Medang Kamulan

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Medang Kamulan was a semi-mythological kingdom that believed to be once established
somewhere in Central Java according to Javanese mythology. It is either perceived
as the predecessor or the actual historical kingdom of Medang Kingdom. Kamulan
derived from the word mula in Javanese means origin, so Medang Kamulan can be
interpreted as pre-Medang or Medang the origin.

Contents [hide]
1 Myths
1.1 Sundanese tradition
1.2 The legend of Aji Saka
1.3 Bujangga Manik
1.4 Serat Centhini
2 Possible historical kingdom
3 References
4 See also
Myths[edit]
The kingdom is considered by historians and archaeology scholars as semi-
mythological, since there is no actual archaeological remnant and historical
sources (such as inscriptions) that mentioned about Medang Kamulan kingdom. The
name of the kingdom appears in numbers of Javanese myths, legends, and folklores;
such as legend of Aji Saka, Dewi Sri, Loro Jonggrang, and in Javanese wayang story
it was mentioned that Medang Kamulan was the kingdom where Batara Guru rules and
create gamelan.[1] In the legend of Aji Saka, Medang Kamulan was ruled by the evil
giant king named Prabu Dewata Cengkar. The Loro Jonggrang legend mentioned that the
kingdom was ruled by a king named Prabu Gilingwesi.[2]

Sundanese tradition[edit]
The Sundanese tradition recognize this kingdom in their legend as the predecessor
of Galuh Kingdom.

The legend of Aji Saka[edit]

Aji Saka legend also mentioned that the Bledug Kuwu mud volcano in Grobogan Regency
was the place where the giant serpent Jaka Linglung appear before defeating Prabu
Dewata Cengkar.[3]

Bujangga Manik[edit]
Line 782 and 783 of second manuscript of 15th century Bujangga Manik mentioned that
after leaving Pulutan (correspond to a village name in west Purwodadi, Central
Java) he arrived in Medang Kamulan. Later after crossing the Wuluyu river, he
arrived in Gegelang located south of Medang Kamulan.[4] This manuscript was the
first written record that mentioned a place named Medang Kamulan, although at that
time it was not a kingdom.

Serat Centhini[edit]
Serat Centhini mentions the location of Medang Kamulan palace on the north-east of
Kasanga mud volcano -the place where Jaka Linglung was said to be dead. Jayengresmi
found it had become a dense forest while the ruin was nowhere to be seen.[5]

Possible historical kingdom[edit]

Van der Meulen suggests, although is not quite convinced, that Medang Kamulan
refers to Hasin-Medang-Kuwu-lang-pi-ya suggested by van Orsoy[6] in his article
about Ho-Ling kingdom mentioned in Chinese record.

It was possible that the mention of Medang Kamulan kingdom in numbers of Javanese
legends and myths was the remnant of local Javanese collective memory about the
existence of ancient kingdom named Medang which was actually corresponds to the
historical 8th to 11th century Kingdom of Medang.
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Kerajaan Hastinapura
Jump up ^ Sejarah Madura
Jump up ^ Bledug Kuwu
Jump up ^ Noorduyn, J. 1982. BKI 138412-442
Jump up ^ Ranggasutrasna, Ngabei (1991). Centhini Tambangraras-Amongraga, Vol. I,
p. 74. Jakarta Balai Pustaka. ISBN 979-407-358-X.
Jump up ^ Van der Meulen. 1977. Indonesia 2387-111 page 101, footnote no. 56
See also[edit]