Here's a cassette from Ir. Soelarmo Dipl. HE and Widarsi Soeranto singing parts from the Sekar Harum story, an old story from the Blitar area in East Java.... The story goes as follows:
According to legend, this village (Ngreco Village) was once a dense forest. This forest was once passed by King Singasari and a group of princesses from the Kingdom of Kediri.
Once upon a time, King Adiwijaya of Kediri who was known to be powerful at that time held a contest. He challenges anyone who can beat him to be rewarded. If the one who beats a princess, then the princess will be made her son. But if the one who beats a man, that person will be married to his daughter named Dewi Sekar Arum Kemuning.
Many princes and kings came to follow the contest. But none of them managed to beat the magic of the king. Finally came the king of Singasari. The two of them are fighting magic. King Adiwijaya lost.
As promised, he must give up his daughter to the one who can beat him. The king finally told his daughter to give it to King Singasari. Dewi Sekar cried. He refused his father's will. But his father insisted because he had promised.
Finally, Dewi Sekar was forced to obey her father's will. The next day, Dewi Sekar was brought by King Singasari to his kingdom, escorted by soldiers from Kediri, led by Patih Jenawa.
Towards Singasari, the group passed through a dense forest. In the middle of the forest, Dewi asked the Patih of Geneva to stop because she wanted to pee.
The Patih of Geneva intended to take Dewi to find a place but was refused. Apparently, it was only Dewi's ploy to avoid marrying King Singasari. In the forest, he fled.
Patih Jenawa and King Singasari who were waiting were restless because Dewi did not come home. They are also looking for traces of the Goddess. The goddess who had run away heard someone calling her name. He also accelerated his run.
Unknowingly, because it was too fast, he hit a statue. Dewi bounced and died instantly in the forest.
King Singasari and Patih Jenawa who were looking for finally found traces of Dewi. They were shocked when they saw Dewi lying on the ground and was already lifeless.
At that time, they buried Dewi's body near the reco (stone statue) that Dewi hit.
Feeling guilty, Patih Jenawa told King Singasari that he would not return to Kediri. He intended to stay in the forest with his soldiers. Finally King Singasari came home.
Some time when they were living in the forest, an old man came. They were surprised that there was a group of people in the forest. The man named Mbah Sumejo asked who they were. The Patih of Geneva explained what had happened to him.
Mbah Sumejo explained to Patih Jenawa that he had come to the forest with the intention of clearing the forest to make it a place to live.
Because there was a reco there and there was a tomb of the king's daughter, Mbah Sumejo asked the Patih of Jenawa's permission to name the place Ngreco.
The tomb of Dewi Sekar is now known as the Pesarean Nyai Randha Kuning.
GET IT HERE
Enjoy!
