The Suran ritual in Tutup Ngisor involves a collective feast where all residents come together to seek inner and outer peace, protection from harm, and harmonious communal living without discriminating against anyone. This contrasts with Suran rituals in other regions, where red and white rice porridge is made and shared with neighbors without clear significance, or in Ponorogo where “suroan” involves an all-night celebration followed by a morning walk to gather at the town square. There are also Islamic puritanical practices that transform it into Muharram, the Islamic New Year.
Riyaya, typically a time for forgiveness in other places, in Tutup Ngisor serves to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood among human beings, regardless of differences in class, status, religion, or culture. Meanwhile, “Seventeenth of August,” in addition to commemorating independence (without the usual grandeur seen elsewhere), is specifically dedicated to expressing gratitude to the ancestors and the guardian spirits of Tutup Ngisor. These three rituals, respected by all social groups (Kejawen, devout Islam, and Catholics), and integrated into their daily lives, were developed by Father Yoso Soedarmo and are now preserved and carried on by his grandson, S Anjalin.
In their everyday lives, the relationships between the various groups of Islamic and Catholic adherents are harmonious and peaceful. They coexist without conflict, united under the shared canopy of their customs and the Suran ritual.