The Legend From Java Land

The  Legend

Of

Prambanan  Temple

Translator   :   Alicia Tan

And

Angela  Hanum

This legend very popular in Java Island. Protagonist on this story is Princess Roro Jonggrang.  Roro Jonggrang its meaningful Slim Girl.

About a prettiest and slim woman,  Princess Roro Jonggrang lived surrounded by evils of her father and evil giants.

Her aim is revenge of her father's death.  But, she had done big mistake to tricked someone who loved her very much.  She got cursed by a man who loved her being statuette.  We can see her statuette in Prambanan Temple.

Once upon a time in Java Land, there were two of Hindu Kingdoms.  Pengging Kingdom and Boko Kingdom.  Pengging Kingdom was a prosperous and tranquility kingdom.  They had a wise king,  Prabu Damar Moyo.  Prabu Damar had a son named Raden Bandung Bondowongso.

At the same time,  Boko Kingdom was full of rage kingdom and occupied by evil giants. Boko Kingdom also had a rage and greedy king named Prabu Boko.  Prabu Boko had a pretty gorgeous daughter rights like an angel named Princess Roro Jonggrang.   Prabu Boko had a vice regent intangibles giant named Patih Gupolo.


In the first time,  Boko Kingdom including in Pengging Kingdom's territorial.  But,  Prabu Boko didn't like with Prabu Damar with all his kindness because Prabu Boko was so evil and loved giants.  Prabu Damar wanted kicked all giants out of his kingdom and territory.  That's why led to rebellion from Prabu Boko.


Prabu Boko decided to separated with Pengging Kingdom.  But,  Prabu Boko unsatisfied if he was only separated with Pengging,  he also wanted to took control of Pengging territory.  

So,  Prabu Boko with his vice regent had a plan to took control with gathered youth to be soldiers under Prabu Boko.  He also asked to his society to collect their property and gave to Prabu Boko.

Once the preparation is considered sufficient,  Prabu Boko, Patih Gupolo and their soldiers attacked Pengging Kingdom. The war had broke.  Many victims from Pengging's party.  For the sake of seeing his society had suffer, hunger and poor due to war,  Prabu Damar sent his son,  Bandung,  to Boko Kingdom,  strike back Prabu Boko for his attacking.


There ensued a fierce war between Bandung and Prabu Boko. Unready to had a deal with Bandung and his attacking, pushed Prabu Boko to deposed and surrender.  Bandung Bondowongso preferred to killed Prabu Boko.  Seeing his king was dead,  Patih Gupolo ran away and told to Princess Roro Jonggrang about her father's death.

Patih Gupolo also told to Princess Roro that her father was dead on Prince of Pengging's hands,  Bandung Bondowongso.  Princess Roro cried and shrieked.  She was so sad and suffer due to her father's death.


Bandung Bondowongso chased Patih Gupolo whom ran away from the war.  Raden Bandung arrived in Boko Palace.  His arrival welcomed by Princess Roro Jonggrang.


Raden Bandung was surprised when he saw a beautiful woman in front of his eyes.


" Who are you, Young Lady ? "  asked Raden Bandung wondered.


"  I am Princess Roro Jonggrang.  I am the daughter of Prabu Boko. The one you murdered of. "  she said with quivering lips.


" Aaaah..........I see.............! "  Raden Bandung replied.  " I know you really hate me because I killed your father.  But you have to know my reason behind of it, My Majesty. "  added him.


" Oh yeah ? "  said Princess Roro Jonggrang cold.


Raden Bandung nodded his head,  " Yes.  I tell you why.  Your father was guilty. He attacked my father's kingdom, Pengging.  He also killed my people.  Many people from us which killed to. So, I hope you're not revenge to us.  "  said Raden Bandung calmly.


" What should I do now without my father in here, Prince of Pengging ? " asked Princess Roro still cold.


" Marry me and our kingdom reunify.  What do you think ?  "  answered Raden Bandung.

" Should I marry with someone who hates my kingdom and killed my father ? "  her voice rising in.


" My Majesty,  our wedding will be a symbol of peace. We are peacefully now. And our kingdom reunify. So, no revenge at all. "  said Raden Bandung.


But, Princess Roro Jonggrang did not willing to proposed by Raden Bandung.  She thought for a good way to rejected his proposal.  Princess Roro whose smart girl.  She had strategy to revenge her father's death and rejected the proposal.


" Alright,  I will marry you, Prince of Pengging.  With two conditions.........."  said Princess Roro.


" What is that ? "  ctRaden Bandung rapidly.


" First, you have to make a huge draw well for me ! I give you one night to make it for me ! "  answered Princess Roro sharply.


Raden Bandung laughed.  One second later,  with his magic power,  he called all genies as his crews to helped him made a Jalatunda draw well. As her requested, Jalatunda draw well is done in one night.


Next morning,  Raden Bandung called Princess Roro Jonggrang to seen draw well his made of.  He showed to Princess Roro,


" Look at this ! I fulfill my promise ! "  said him showed off.


" Oh yeah ? Is this well very deep such like my requested ? "  asked Princess Roro distrusted.  Raden Bandung tried to convenient Princess Roro it was deep  as like as her requested.


" So, prove it to me ! Go on ! Jump to the draw well. I want to see if this wells is deep or not ! "  commanded Princess Roro.


With so naive,  Raden Bandung jumped into the wells.  Then, Princess Roro Jonggrang commanded to Patih Gupolo rapidly to closed the wells and buried him alive inside.  Patih Gupolo hoard wells with rocks.  They were laughed together and thought that Raden Bandung was dead inside.


