Damar Kurung is one of the icons of Gresik which is a Gresik cultural. Damar Kurung is a wooden lantern with a rectangular shape that is different from the Chinese Lantern with a corner resembling three parts on top and all four sides decorated with paintings.    

"Damar Kurung"

        In terms of language, Damar means a lamp that emits light from a small fire, while Kurung is interpreted as a place where animals live that are more towards a cage or people made bird cage by laying it by hanging. The overall meaning of Damar Kurung is a lantern in the form of a cage by hanging 

Damar Kurung is a tradition for Gresik Muslims to welcome lailatul Qodar in the month of Ramadan in the Hijri calendar, which hangs Damar Kurung lanterns in front of the house.

    Initially, Damar Kurung were only made by the Masmundari family, until the Damar Kurung Festival in 2012 many services and outlets providing Damar Kurung emerged.

To restore the true function of damar Kurung, Novan Effendy created the damar Kurung festival which was started in 2012 which aims to remind the community and restore the traditions of Gresik residents.

Damar Kurung are very different from the lanterns which have always been identified with Chinese lanterns by the public and various artists, Damar Kurung are actually more related to the Japanese lanterns commonly called Andon.

In the Festival which is always held every year, thousands of Gresik's typical Damar Kurung are lit in a few days and provide education to the younger generation which is usually called "The Damar Kurung Islamic Boarding School". Sometimes, Damar Kurung are also contested by various schools