The gunungan is a conical or triangular structure (tapered peak) inspired by the shape of a mountain (volcano).

In the standard function, as the opening and closing of a performance stage, two things are depicted on two different sides.

On the tree branch depicted several forest animals, such as tigers, bulls, monkeys, and birds.

In this case the side of the mountain is reversed, on the other hand there is only red-red paint, and this color symbolizes fire.

In Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia, a similar figure is set up in the local iteration of the performance known as the pohon beringin ("banyan").

[3][4] The beringin is often displayed in the beginning and the end of the performance symbolizing "a world loaded with lives...in the water, on the land and in the air".