In the night,  when Princess Roro Jonggrang ready to get rest,  Raden Bandung appeared in front of her.  Princess Roro very shocked to knew that.  He looked very wrath because of that.


" You tried to buried me on the wells, my dear ?! "  Raden Bandung shrieked pointing to Jalatunda wells.


" Eerr...I am....I ......I don't know that ! But how could you set free from the wells ? "  asked her sputtered.


" When I know you buried me,  I meditated to called my genies crews to helped me out ! "  said him sharply.


Princess Roro Jonggrang shocked and had no ideas to saved her life from Raden Bandung's anger.


" I....I am...I am so sorry.....I didn't meant to.  It was a plan of Patih Gupolo because he hated you. "  she replied sputtered.  " Forgive me........."


Seeing his fiancee's beautiful face and looked like innocent,  he's anger goes down. He was forgive his fiancee done.  Princess Roro said thank you and said love him very much.  Princess Roro saved now.


In the next morning,  Princess Roro Jonggrang go to meet Raden Bandung.  She reminded him about her second request.


" Tell me what you wish, my dear. "  said Raden Bandung so tender.


" My second request is you have to making one thousand temples for me. As usually, only one night.  I am sure you can do everything, right ? "  said Princess Roro sharply.


Without many words,  Raden Bandung did meditated again to called his genies crews.  He built temples so fast. For Shiva, Krishna, Indra, etc etc...........


Patih Gupolo whom being foreman, reported to Princess Roro Jonggrang about Raden Bandung's work which almost done.


Princess Roro thought back.  She thought harder to flunked Raden Bandung's work.  Finally,  she commanded Patih Gupolo to woke the girls for grind and burn thatched.  

It made the sky looks bright as the dawn.  Patih Gupolo did meditated and woke all rooster in the village for crowed.

Hearing crowed from roosters, genies crews stopped their work suddenly. One of them checked to the village and was shocked when the sky looks so bright as the dawn.  He came back to the head of genies and reported the condition.


The head of genies said to Raden Bandung that they couldn't continued their work because it was the dawn. Its meaning they should to off now.  Raden Bandung was upset. He commanded to genies crews for continued their work. 


Raden Bandung said that was not the dawn yet.  It must be one of plans Princess Roro to flunked their work.  Unfortunately,  genies crews refused Raden Bandung's requested.  Genies crews flown away left Raden Bandung alone.


Raden Bandung returned to Boko Palace and met Princess Roro,


" Please, my dear,  come with me.  I wanna show my failed work.  But, you can counting those temples first.  I hope it has done 1000th. "  said him sluggish.


Princess Roro followed Raden Bandung to seen construction of a new half-finished temples.  Princess Roro counted amount of temples.  And the results is 999 temples was succeed to built.


" I am sorry............."  said Raden Bandung.  Princess Roro smiled,


" You don't have to say sorry.  But according to our bargain,  you can't marry me because you failed to build 1.000 temples for me. Now, you can go away from my face ! "  said her snobbish.


Suddenly, a far from distance,  they heard rooster crowed.  Raden Bandung and Princess Roro was surprised.


" What was that ? "  said Raden Bandung.


Koookookoooooo...............................rooster crowed again. This time their crowed meandering.  Then, from a mountain,  they saw the sun started rising up.  Raden Bandung shocked.  He knew that he cheated by Princess Roro.  He knew he just being tricked by the princess.

Princess Roro just silent.  She gulped. She couldn't said anything.


" Youuuu.........! "  Raden Bandung pointed her so wrath.  " You are a liar, damn woman !! You lie to me. You tricked me with fake rooster and fake the sun ! And now, we see the real rooster crow and the real sunrise !!  Who want you to foolish of !!! "  he shrieked.


Princess Roro Jonggrang step back from Raden Bandung. She was so scared to make a deal with his anger.  She got cold sweat on her forehead.  She wanted to ran away but she felt her feet as frozen.

"  Alright, damn woman ! To fulfill the temples into one thousand,  I cursing you become the thousandth temple !!!! "  Raden Bandung exclaimed in a loud voice.


Thereafter, very magical,  Princess Roro Jonggrang transformed into a statuette. First, her feet felt hard as a rock.  Then, her body to her face transformed to a rock.  She cried when she saw her body transformed without do anything.


When she transformed full being a statuette,  her face covered by rocks is wet because of her tears. Cries of remorse.

Raden Bandung Bondowongso cursed Patih Gupolo as well as wild boar.  That's why in ancient of Java, we can found many wild boars.  Raden Bandung Bondowongso felt upset with the girls in village whom helped Princess Roro Jonggrang to tricked him.


Raden Bandung Bondowongso flew to the village and left his condemnation to the girls that they will not marry forever and be spinsters forever due to helped their princess to cheated him.


Raden Bandung Bondowongso left Boko Kingdom with broken heart and anger.  He never came back still.......................................................

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Notes :  

*  Until now, we can see the statuette of Princess Roro Jonggrang in Prambanan Temples.

* Prambanan Temple named 1.000 temples land because of this legend.

* There is a belief in Prambanan,  if you have a date in Prambanan area, you will broke up after you comeback from Prambanan.  But, if you meet someone in Prambanan Temple, you will marry with that one.

*  Some people said,  when Princess Roro Jonggrang statuette put inside of Prambanan Temple when the full moon, they saw Princess Roro Jonggrang turned back to a real woman.  
She walked around the temple and scary some people whom seen her.
That's why her statuette put in the museum located in Prambanan Temple area.