Barong dance is a style of traditional Balinese and Javanese dance from Bali and Java, Indonesia. The dance demonstrates about the mythological depiction of animals that have supernatural powers and could protect humans. Barong is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda, the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders in the mythological traditions of Bali. The Barong dance featured battle between Barong and Rangda to represent the eternal battle between good and evil.
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STORY
In the village of Girah in the Kediri Kingdom long ago, in what is now Indonesia, lived a very cruel widow named Calon Arang, a witch and a black magician. She had a beautiful daughter named Ratna Manggali. But because of her ruthless nature, the people of Girah are afraid of Calon Arang, and so, Ratna Manggali had no suitors. Knowing this, Calon Arang became furious, holding all of the people in the village responsible. She decided to place a curse on Girah, and performed a dark ceremony in the cemetery by offering the sacrifice of a young girl to the Goddess Durga. Durga came down and granted the request of Calon Arang and the curse came true. A flood engulfed the village and took many people's lives. Afterward, many of the survivors became very sick with an incurable plague and died.
Word of this finally reached Airlangga, the King of Kediri, at the Royal Palace. After learning about the evil actions of Calon Arang, King Airlangga sent his army to Girah to kill her, but she was so powerful that the army had to retreat, and many of the king's soldiers were killed.
Many days after pondering the situation, King Airlangga asked his advisor, Mpu Bharadah, for help. Mpu Bharadah sent his disciple Mpu Bahula to propose to Ratna Manggali. The marriage proposal was accepted, and Mpu Bahula and Ratna Manggali hosted a marriage ceremony that lasted for seven days and seven nights. The celebration pleased Calon Arang very much as Ratna Manggali and Mpu Bahula also loved each other.
Not long after, Ratna Manggali told Bahula that Calon Arang kept a magic scroll somewhere in her room and performed ceremonies in the cemetery every night. So, at midnight, Bahula went to the place where Calon Arang lived. That night, Calon Arang slept very deeply due to the seven days and seven nights of partying at her daughter's wedding. Bahula succeeded in stealing Calon Arang's magic scroll, returned it to Mpu Bharadah, and told him all about Calon Arang's magic and ceremonies. Mpu Bharada told Bahula to go back to Girah before he was caught by his mother-in-law.
Bahula invited his master, Mpu Bharadah, to visit him in Girah. Mpu Bharadah and Calon Arang met in the Girah village cemetery. Bharada asked Calon Arang to stop practicing her evil magic because it caused so much misery among the people. But Calon Arang refused to listen to Mpu Bharadah, and eventually, she fought a fierce battle with the Kediri soldiers. Because Calon Arang didn't have the magic scroll, she could not beat Mpu Bharadah. She lost the battle and died.
Ratna Manggali wept when she found out that her mother had died, because despite Calon Arang's evil, she had always been good to her daughter. However, Ratna Manggali realized that her mother's death was for the best. Since then, the village of Girah has been happy and safe and secure.
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The Barong is a type of mythical lion, which is a popular dance in Bali. The dance originated from the Gianyar region, where Ubud, the popular destination for tourist to watch Balinese dance ritual. Within the Calon Arang, the dance drama in which the Barong appears, the Barong responds to Rangda's use of magic to control and kill her to restore balance. In traditional Barong dance performances, he is portrayed in his struggles against Rangda, it is the popular part of Balinese culture. The mythical creature would dance along the street to the Calon Arang dance. A priest would throw holy water at it. The dance opens with two playful monkeys teasing Barong in a peaceful environment.