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Sundanese Mythology
The mythology of Indonesia is very diverse, the Indonesian people consisting of hundreds of ethnic groups, each with their own myths and legends that explain the origin of their people, the tales of their ancestors and the demons or deities in their belief systems. The tendency to syncretize by overlying older traditions with newer foreign ideas has occurred. For example, the older ancestral mythology might be merged with foreign mythology, such as Hindu, Islam, or Christian biblical mythology. Foreign influences Some native Indonesian ethnic groups that were isolated from the rest of the world until recent centuries have their own native myths and gods. These native mythologies are relatively free from foreign influences, such as Torajans, Nias, Bataks, Dayaks and Papuans. By contrast, Javanese, Balinese and Sundanese were influenced by Hindu-Buddhist Indian mythology as early as the 1st century CE. Hindu gods, legends and epics such as ''Ramayana'' and ''Mahabharata'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wayang Painting Of Bharatayudha Battle
( , ) is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. The term refers both to the show as a whole and the puppet in particular. Performances of wayang puppet theatre are accompanied by a ''gamelan'' orchestra in Java, and by '' gender wayang'' in Bali. The dramatic stories depict mythologies, such as episodes from the Hindu epics the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata'', as well as local adaptations of cultural legends. Traditionally, a is played out in a ritualized midnight-to-dawn show by a , an artist and spiritual leader; people watch the show from both sides of the screen. performances are still very popular among Indonesians, especially in the islands of Java and Bali. performances are usually held at certain rituals, certain ceremonies, certain events, and even tourist attractions. In ritual contexts, puppet shows are used for prayer rituals (held in temples in Bali), ritual (cleansing children from bad luck), and ri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hindu Gods
Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. Deities in Hinduism are as diverse as its traditions, and a Hindu can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, even agnostic, atheistic, or humanist.Julius J. Lipner (2009), Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, 2nd edition, Routledge, , p. 8; Quote: "(...) one need not be religious in the minimal sense described to be accepted as a Hindu by Hindus, or describe oneself perfectly validly as Hindu. One may be polytheistic or monotheistic, monistic or pantheistic, even an agnostic, humanist or atheist, and still be considered a Hindu." The terms and epithets for deities within the diverse traditions of Hinduism vary, and include Deva (Hinduism), Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Ishvari, Bhagavan, Bhagavān and Bhagavathi, Bhagavati. The deities of Hinduism have evolved from the Vedic era (2nd millennium BCE) through the medieval era (1st millennium CE), regionally within Nepal, Pakistan, India and in Sout ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pandawa
The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledged as the sons of Pandu, the King of Kuru Kingdom, Kuru, but were fathered by different ''Deva (Hinduism), Devas'' (gods) due to Pandu's cursed inability to naturally sire children. In the epic, the Pandavas married Draupadi, the princess of Panchala, and founded the city of Indraprastha after the Kuru Kingdom was split to avoid succession disputes. After the split, the other part of the kingdom was ruled by their cousins, the Kauravas. However, the Pandavas lost their kingdom to Duryodhana (eldest and king of the Kauravas) when Yudhishthira gambled it away during a game of dice. The bet Yudhishtira agreed to was that the Pandavas would hand the kingdom over to the Kauravas and go into exile for 12 followed by an year i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wayang Kulit
( ) is a traditional form of shadow puppetry originally found in the cultures of Java and Bali in Indonesia. In a performance, the puppet figures are rear-projected on a taut linen screen with a coconut oil (or electric) light. The (shadow artist) manipulates carved leather figures between the lamp and the screen to bring the shadows to life. The narratives of often have to do with the major theme of good vs. evil. is one of the many different forms of theatre found in Indonesia; the others include , , , , and . is among the best known, offering a unique combination of ritual, lesson and entertainment. On November 7, 2003, UNESCO designated the flat leather shadow puppet (), the flat wooden puppet (), and the three-dimensional wooden puppet () theatre, as a Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. In return for the acknowledgment, UNESCO required Indonesians to preserve the tradition. E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Punakawan
In Javanese , the () or () are the clown servants of the hero. There are four of them – Semar, Petruk, (), and (). Semar is the personification of a deity, sometimes said to be the () or guardian spirit of the island of Java. In Javanese mythology, deities can only manifest themselves as ugly or otherwise unprepossessing humans, and so Semar is always portrayed as short and fat with a pug nose and a dangling hernia. His three companions are his adopted sons, given to Semar as votaries by their parents. Petruk is portrayed as tall and gangling with a long nose, Gareng as short with a club foot, and Bagong as obese. The always appear in the second act of a performance – ''pathet sanga'' – as servants to the hero of the story regardless of who that hero is. Similar characters appear in other Indonesian wayang and theatrical traditions, including those of Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvati and Sarasvati, form the trinity of goddesses called the Tridevi. Lakshmi has been a central figure in Hindu tradition since pre-Buddhist times (1500 to 500 BCE) and remains one of the most widely worshipped goddesses in the Hindu pantheon. Although she does not appear in the earliest Vedic literature, the personification of the term '' shri''—auspiciousness, glory, and high rank, often associated with kingship—eventually led to the development of Sri-Lakshmi as a goddess in later Vedic texts, particularly the ''Shri Suktam''. Her importance grew significantly during the late epic period (around 400 CE), when she became particularly associated with the preserver god Vishnu as his consort. In this role, Lakshmi is seen as the ide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nyai Roro Kidul
