Nyai Roro Kidul spirit has many different names, which reflect the diverse stories of her

origin in different sagas, legends, myths and traditional folklore. The Sundanese folk tale
tells of Dewi Kadita, the beautiful daughter of the Sunda Kingdom in West Java, refer
to Ratu Laut Selatan. Other names include Ratu Laut Selatan ("Queen of the South
Sea," meaning the Indian Ocean) is Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Kidul[1]. Refer to the royal
house of Keraton Surakarta referred her as Kanjeng Ratu Ayu Kencono
Sari.[2] Many Javanese believe it is important to use various honorifics when referring to
her, such as Nyai, Kanjeng, and Gusti. People who invoke her also call
her Eyang (grandmother). In mermaid form she is referred to as Nyai Blorong.[3]
The Javanese word loro literally means two – 2 and merged into the name of the myth
about the Spirit-Queen born as a beautiful girl or maiden, in Old Javanese rara, written
as rårå, (also used as roro). Old-Javanese rara evolved into the New Javanese lara,
written as lårå, (means ill, also grief like heartache, heart-break).
Dutch orthography changed lara into loro (used here in Nyai Loro Kidul) so the word
play moved from beautiful girl to a sick one – Old Javanese Nyi Rara and the New
Javanese Nyai Lara.[4]

Description[edit]
Nyai Loro Kidul is often illustrated as a mermaid with a tail as well as the lower body
parts of a fish. The mythical creature is claimed to be able to take the soul of any who
she wished for.[5] According to local popular beliefs around coastal villages on Southern
Java, the Queen often claim lives of fishermen or visitors that bathe on the beach, and
she usually prefers handsome young men.
The role of Nyai Loro Kidul as a Javanese Spirit-Queen became a popular motif in
traditional Javanese folklore and palace mythologies, as well as being tied in with the
beauty of Sundanese and Javanese princesses. Another aspect of her mythology was
her ability to change shape several times a day.[6] Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX of
Yogyakarta described his experience on spiritual encounters with the spirit Queen in his
memoire; the queen could change shapes and appearance, as a beautiful young woman
usually during full moon, and appear as an old woman at other times. [7]
Nyai Loro Kidul in a significant amount of the folklore that surrounds her – is in control of
the violent waves of the Indian Ocean from her dwelling place in the heart of the ocean.
Sometimes she is referred as one of the spiritual queens or wives of the Susuhunan of
Solo or Surakarta and the Sultan of Yogyakarta. Her literal positioning is considered as
corresponding to the Merapi-Kraton-South Sea axis in the Solo Sultanate and
Yogyakarta Sultanate.
Another pervasive part of folklore surrounding her is the colour of aqua green, gadhung
m'lathi in Javanese, is favoured and referred to her, which is forbidden to wear along the
south-coast of Java.[8] She is often describes wearing clothes or selendang (silky
sashes) in this color.

Origin and history[edit]

