A Balinese Folktale: Another Version of Calonarang
Once upon a time, there was a region named Daha. When Daha was ruled by King Sri Aji Airlangga the region was remained safe and the people were prosperous. On his power, none of thieves had enough bravery to practice their occupation in Daha. And people lived peacefuly. Unlike Girah, one of villages in Daha, was remained unorganized. This was because a widow named Rangdeng Girah, Rangda (the word “rangda” means “widow” in Bali this word is associated with witch and evil) from Girah village, lived there. She had a daughter; named Diah Ratna Manggali who rumored of having a beauty of an angel.
Rangdeng Girah wished her lovely daughter to get marriage soon. But no one have enough guts to marry Diah because Rangdeng Girah was known as a witch who had a great power to harm everyone. Therefore Rangdeng was very angry. One night, she went to graveyard named Gandamayu, followed by her adherents, Ni Larung, Ni Guyang, Ni Lenda, Ni Lendi, Ni Weksirsa, and Ni Mahisawedana. In the midnight, she tranced and asked her adherents to dance. On that moment she put a curse to every one in Girah Village .
Because of Rangdeng’s voodoo, neither young nor adults escaped from illnesses. Moreover some of them died instantly. Many traditional healers have tried to cure people who are cursed by Rangdeng but no one succeeded. Almost every minute there was a dead man was brought to the grave. And every night the dogs howled, made the village became dreaded.
The nightmare in Girah consequently was heard by the king of Daha. The King asked Demang Dodokan accompanied by some soldiers to go to Girah to ensure the news of Girah’s condition. But unfortunately, Demang Dodokan was killed by the voodoo. Finally, the soldiers came back to Daha to inform the king that Demang Dodokan had died and Girah was very the one who killed him.
The King was very angry. Then, he asked Patih Sudarsana to kill Rangdeng Girah. Patih Sudarsana went to Girah with I Punta and I Kartala. When they met Rangdeng Girah, Patih Sudarsana stabbed Rangdeng by his keris (a weapon looked like wavy double-blanded dagger). But unluckily, his keris did not work. Rangdeng Girah then turned into Rangda while Patih sudarsana turned into Barong (a mythological animal in a Balinese dance). The battle of them was continued with no clear ending.
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August 15th, 2008 19:21
saya sangat bersyukur tinggal di bali jadi saya bisa melestariakn kesenian bali