, who is the Bupati Keraton, to help assist me in The Notorahardjan. He started recruiting cadres for Abdi Dalem in the understanding of a Karawitan group. I also recruited the late Prof. Habib, to assist me in starting and managing the Javanese language Master of Ceremony courses in Notorahardjan. Prof. Habib used to lecture at the University of Gajah Mada.
     Financial support comes directly from my own pocket. Funding resources come from the long term Government of Indonesia Bonds. Which eventually became depleting day by day.
So I started to redesigned the internal site. Meaning redesigned and renovated the garden to become more beautiful and eye catching. The target is to market the magnificent Notorahardjan complex to become a unique and specific venue for wedding ceremonies and receptions, as well as for other important events. This approach and strategy work well. I must say thank you to my beautiful wife, Ruby.
     Now the nDalem Notorahardjan becomes the talk of town. My strategy is proven to work well.
The Javanese cultural revival program started to spread the "Wake Up Call" thru out Jogja and beyond. My choice of "activity" for my father is well accepted.

 

A comprehensive notes from the owner

Sometime in May of 2000, I was on the operating table of Dr. K.C. Tan in Glenn Eagles Hospital Singapore, to remove a tumor in my liver. He successfully took out 40% of my liver in  order to remove the tumor. And he did it very professionally. I survived. Thanks God.
Until today I am still his patient, and he becomes a family friend.

One day in Jakarta, one of my close friend introduced me to his friend for advise and consultations. Someone with the title Habib, which means direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
He asked me to open the Holy Book of Al-Qur'an. Regretfully I told him that I cannot read Arabic. But he said: "Not to worry, just open the Al-Qur'an". So I did. I opened the Al-Qur'an book which he was holding. Then he read some verses in the Al-Qur'an from the page that I had opened.
He then said: "Sir, you were born into this world with certain missions.Up until today you have been doing all good things, such as building orphanage houses, to make your mother happy. Even the name of the orphanage house is named after your mother's name. But none of your many successful ventures is named after your father. As though that there is no father in your life. It is very shameful.
In human life, a mother is only a carrier. All the genes come from the father. And that is the dominating factor in a human's life. You owe your father. You must create some specific good deeds in the world that will influence a special environment, that will create a better quality of life for the people locally." After that, the Habib stood up and left.
And that was my big homework.

My father was one of the grandsons of Sultan Hamengku Buwana V. So based on this fact, I decided that I will create some kind of a Javanese Cultural Center. And using Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat as a reference center. It took me almost two years to find the most suitable land with the right size and the right location, to become the home of the Center.
Notorahardjan is located on jalan Palagan Tentara Km 10,3 in the Sleman regency of Jogjakarta. Total size of the land is about 1,5 hectare. I built my personal house complete with the Pendopo, some guest houses, and also some other supporting buildings.
It was officially opened and inaugurated by Sultan Hamengku Buwana X, on 3 May 2003. And the Sultan himself gave the name to this new establishment as : "nDalem Notorahardjan".

I built this cultural institution project after I retired from the military service with the rank of Vice Admiral of the Indonesian Navy in the year 1992. And after I completed my assignment as the Indonesian Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore in the year 1996.
My name is R.M. Soedibyo Rahardjo.

nDalem Notorahardjan

About Soedibyo Rahardjo

Disini juga menetap seorang bangsawan, cucu buyut dari Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono V. 

Beliau ini adalah seorang mantan penerbang Jet Bomber TNI-AL lulusan Sekolah Penerbang Inggris tahun 1959. Karir militernya di Tentara Nasional Indonesia berkembang pesat hingga puncaknya pada pangkat Laksamana Madya sebagai Kepala Staff Umum TNI. Dan karirnya dalam jabatan pemerintahan ditutup dengan jabatan sebagai Duta Besar Republik Indonesia Berkuasa Penuh di Singapore tahun 1992-1996.

Setelah pensiun beliau aktif dalam kegiatan bisnis dengan beberapa joint ventures. 

Beliau sampai sekarang juga aktif dalam kegiatan sosial dengan membina panti-panti sosial yang menampung dan membesarkan anak-anak yatim piatu dan kaum dhuafa. Dan dalam bidang budaya, beliau juga aktif membina kebudayaan Jawa dengan membangun Pusat Pelestarian Budaya Jawa di Yogyakarta, yang diberi nama nDalem Notorahardjan. Pada ulang tahun yang ke-77, beliau menerbitkan sebuah buku otobiografi terbatas dengan judul "The Admiral".

Simplicity and Flexibility

Sebuah hunian modern diatas tanah seluas 15,000m2 yang dirancang dengan arsitektur Jawa, dan dilengkapi dengan kebun seluas 10,000m2 dengan rumput hijau yang menyegarkan, dan pohon-pohon buah-buahan seperti: durian, rambutan, mangga, alpokat, sawo, srikaya, kelengkeng, dan juga buah Sawo Kecik sebagai simbol kebangsawanan Keraton Jawa.

Diatas tanah ini berdiri dengan megahnya beberapa bangunan khas Jawa, dimana ditengah-tengahnya berdiri rumah utama yang dilengkapi dengan sebuah pendopo berukuran 12m x 15m, lengkap dengan dua set Gamelan Jawa. 

Mengelilingi gedung rumah utama, dibangun 2 guest house masing-masing dengan 4 kamar tidur, dan juga sebuah gedung pertemuan serbaguna yang dapat menampung 100 orang. Sekarang nDalem Notorahardjan juga dikenal sebagai tempat untuk penyelenggaraan acara-acara, seperti akad nikah dan resepsi perkawinan, acara ulang tahun, acara seminar, dan event-event penting lainnya.

Pintu kami selalu terbuka untuk menampung penyelenggaraan acara-acara penting. 

Motto kami adalah: "Simplicity and Flexibilty".