The Mistical of Nyi Roro Kidul

The high cliffs of Jawa's southern coast go straight into the Indian Ocian, which is a true proove of the power of nature, with it's big waves and currents near the coast. This is the domain of Kajeng Ratu Kidul, the mighty Queen of the South Sea, which should be the wife as well as the protectional spirit of the rulers of the Jawanese kingom of Mataram.Following the 19th century chronicle Babad Tanah Jawi, the prince of Pajajaran, Raden Joko Suruh, met a hermit which ordered him to found the kingdom of Majapahit in East Jawa. Joko Suruh discovered that the hermit in fact was a beautiful Lady, and fell in love with her. She rejected him, because she really was his aunt Ratna Suwida, who had lived in the mountains to meditate ever since she was a young girl. She told the prince she would soon leave to the southern coast of Jawa, to be the ruler over the spirit-world. When the descendants near the Gunung Merapi - not far from the southern coast - founded a principalty, she would marry the successive rulers.Generations later, Panembahan Senopati, founder of the second Mataram principalty, went back to the southern coast to prepare an attack on the principalties at the northern coast. Kangjeng Ratu Kidul, who listened to his meditation, promised to help him. During three days and nights he worked on the secrets of army and rule - and the difficult game of love - in the undersea palace of Ratu Kidul. At Parangkusomo, south of Yogya, he came to the surface again. The story goes that Ratu Kidul had intercourse with all successors of Senopati. Every year representatives of the palaces in Solo and Yogya honour her at this spot.The first sultan of Yogya, Hamengku Buwono I, ordered the construction of the difficult fortress and royal court, Taman Sari, with low ponds, and tunnels, surrounded with an artificial lake. It can be said that this is a replica of the undersea principalty of Ratu Kidul. In the space below the surface, known as sumur gumuling, the sultan is believed to have contact with the goddess every year.