Langkawi History of Legends -

the=20 travel guide
you write

Recent=20 Changes

=20

World

Africa
Antarctica
Asia
Australia and=20 Pacific
Central = America
Europe
North = America
South=20 America

World=20 > Asia

British = Indian Ocean=20 Territory
Central=20 Asia
Middle=20 East
North-East=20 Asia
South=20 Asia
South-East=20 Asia

Asia = > South-East = Asia

Brunei
<= A=20 = href=3D"http://www.world66.com/asia/southeastasia/cambodia">Cambodia<= BR>East=20 Timor
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia<= BR>MyanmarPapua = New=20 Guinea
Philippine= s
Singapore
Thailand<= BR>Vietnam

South-East Asia=20 > Malaysia<= BR>

Ba= tang=20 Kali
Bat= u=20 Pahat
Bintu= lu
Cameron=20 highlands
Che= rating
= Fraser's=20 Hill
Ge= orgetown
Ipoh=
Jo= hor=20 Bahru
Kela= ntan
Keni= ngau
Kluang=
= Kota=20 Kinabalu
Kot= a=20 bharu
Kuala=20 Kubu Baru
Kuala=20 Kubu Baru
K= uala=20 Lumpur

Kuala=20 Terengganu
Kuant= an
Kuchi= ng
Lang= kawi
Melaka=
Miri=
Pangkor=20 islands
Penang=
Perak
= Petaling=20 Jaya
Sabah
Saraw= ak
Sintok=
Siti= awan
Taipi= ng
T= aman=20 Negara
= Tioman=20 Island

Malaysia = > Lang= kawi=20

Sections

Lang= kawi=20 Travel Guide=20
Map=20
Climate=20
Sights=20
Langkawi=20 Accommodations=20
Eating=20 Out=20
History=20
History=20 of Legends=20
Day=20 Trips=20
Shopping=20
Internet=20 Cafes=20
Things=20 to do=20
Photo=20 Gallery=20
[Add=20 Section]

Location

=20

View=20 Enlargement

City map

View=20 Enlargement

History of Legends

[edit=20 this]=20

History of Legends=20

Above all other holiday resorts in Malaysia, Langkawi boasts of = the=20 existence of various legends and myths. The following are the most = popular.=20

Legend of Mahsuri=20

Surpassing them all is the well-known =E2=80=93 and = well-beloved =E2=80=93 story told=20 time and again of the Princess Mahsuri who lived in Langkawi in = the=20 fourteenth century. Mahsuri laid a curse on the islands following = the=20 wrongful accusation that she had committed adultery while = betrothed to the=20 Sultan of Kedah. When a soldier pierced a kris (dagger) into her = bosom, he=20 drew white fluid instead of blood, this viewed as a sign of her = innocence.=20 Others are of the opinion that a white mist that suddenly = enveloped the=20 spot of her execution was an illustration of mourning over her = undeserved=20 punishment.=20

Mahsuri laid a curse on Langkawi for the act of injustice. = Thus, for=20 seven generations, it had been a land of isolation and misfortune. =

Gunung Raya and Gunung Mat Cincang In the heart of the main = island are=20 these two familiar mountains. Adding to, yet seeming to separate, = them is=20 a third called Bukit Sawar. The trio are believed to be human = beings going=20 by the names of Mat Raya, Mat Cincang and Mat Sawar.=20

Mat Raya =E2=80=93 of bad repute =E2=80=93 married Mat = Cincang=E2=80=99s daughter against the=20 latter=E2=80=99s wishes. A fight with pots and pan flying, ensued = during the=20 wedding feast. A big pot of gravy broke and its contents spilled = onto the=20 ground. The spot the contents spilled is known as Kuah (gravy) and = where=20 the pot broke, Belanga Pecah (broken pot). A couldron of hot water = was=20 likewise spilled, hence the spot known as Air Panas (hot water).=20

The fight between the two families continued until intervened = by Mat=20 Sawar. Following reconciliation, all three decided to turn = themselves into=20 their present forms.=20

Caves of Legends=20

There are several stories associated with caves. Gua Cerita = =E2=80=93 the cave=20 with a legend =E2=80=93 is actually two fascinating limestone = caves in the=20 northeast of Langkawi, one above the other, both facing the sea. = The story=20 tells of the failed ploy by the legendary Geruda (phoenix) to = thwart the=20 =E2=80=9Cmarriage=E2=80=9D of the children of the Roman and = Chinese emperors.=20

