Roro Jonggrang

Once upon a time, there was a prince named Raden Bandung Bondowoso, a son of Prabu Damar Moyo, a king of Pengging kingdom. Raden Bandung Bondowoso was strong and powerful. He was also a fine soldier and commander which always led his army won in every battle. It was why Pengging became powerful and prosperous kingdom. 

Not far from Pengging kingdom, there was another kingdom named Keraton Boko. Kearton Boko kingdom was ruled by a king named Prabu Boko and his minister named Patih Gupalo. Both of them were giants who ate men. Even though Prabu Boko was a giant; he had a very beautiful daughter named Roro Jonggrang.

One day, Keraton Boko kingdom wanted to attack the Penggging kingdom. Parbu Boko wanted to expand his kingdom territory to make his kingdom more powerful and prosperous. Prabu Boko and Patih Gupalo together with whole soldiers marched to the Pengging Kingdom. However, Raden Bandung Bondowoso had prepared his army to defend Pengging kingdom. The huge battle between Keraton Boko and Pengging could not be stopped anymore. 

Radeng Bandung Bondowoso was fine soldier and commander. Not only strong and powerful, he was also smart in making a strategy to win the battle. Because of Raden Bandung Bondowoso’s strategy, the battle ended quicker than predicted. Keraton Boko’s army was cornered and annihilated. Prabu Boko was also died in the battle. Seeing his army was losing the battle, Patih Gupalo and the remaining soldiers retrieved from the battle and run back to Keraton Boko. However, Raden Bandung Bondowoso knew it. He then decided to hunt them down to the Keraton Boko and caught them.

As he arrived in Keraton Boko, Patih Gupalo told everything to princess Roro Jonggrang, including her father death. He also told her that Raden Bandung Bondowoso would come and destroyed Keraton Boko. Roro Jonggrang was sad but she needed to make an action to save her kingdom. Raden Bandung Bondowoso finally arrived in Keraton Boko not long after Patih Gupalo. When he wanted to destroy Keraton Boko to draw out Patih Gupalo, Roro Jonggrang showed herself in front of Raden Bandung Bondowoso.

“Stop.. Stop it.. Please stop it. It’s enough.” Roro Jonggrang scream.

Raden Bandung Bondowoso stood still. He had just heard the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. He looked at Roro Jonggrang and her beauty chilled his heart. He fell in love with her.

“Please stop. It’s enough. Please don’t destroy this kingdom. You’ve killed my father. Should it be enough? Please, end this war. I promise I will take no revenge.” Cried Roro Jonggrang.

“You are Roro Jonggrang, the daughter of Parbu Boko, aren’t you? So, the rumor is true. Your beauty is beyond compare. I will end this war right at the moment, but you should be my wife.” Proposed Radeng Bandung Bondowoso.

Roro Jonggrang did not want to marry Raden Bandung Bondowoso, the man who killed her own father. But she did not have other option to save her kingdom. If she rejected Raden Bandung Bondowoso’s proposal, the kingdom would be destroyed and everyone would die. But if she accepted the proposal, she would live her whole life with the man who killed her father. She taught for a while and came out with an idea.

“I will accept your proposal and I will marry you. But I want you to make something for me. I want you to make a well and a thousand temples within a night. If you can finish it, I promise I will accept your proposal.” Promise Roro Jonggrang.

Raden Bandung Bondowoso could not reject it. He had fallen in love with her. With all his strength and power, he summoned genies to help him. He started to make a well then continued to make a thousand temples. He worked so hard. He was sure; he could finish them even before dawn. Worried that Raden Bandung Bondowoso would finish the work. Roro Jonggrang ordered girls to pound rice and burn stubbles in the east as sign that the morning had come. Raden Bandung Bondowoso surprised. He felt that it was not morning yet. He stopped his work and counted the temples. The total temples made were only 999 temples.

Roro Jonggrang was happy; Raden Bandung Bondowoso could not finish his job. So she rejected Raden Bandung Bondowoso’s proposal. Raden Bandung Bondowoso smelt something fishy. He believed that it was not morning yet. Knowing Roro Jonggrang lied to him, Raden Bandung Bondowoso was mad. He was mad because Roro Jonggrang did not appreciate what he had done. Angrily, he cursed Roro Jonggrang into a statue to complete his work. Roro Jonggrang then transformed become a stone statue. The statue Roro Jonggrang exists until now in Candi Prambanan site, Central Java. :3

Moral of the story: appreciate what someone do to you and never ever lie to them. :3