Although her legends are mostly linked to the 16th century Javanese Mataram
Sultanate, the older manuscript traced her legendary origin to the era of the Sundanese
kingdom of Pajajaran and the legend of the ill-fated princess Kadita. However, Javanese
and Sundanese anthropological and cultural studies suggest that the myth of the Queen
of Java's Southern Seas probably originated from older prehistoric animistic beliefs in
the pre-Hindu-Buddhist female deity of the southern ocean. The fierce waves of
the Indian Ocean on southern Java's coasts, its storms and sometimes tsunamis,
probably had raised in the locals awe and fear of natural power, and locals attributed it
to the spiritual realm of deities and demons that inhabit the southern seas ruled by their
queen, a female deity, later identified as "Queen Kidul".
The 16th century Javanese legends connects the Queen of Southern Seas as the
protector and spiritual consort of the kings of Mataram Sultanate. Panembahan
Senopati (1586–1601 AD), founder of the Mataram Sultanate, and his grandson Sultan
Agung (1613–1645 AD) who named the Kanjeng Ratu Kidul as their bride, is claimed in
the Babad Tanah Jawi.[9]
According to Javanese legends dated from 16th century CE, the prince Panembahan
Senopati aspired to establish a new kingdom Mataram
Sultanate against Pajangoverlordship. He performed ascetic acts through meditating on
the beach of Parang Kusumo, south of his home in the town of Kota Gede. His
meditation caused a disturbing, powerful supernatural phenomenon in the spiritual
kingdom of Southern Sea. The Queen came to the beach to see who had caused this
menace in her kingdom. Upon seeing the handsome prince, the queen immediately fell
in love and asked the prince to stop his meditation. In return, the deity queen, who ruled
spiritual realm of the southern seas, agreed to help Panembahan Senopati in his political
effort to establish a new kingdom. In order to become the spiritual protector of the
kingdom, the Queen asked to be held by the prince in hand of marriage, as the spiritual
consort of Panembahan Senopati and all of his successors, the series of Mataram kings.
One Sundanese folktale is mentioned about Dewi Kadita, the beautiful princess of
the Pajajaran Kingdom, in West Java, who desperately fled to the Southern Sea after
being struck by black magic. The black magic was cast by a witch under the order of a
jealous rival in the palace and it caused the beautiful princess to suffer a disgusting skin
disease. She later jumps into the violent waves of the ocean where she was finally cured
and regained her beauty, and the spirits and demons crowned the girl as the legendary
Spirit-Queen of the South Sea.[10]
A similar version of the story above mentions that the king (at the time), who had her as
his only child, was planning to retire from the throne. At the time, having a queen lead a
kingdom, instead of a king, was forbidden. Therefore, the king remarried and sought for
a male heir to his throne from his new wife. The king's wife finally gets impregnated, but,
due to jealousy, forces the king to choose between her and his daughter. His wife then
stated an ultimatum; If he chose his daughter, then his wife would leave the palace for
good and the throne would be given to his daughter, who would later become the queen.
If the wife was chosen instead, the daughter would be banned from the palace and the
unborn child of his wife would later claim the throne as king. The king then made his
decision to ban his daughter from the palace and orders a witch to curse his daughter,
leaving her to suffer a skin disease. The pitiful daughter, now banned from the palace,
hears a voice that tells her that if she wants to be cured of her terrible disease, she
should jump into the seawater as midnight strikes. She followed as instructed and then
she vanished, never to be seen or heard from again.
Another Sundanese folktale shows Banyoe Bening (meaning clear water) becomes
Queen of the Djojo Koelon Kingdom and, suffering from leprosy, travels to the South
where she is taken up by a huge wave to disappear into the Ocean. [11]
Another West Java folktale is about the Ajar Cemara Tunggal (Adjar Tjemara Toenggal)
on the mountain of Kombang in the Pajajaran Kingdom. He is a male seer who actually
was the beautiful great aunt of Raden Jaka Susuruh. She disguised herself as a psychic
and told Raden Jaka Susuruh to go to the east of Java to find a kingdom on the place
where a maja-tree just had one fruit; the fruit was bitter, pait in Javanese, and the
kingdom got the name of Majapahit. The seer Cemara Tunggal would marry the founder
of Majapahit and any descendant in first line, to help them in all kind of matters. Though
the seer's spirit would have transmigrated into the "spirit-queen of the south" who shall
reign over the spirits, demons and all dark creatures.[12]

Specialities[edit]
Sarang Burung are Javanese bird's nests, and some of the finest in the world. The
edible bird's nests, in the form of Bird's nest soup or sarang burung, that find a ready
market in China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore are dedicated to Nyai Loro Kidul,
mentioned by Sultan Agung in reports.
There are three harvests which are known as the Unduan-Kesongo, Unduan-
Telor and Unduan-Kepat, and take place in April, the latter part of August (the largest),
and December. The places Rongkob and Karang Bolong [id] along the south coast of
central Java are famous for the edible bird's nests, made by the little sea swallows (so
called, but actually swiftlets), called Salanganen or Collocalia fuciphaga. The harvests
are famous because of the wayang performances which are held, and the Javanese
ritual dances which are performed with gamelan music as the traditional ceremony.
This happens in a cave (Karang Bolong) and when these are ended specially prepared
offerings are made in a shed in what is known as the "Royal Bed of Nyai Loro Kidul".
This relic is hung with beautiful silk batik kains, and a toilet mirror is placed against the
green-coloured pillows of the bed.[13]
Nyai Loro Kidul is the patron goddess of the bird's-nest gatherers of South Java. The
gatherers descend the sheer cliff-face on coconut fibre ropes to an overhang some thirty
feet above the water where a rickety bamboo platform has been built. From there they
must await their wave, drop into it, and be swept beneath the overhang into the cave.
Here they grope around in total darkness filling their bags with bird's nests. Going back
needs very precise timing, to avoid misjudging the tides, and falling into the violent
waves.[14]

The Dutch and their Javanese legacy[edit]

