What is The Relationship Between Nyi Roro Kidul and Panembahan Senapati?
According to the story, she had relationship with some Javanese kings and when the kings were crowned and also the mystical marriage, Nyi Roro Kidul was related to those. Who exactly Nyi Roro Kidul is? The origin of her can be different from one source and another. Based on the book entitled “A Princess from Sunda: Some Aspects of Nyi Roro Kidul” in 1997 by Robert Wessing stated that Nyi Roro Kidul was the princess of Galuh Kingdom in the 13th century. Another version stated that she was the descendant of Pajajaran king.
Then, another said that she was the descendant of king Airlangga from Kahuripan even some still relate her with the King of Kediri, Jayabaya until now. Based on the story, Queen Ayu from Galuh gave birth to a baby girl. The strange thing happened because the baby girl could speak and said that she was the ruler of all genies in the land of Java and she would stay in Sothern Ocean. At the same time, the king Sindhula’s spirit from Galuh appeared and said that his granddaughter would not have a husband at all.
The purpose was to keep her virginity and when she could marry, she would marry to some Muslim Kings in the land of Java. The queen of southern ocean has waited for her husband for 2 centuries. Panembahan Senapati who led Mataram Islam from 1585-1601 went to the southern ocean to meditate and begged for the clue to win the war against Sultan Pajang in Prambanan. Based on the story, because of his willingness to pray, the southern ocean waved and the Kingdom of Nyi Roro Kidul which was placed on the bottom of the sea was shajen so much due to the pray of Panembahan Senapati.
The southern queen came out of her kingdom and appeared to the surface. She was stunned to see the young man who meditated there. She fell in love with him and kneeled down on the feet of Penambahan Senapati. After making out for three days three nights in her kingdom, the queen promised to help Senapati won the war. Senapati went to the Prambanan along with his army from Southern Ocean and Senapati won the war. Sultan Agung who was the grandson of Senapati made the dance of Bedhaya.
Bedhaya tells from the love story of his grandfather with Nyi Roro Kidul. When Palihan Nagari happened in 1755, keraton Yogyakarta got the part of Bedhaya Semang and keraton Surakarta got Bedhaya Ketawang. The dancing became sacred and when the new king was crowned, the dancing will be held. No one knows the real origin of Nyi Roro Kidul but most people believe that she was connected to the past kings in the land of Java and some leaders in Indonesia too.
