Legend of Loro Jonggrang/ Roro Jonggrang /Lara Jonggrang is a Javanese famous legend (folktales) from Central Java telling the story of love and betrayal, the knight and the cursed princess. It also explains the mythical origin of Ratu Boko palace, Sewu temple, and the Durga statue in Prambanan temple compound.
"The legend tells the story about two ancient and neighbouring kingdoms in Java, Pengging and Boko.
Pengging Kingdom was rich and prosperous, and wisely ruled by its Prabu(king) Damar Moyo who had a son named Raden(prince) Bandung Bondowoso. By contrast, Boko kingdom was ruled by a cruel cannibal giant named Prabu Boko, supported by another giant Patih Gupalo. Despite his unpleasant nature, Prabu Boko had a beautiful daughter named Loro Jonggrang.
Prabu Boko desired to expand his kingdom,he wanted to occupy the Pengging Kingdom.So he began training an army and raising taxes for an invasion of Pengging. After he had enough preparation, his forces launch a surprise attack on Pengging, and the ensuring war causes devastation and famine on both sides. In order to defeat the invader and ended the suffering of the civil, Prabu Damar Moyo sends his son Raden(prince) Bandung Bondowoso to fight Prabu Boko. After a furious battle, Prabu Boko is killed by the prince's supernatural powers. His assistant, Patih Gupalo, leads his armies away from the battlefield in defeat.
Returning to Boko Palace, Patih Gupalo tells princess Loro Jonggrang of the death of her father. The princess is depressed, but before she can recover from her grief the Pengging army besieges and captures the palace. Prince Bandung Bondowoso is mesmerized by the beauty of the princess and propose marriage, but his offer is swiftly rejected. Bandung Bondowoso insists , and finally Loro Jonggrang agrees on two impossible conditions: first the prince must build a well named Jalatunda, and second, he must construct a thousand temples in only one night.
Because in love he agree, and immediately starts work on the well. Using his supernatural powers, the prince swiftly finishes construction and proudly displays his work for the princess. As a trick, she urges him to enter the well and when he does so, Patih Gupalo piles stones into it and buries him alive. With great effort Bandung Bondowoso escapes, but his love for the princess is so strong that he forgives her the attempt on his life. he forgives her.
To fulfill the second condition, the prince enters into meditation and conjures up a multitude of demon spirits from the earth. With their help he builds the first 999 temples and starts work on the final one. To thwart his efforts the princess ask her maids light a big fire in the east and begin pounding rice, a (traditional dawn activity). Fooled into thinking the sun is about to rise, the spirits flee back and disappear, leaving the last temple unfinished.
The prince is furious when he learns of this deception, and places a curse on Loro Jonggrang which turns her into a stone statue. In this way she herself becomes a feature of the final temple, completing its construction and fulfilling the conditions for their marriage.”
This legend is a local popular folklore that connects and explains the supernatural origin of Central Java's famous archaeological sites; such as of the Ratu Boko palace, the Durga statue in northern cell/chamber of the main Prambanan shrine, and the Sewu temple complex nearby. Although the temples itself dated from circa 9th century, the legend was composed in later times, probably during Mataram Sultanate era.(article source: wikipedia, borobudurpak.id)
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