Rangda

DemonIndonesia · Southeast AsiaLegendFear 9/10

Description

Queen of demons in Balinese mythology with terrifying fanged face.

Origin & Background

Rangda is known as the demon queen of Leyak in Balinese traditional mythology. The term 'Rangda' means 'widow' in Old Javanese.

The Legend

Rangda is an important figure in Balinese culture, and performances depicting her conflict with Barong have become popular tourist attractions and traditions. She is typically depicted as a naked old woman with long tangled hair, sagging breasts, and claws. Traditionally, her face is represented by a mask with terrifying fangs and goggle-like eyes, characterized by a long protruding tongue.

Variants

Rangda is known as the embodiment of the legendary witch Calon Arang, a figure who caused chaos in ancient Java during the reign of Airlangga in the late 10th century. She is also associated with the historical queen Mahendradatta from the 11th century. Mahendradatta was exiled after being accused of witchcraft by the Balinese king Udayana and summoned evil spirits and Leyak for revenge, bringing disaster to the kingdom.

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