Gua Langsair (Cave of the Banshees)=20

is believed to be a haven for vampires.=20

Telaga Tujuh=20

are the seven wells believed to be the favourite haunts of = mountain=20 fairies who frequently bathed there in the absence of human = beings.=20

Tasik Dayang Bunting=20

What would an island near Langkawi be without a legend. In = this=20 case we have even more than one.=20

First Legend=20

One version has it that Dayang Bunting was a giant guardian = spirit that=20 kept watch over the islands. The lady's defenses include her pet = lion and=20 poison from the tuba root, potent weapons for her protection. = Hence, the=20 two islands closest to Pulau Dayang Bunting, whose silhoutte = resembles=20 that of a reclined pregnant giant, are named Pulau Singa Besar = (Great Lion=20 Island) and Pulau Tuba (Poisonous Root Island).=20

The story goes that, a group of rude merchants failed to pay = the=20 obligatory respects to Dayang Bunting as they passed by the = islands.=20 Rudely awakened by the intrusion, she summoned her pet lion to = despatch=20 the trespassers. She roused the spirits of wind and water, = stirring up a=20 tropical storm that unleashed its fury on the incoming fleet of = sailors.=20

The howling winds and tossing waves threw and dashed vessels on = Pulau=20 Jong (Junk Island), hence the remains of wrecked vessels. In the = stormy=20 affair, a cargo of black and white water buffaloes escaped to = Pulau Gubang=20 Darat (Land Stable Island) and Pulau Gubang Laut (Sea Stable = Island) while=20 the white buffaloes sheltered at Pulau Balar (White Water Buffalo = Island).=20 Yet other boats, laden with rice, was stranded at Pulau Beras = Basah (Wet=20 Rice Island).=20

Second Legend=20

The second version of Dayang Bunting is closely associated with = the=20 romantic exploitery of Mambang Sari, a beautiful female genie and = Mat=20 Teja, a male genie. Mambang Sari used to frequent the island = accompanied=20 by her maids. Their favourite spot was Pasir Teluk Air Tahun and = Teluk=20 Lawak. One day Mat Teja saw Mambang Sari and was struck by her = beauty.=20

He fell in love with her and used to follow her wherever = she=20 went. Once while on a lookout for her, he met Tok Diang an old man = from=20 the village. Mat Teja told him of his love for Mambang Sari but = just did=20 not know how to reveal this secret. He feared that his love might = not be=20 reciprocated.=20

Tok Diang asked Mat Teja to get the tears of a mermaid from the = sea and=20 to wipe them on his face the next time he met Mambang Sari. He did = just=20 that and when Mambang Sari saw him she fell in love with him. They = often=20 met at various places to enjoy the beauty and serenity of these = spots.=20 They became more intimate and as a result Mambang Sari became = pregnant.=20

She chose to retire at Tasik Dayang Beranak (Lake of Born = Maiden) to=20 give birth. Unfortunately the child died after seven days. = Saddened by the=20 death Mambang Sari took the child's body and threw it into the = lake, Tasik=20 Dayang Beranak. The lake later came to be known as Tasik Dayang = Bunting.=20

Some people believe the water of the lake possesses some = mystical power=20 of helping barren women to bear children.=20

Beras Terbakar=20

Kampong Raja at Padang Matsirat was the ancient capital of = Langkawi.=20 During the heyday of Langkawi the island's rice granary was = located there.=20

During the Siamese invasion of Langkawi in 1821 the Chieftain = of=20 Langkawi, Dato' Karma Jaya, ordered the granary to be burnt in = order to=20 starve the enemy. Remnants of the burnt rice could still be seen = today at=20 the very spot of the burnt granary which is known as Beras = Terbakar (Burnt=20 Rice).=20

The burnt rice is said to have been buried a few metres below = ground=20 but often appears on the surface after a rainy day.

This work=20 is licensed under a Creative Commons License. For more information read = our copyright = policy and=20 our disclaimer.=20
Additional travel guides are = available=20 in ten languages at wikitravel.org.
03:22:25

partner sites: Adventure Travel | Cheap = Airline=20 Tickets | Cruises | Virtual = Tours
Galapagos tours & = cruises=20