The Story of Lutung Kasarung and the Search for True Love

The folktale Lutung Kasarung is one of Central Java’s most well-known bedtime stories and has been passed down for generations. It has been adapted into books, theater performances, and even films.

In 1921, this tale was turned into a musical drama (gending karesmen) produced by the Regent of Bandung, R.A.A. Wiranatakusumah V. Later, in 1926, Dutch directors G. Kruger and L. Heuveldorp made it into a silent film titled Loetoeng Kasaroeng, which was regarded as a milestone in Indonesian cinema. The film was remade in 1952 and again in 1983 by B.Z. Kadaryono and E.T. Effendi.

The story has also been published as a book by Dutch artist Tilly Dalton in 1950. In theater, two of the most famous adaptations are Lutung Kasarung: The Musical (2011), directed by the late Didi Petet, and the #MusikalDiRumahAja (2020) series by filmmaker Nia Dinata, presented by BOOWLive and Indonesia Kaya.

Now, let’s dive into the legendary origins of Lutung Kasarung.

The Successor of Pasir Batang Kingdom

The story takes place in the Pasir Batang Kingdom, ruled by the wise and just King Prabu Tapa Agung. As he grew older, the king had to choose a successor among his seven daughters, as he had no sons. Five of them were already married to princes of other kingdoms, leaving only two: the eldest, Purbararang, and the youngest, Purbasari Ayuwangi.

After careful thought, the king chose Purbasari, as she was kind, humble, and compassionate—unlike Purbararang, who was arrogant and envious. The people of Pasir Batang supported this decision, and Purbasari was officially crowned queen before Prabu Tapa Agung retired.

Purbararang, furious at being passed over, plotted with her fiancé, Raden Indrajaya, to take the throne by force. They sought help from a powerful sorceress named Ni Ronde, who gave them a magic potion called boreh, a dark substance made from plants. Purbararang was instructed to sprinkle it over Purbasari’s body.

As soon as the potion touched her skin, Purbasari’s body became covered in black sores. Purbararang then convinced the king that Purbasari had a contagious disease and must be exiled to the forest. Unable to find a cure, the heartbroken king reluctantly banished his youngest daughter.

The Magic of Jamban Salaka

Meanwhile, in the heavens, a deity named Sanghyang Guruminda refused to marry any celestial maiden, declaring that he would only wed a woman as beautiful as his mother, Sunan Ambu. His mother told him that no such woman existed in heaven and sent him to Earth to find his destined love.

Before descending, Sunan Ambu transformed her son into a black monkey to test whether he could find true love beyond physical appearances. In this form, Sanghyang Guruminda landed in the forest where Purbasari was exiled.

Over time, Purbasari befriended the animals in the forest, including the mysterious black-furred monkey, whom she named Lutung Kasarung, meaning “the lost monkey.” Unlike other animals, he was always by her side. Unbeknownst to her, he was actually Sanghyang Guruminda.

Wanting to help Purbasari, Lutung Kasarung meditated and prayed to his mother for a way to heal her. Sunan Ambu granted his wish, creating a golden lake called Jamban Salaka. When Purbasari bathed in its waters, her black sores disappeared, revealing her true beauty. Lutung Kasarung was stunned—Purbasari was even more beautiful than his mother. They soon fell in love and vowed to stay together.

A Duel of Fate

One day, news of Purbasari’s miraculous recovery reached the palace. The king sent his attendants to bring her home. Upon hearing this, Purbararang panicked and proposed a competition to determine who should rule the kingdom. She challenged Purbasari to two contests: a beauty contest and a test of whose fiancé was more handsome.

First, they compared their hair length. Purbararang believed hers was longer, but thanks to divine intervention, Purbasari’s hair extended to her heels, making her the winner. Furious, Purbararang moved on to the second challenge—comparing their partners’ appearances. She was confident that her handsome fiancé, Raden Indrajaya, would easily win against Purbasari’s monkey fiancé.

However, just as the competition began, Lutung Kasarung was engulfed in a mystical white smoke. When the smoke cleared, he had transformed back into the dashing and noble Sanghyang Guruminda. His radiant appearance made Raden Indrajaya look plain in comparison.

The crowd was in awe, and Purbararang was speechless. Realizing her mistakes, she knelt before Purbasari and begged for forgiveness. Purbasari, with a kind heart, forgave her and invited her back to the palace.

With her father’s blessing, Purbasari reclaimed the throne and ruled wisely alongside her beloved Sanghyang Guruminda. They lived happily ever after in the Kingdom of Pasir Batang.

The Moral of the Story

The Lutung Kasarung folktale teaches us an important lesson: envy and blind ambition can lead to destruction. Greed and deception will never bring true happiness. Instead, we must pursue our dreams with fairness and integrity, for in the end, hard work and honesty will always be rewarded.

This article is adapted from Indonesiakaya.com.