princess mandalika

princess mandalika

A long long time ago, on the southern of Lombok Island, there’s a kingdom called Tunjung Bitu. The kingdom was ruled by a king named King Tonjang Beru with his beautiful quenn named Goddess Seranting. King Tonjang Beru has a beautiful daughter named Princess Mandalika. All the peoples loved Princess Mandalika.

Princess Mandalika beauty was renowned to various countries, even to overseas. And her beauty has stolen the heart of all the handsome Princes from all over the world. All the Princes want to marry the princess.

Princess Mandalika rejected all the Princes who came to propose her. That’s make the Princes confused and they decided to fight each other to won the Princess. Finally the war news was heard by the King Tonjang Beru. The king then told the Princess about this bad news and try to find the best solution.

After thinking all night, the Princess find the solution. At first, Princess Mandalika intended to choose one of the Princess become her husband. However, she canceled her mind after thinking about the risks. If she choose one of the Princes, the other Princes will angry. And off course it will cause a big war. Princess Mandalika finally decided to sacrificed her self.

Princess Mandalika do some meditation and she found the solution. She must invite all the Princes in the conference on 20, 10 (Sasak calendar), located at Seger Kuta Beach, Central Lombok. All the Princes who was invited must accompanied by all their peoples. They must arrived at Seger Kuta Beach before the sunrise.

At that day, all the Princes over the world come to Seger Kuta Beach with their own peoples. Thousands of people filled the beach. They want to see who will be selected by the Princess.

Not So long the Princess came and stopped on a rock and speak loudly to the audience, “Oh My lovely father and mother and all the Princes and peoples of Tonjang Beru. I love you all. After I thinking so hard, I decided if  I”m  to you all. I can’t choose one of you becomes my husband. I have been destined become Nyale that you can enjoy together with the month and date when Nyale come to sea surface”.

All of the audience are shocking after they hearing the Princess Mandalika statement, includes King Tonjang Beru  and Goddess Seranting. Suddenly the Princess throw herselves into the sea and swallowed by the sea waves. And than the wind, lightning and thunder was booming.

After a few minutes, the atmosphere become calm and all the people try to find the Princess. And there’s no signs, the Princess was gone. Suddenly appeared many small worm from the bottom of the sea. That sea worm has a very beautiful color, combination of white, black, green, yellow and brown color. And then known as Nyale.

Until now, all the people believes if Nyale was ther incarnation of Princess Mandalika. The Bau Nyale traditions, occurs once a year, usually during the night of the full moon in February or March, for one or two days. This traditions inherited from generation to generation by the Sasak tribe was already there before the 16th century AD.

OMG!! Did you know if they making food with Nyale?? Usually they making Nyale pepes, a traditional food in Lombok Island. After you wash cleanly the Nyale, than pour some spices, and wrapped in banana leaves. Than baked that Nyale on a fire until cooked. Eat the Nyale pepes with rice. I can’t eat this Nyale, because I fear worms. I think that worms become life at my abdoment!!!