Seputarkarawang.com - Karawang, The implementation of the Cultural Carnival in the context of Milangkala Tatar Sunda in Karawang Regency has drawn sharp criticism from cultural circles. The big agenda which carries the theme Binokasih Mulang Salaka is considered to only pursue visual excitement, but loses the historical essence due to the determination of a route which is deemed not in accordance with past historical traces.Karawang culture and chairman of the West Java Artists and Association, Nace Permana, openly criticized the Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi. He said that the preparation of the travel scenario for the Crown Binokasih Carnival, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday (9/5/2026), was seen as haphazard and not rooted in relevant historical events. Nace's main criticism was the choice of departure point for the parade which started from Horizon University Indonesia on Jalan Pangkal Perjuangan, Tanjung Pura, and ended at the Karawang Regent's Office. According to him, this location has absolutely no historical ties to the footsteps of Grandfather Prabu Siliwangi in the Karawang area.Nace emphasized that if the spirit promoted in this event is 'Traveling to Padjadjaran', the departure point should start from the Sheikh Quro Grand Mosque. This place is a silent witness to a major event in Sundanese history, where King Siliwangi met Mrs. Subang Larang in the 14th century.
In historical records, King Siliwangi's arrival in Karawang was aimed at disbanding Sheikh Quro's recitation, which at that time was guarded by a Muslim warlord from the Ming Dynasty, China, namely Admiral Cheng Ho. However, the king was actually captivated by the chanting of the holy verses of the Koran from Subang Larang, which ultimately led to his marriage and decision to embrace Islam.Because of this, Nace regretted that the Milangkala Tatar Sunda Cultural Carnival event seemed to be carried out without in-depth historical meaning. According to him, a large-scale cultural event initiated by the West Java Provincial Government should not just prioritize visual splendor without being balanced with historical narrative accuracy. Despite this criticism, it is predicted that the Milankkala Tatar Sunda Cultural Carnival will still be a colossal spectacle that will attract the public's attention from 18.30 to 21.00 WIB. It is planned that the Binokasih crown will be paraded using a golden carriage, accompanied by Governor Dedi Mulyadi and the Regent of Karawang who will be riding horses.The excitement will also be added to by the appearance of the Karawang Jajangkungan arts team and the participation of art delegations from 26 districts/cities throughout West Java. Even though this event presents splendor, cultural observers and cultural observers hope that in the future the government will be more careful in combining entertainment aspects with preserving the historical spirit of the Sundanese Tatar identity.
