The Legend of Prambanan Temple

BANDUNG BONDOWOSO AND RORO JONGGRANG

(The Legend of Prambanan Temple)

Once, there was a beautiful Javanese princess whose name was Roro Jonggrang. Roro jonggrang whose beauty was very famous in the land was the daughter of Prabu Baka, an evil king.

One day, a handsome young man with super natural power, named Bandung Bondowoso, defeated and killed Prabu Baka. On seeing Princess Roro Jonggrang’s beauty, Bandung Bondowoso fell in love and wanted to marry her.

Meanwhile, Princess Roro jonggrang felt sad due to the death of her father. She did not want to marry Bandung because he had killed her father. But she was also afraid of Bandung. So to refuse politely, she made a condition. “I will marry you but you have to build one thousand temples in one night as a wedding gift.” Requested Roro Jonggrang. Bandung agreed with this condition.

Helped by the spirits of demons, Bandung Bondowoso started building the temples. Approaching midnight, the work was nearly done. Roro Jonggrang knewand thought, “What shall I do? Bandung is smarter than me. I will lose against Bandung.”

Suddenly she got an idea. She woke up all the women in the palace and ordered them to make the noisy sounds of grinding rice so that the roosters would think it had already dawn.

Bandung Bondowoso got frustrated because he failed to complete the thousandth temple. “The princess has deceived me!” Following his anger, he cursed Roro Jonggrang, “You have cheated me. Now, the thousandth temple is you!”

At once, the princess turned into a statue.

Knowing this, Bandung Bondowoso regretted this and he went away into a far land. From then, people called the temple Prambanan Temple and the princess statue, roro Jonggrag Statue.