The term wali which is applied to all of the Islam teachers is Arabic (meaning "saint"), but
the title "sunan" which they all carry, too, is Javanese. Sunan Kalijaga used to be one of
the most "popular" Wali Sanga, and he got deeply involved with Nyai Loro Kidul because
of the water aspect (at the beach of Pemancingan of northern Java, kali means river).
Panembahan Senopati Ingalaga (1584–1601), founder of Mataram's imperial expansion,
sought the support of the goddess of the Southern Ocean (Kangjeng Ratu Kidul or Nyai
Loro Kidul) at Pemancinang of southern Java.
She was to become the special protectress of the House of Mataram. Senopati's
reliance upon both Sunan Kalijaga and Nyai Loro Kidul in the chronicles accounts nicely
reflects the Mataram Dynasty's ambivalence towards Islam and indigenous Javanese
beliefs.[15]

Local beliefs[edit]
Pelabuhan Ratu[edit]
Pelabuhan Ratu, a small fishermen city in West Java, Indonesia, celebrates an annual
holiday in her honor on April 6. A memorial day for the locals, offering a lot of ceremonial
"presents" to appease the queen. The local fishermen annually send the sedekah
 laut ceremony, offering gifts and sacrifices; from rice, vegetables and agricultural
produces, to chicken, batik fabrics and cosmetics, to be larung (sent afloat to the sea)
and finally drawn it to the sea to appease the queen. The local fishermen believed that
the ceremony would please the Queen of Southern Sea, that in return would give them
some good catches in fisheries and also would bless the surrounding areas with better
weather, fewer storms and waves.
Nyai Loro Kidul is also associated with Parangtritis,
Parangkusumo, Pangandaran, Karang Bolong, Ngliyep, Puger, Banyuwangi, and places
all along the south coast of Java. There is a local belief that wearing a green garment in
these areas will anger her and will bring misfortune on the wearer, as green is her
sacred colour.[16]
Samudra Beach Hotel[edit]
The Samudra Beach Hotel, Pelabuhan Ratu, West Java, keeps room 308 furnished with
green colours and reserved for Nyai Loro Kidul.[17] The first president of
Indonesia, Sukarno, was involved with the exact location and the idea for the Samudra
Beach Hotel. In front of the room 308 there is the Ketapang tree where Sukarno got his
spiritual inspiration.[18] The painting of Nyai Rara Kidul by Basuki Abdullah, a famous
Indonesian painter, is displayed in this room.
Yogyakarta and Central Java[edit]
The legend of Queen Kidul is often associated with beaches in Yogyakarta, especially
Parangkusumo and Parangtritis. Parangkusumo in particular is special since it was the
place believed to be the location of the first spiritual encounter between the Queen
with Panembahan Senopati. Legends recount her love for Senopati and the famous
Sultan Agung of Mataram, which continues to be recounted in the
ritualized Bedhaya dance by the royal line of Surakarta, and she is honored by the
susuhunans of Solo/Surakarta and the sultans of Yogyakarta, Central-Java. When Sri
Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX died on October 3, 1988, the Tempo newsmagazine
reported her sighting by palace servants, who were sure that she was paying her final
tribute to the dead ruler.[19]

In popular culture[edit]
The myth of Nyi Loro Kidul as the queen of southern ocean has become a popular
source of inspiration in Indonesian culture, both traditional and modern.
Some local traditional theatres, particularly Javanese Kethoprak and
Sundanese Sandiwara, may retell this legend in their performances. It has become the
main theme of mystery, horror, and epic genres of Indonesian film and sinetron TV
series.[20] The tale of the Queen of the Southern Ocean has become the source of one
of Mobile Legendscharacter, Kadita.[21]

See also[edit]
 Indonesia portal

 Bedhaya
 Cerita rakyat
 Javanese sacred places
 Manimekhala, a sea goddess worshipped in nearby Indochina
Notes[edit]
1. ^ [Indonesian Mystery Poem honoring Nyi Roro Kidul Kanjeng Ratu Kidul]
2. ^ Karaton Surakarta, Yayasan Pawiyatan Kabudayaan Karaton Surakarta, Sekilas Sejarah
Keraton Surakarta, R.Ay. Sri Winarti P, 2004
3. ^ Robson, Stuart. The Kraton, KITLV Press 2003, Leiden, ISBN 90-6718-131-5, p. 77
4. ^ Jordaan, Roy E. Tara and Nyai Lara Kidul - Asian Folklore Studies, Volume 56, 1997: pp
303
5. ^ Becker, Judith. Die Meereskönigin des Südens, Ratu Kidul. pp 142, Nyi Blorong, die
Schlangenfrau – ISBN 3-496-02657-X
6. ^ Bogaerts, Els. Scription Van sunans, sultans e