''Nyi Roro Kidul'' (or ''Nyai Rara Kidul'') is a supernatural being in Indonesian folklore. She is the Queen of the Southern Sea in Sundanese and Javanese mythology. In Javanese mythology, Kanjeng Ratu Kidul is a creation of Dewa Kaping Telu, . Meanwhile, Nyi Roro Kidul was originally the only daughter of the King of Sunda, who was expelled by her father, because of her stepmother. Some equate Nyi Roro Kidul with Kanjeng Ratu Kidul, although in Kejawen belief, Nyi Roro Kidul is a loyal subordinate of Kanjeng Ratu Kidul. Nyi Roro Kidul's position as the Phantom Queen of Java is a popular motif in folklore and mythology, and is also associated with the beauty of Sundanese princesses. Etymology ''Nyi Roro Kidul'' is known by various names, reflecting the different stories of her origin, legends, myths, and hereditary stories. She is commonly called by the names ''Ratu Laut Selatan'' and ''Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Kidul''. According to Javanese customs, honorifics, such as ''Nyai'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dewi Sri
Dewi Sri or Shridevi ( Javanese: ꦢꦺꦮꦶꦱꦿꦶ, Balinese: , Dewi Sri, Sundanese: , Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang Asri) is the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese Hindu Goddess of rice and fertility, still widely worshiped on the islands of Java, Bali and Lombok, Indonesia. She is often associated or equated with the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, the ''shakti'' (consort) of Vishnu. History and origin The cult of the primordial rice goddess has its origin in the prehistoric domestication, development and propagation of rice cultivation in Asia, possibly brought by Austroasiatic or Austronesian population that finally migrated and settled in the archipelago. Similar but slightly different rice spirits and rice deity mythologies are widespread among Indonesian ethnicities and also in neighbouring countries, e.g. in Thailand and Cambodia. The name "Sri" was derived from Sanskrit () which means wealth, prosperity, health, beauty, good fortune and also the other name of the Hindu god ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Semar
Semar (Javanese script: ꦱꦼꦩꦂ) is a character in Javanese mythology who frequently appears in wayang shadow plays. He is one of the punokawan (clowns) but is divine and very wise. He is the Hyang, dhanyang (guardian spirit) of Java,Geertz, 23. and is regarded by some as the most sacred figure of the wayang set.Holt, 144. He is said to be the god Sang Hyang Ismaya in human form.Budihardja, "Grepen uit de Wajang," ''Djawa'' II (1922), 22-23; cited in Holt, 145. The name Semar is said to derive from the Javanese language, Javanese word ''samar'' ("dim, obscure, mysterious"). He is often referred to by the honorific, "Kyai Lurah Semar" ("the venerable chief"). Description In depictions, Semar appears with a flat nose, a protruding lower jaw, a tired eye, and a bulging rear, belly, and chest. He wears a checkered hipcloth, symbolizing sacredness. Like the other panakawan, the Wayang#Wayang kulit, wayang kulit puppet does not have the elaborate openwork and ornamentation char ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kinnara
A kinnara (Sanskrit: Kiṃnara) is a creature from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. They are described as part human and part bird, and have a strong association with music and love. Believed to come from the Himalayas, they often watch over the well-being of humans in times of trouble or danger. An ancient Indian string instrument is known as the Kinnari vina. Their character is also clarified in the ''Adi Parva'' of the ''Mahabharata'', where they say: They are featured in a number of Buddhist texts, including the Jataka tales and Lotus Sutra. In Southeast Asian Buddhist mythology, kinnaris, the female counterpart of kinnaras, are depicted as half-bird, half-woman creatures. One of the many creatures that inhabit the mythical Himavanta, kinnaris have the head, torso, and arms of a woman and the wings, tail and feet of a swan. They are renowned for their dance, song and poetry, and are a traditional symbol of feminine beauty, grace and accomplishment. Edward H. Schaf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Apsara
Apsaras (, , Khmer language, Khmer: អប្សរា are a class of celestial beings in Hinduism, Hindu and Culture of Buddhism, Buddhist culture. They were originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, but, later play the role of a "nymph" or "fairy". They figure prominently in the sculptures, dance, literature and paintings of many South Asian and Southeast Asian cultures. The apsaras are described to be beautiful, youthful and elegant, and are said to be able to change their shape at will; making anyone fall for their beauty. There are two types of apsaras—''laukika'' (worldly) and ''daivika'' (divine). They are great in the art of dancing, and often wives of the gandharvas, the court musicians of Indra. The apsaras reside in the palaces of the gods and entertain them by dancing to the music made by the Gandharvas. The 26 apsaras of Indra's court are each said to symbolise a different facet of the performing arts, drawing comparisons to the Muses of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asura
Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is translated as "titan" or " antigod". According to Hindu texts, the asuras are in constant fear of the devas. Asuras are described in Indian texts as powerful superhuman demigods with good or bad qualities. In early Vedic literature, the good Asuras are called '' Adityas'' and are led by Varuna, while the malevolent ones are called '' Danavas'' and are led by Vritra. In the earliest layer of Vedic texts, Agni, Indra and other gods are also called Asuras, in the sense of their being "lords" of their respective domains, knowledge and abilities. In later Vedic and post-Vedic texts, the benevolent gods are called ''Devas'', while malevolent Asuras compete against these Devas and are considered "enem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
