Calon Arang

SorcererIndonesia · Southeast AsiaLegendFear 7/10

Description

인도네시아 설화에 등장하는 Sorcerer. Calon Arang is a character in Javanese and Balinese folklore dating from the 12th century. Tradition

Origin & Background

Calon Arang is a character from the folklore of Java and Bali that dates back to the 12th century. She is said to be a witch and a master of black magic. It is unknown who created this story, but the manuscript of the Calon Arang text is preserved at the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies.

The Legend

Once upon a time, there lived a very cruel widow named Calon Arang in the village of Gira, located in the Kediri Kingdom of Indonesia. She was a witch and a sorceress, and she had a beautiful daughter named Ratna Manggali. However, due to her ruthless nature, the people of Gira feared Calon Arang, and as a result, Ratna Manggali had no suitors. Enraged, Calon Arang decided to curse the village of Gira and performed a dark ritual, offering a young girl as a sacrifice to the goddess Durga. Durga granted Calon Arang's request, and the curse became a reality. The village was swept away by floods, and many people lost their lives. Subsequently, the survivors fell victim to an incurable plague and died. This news eventually reached King Airlangga of the Kediri Kingdom, who sent an army to eliminate Calon Arang, but her power was too strong, and the army had to retreat. Many soldiers lost their lives.

In Popular Culture

In Balinese tradition, Calon Arang is usually portrayed with a focus on her cruelty and evil deeds. From a historical perspective, Calon Arang and her demonic form, Rangda, are connected to the historical figure of Queen Mahendradatta of Bali. Mahendradatta was a princess from Java and the mother of King Airlangga. Calon Arang is often depicted as a fierce witch with a terrifying face. However, recently, a new perspective has emerged that portrays Calon Arang in a more sympathetic and kind light. Toeti Heraty characterizes her as a victim of demonization in a patriarchal society, critiquing male-centric culture and discrimination against women.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Calon Arang" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia