The Bandung Legend

It’s said that “Bandung” was derived from the word “Banding” (Sundanese) meaning to be contiguous or to be side by side. This is stated in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia: Balai Pustaka (1994) as well as in Kamus Sunda-Indonesia: Pustaka Setia (1996). Some said “Bandung” was derived from the word “Bandeng” meaning to be wide. In Sundanese, “ngabandeng” means a wide puddle of water. Some other said “Bandung” was derived from the word “Bendung” meaning dam. It’s told that the Citarum Purba River located Padalarang was dammed by lava coming from Mount Tangkuban Parahu Purba. As a result, the area between Padalarang and Cicalengka, and between Mount Tangkuban Parahu Purba and Soreang was flooded and became a large lake which was later called the Bandung Lake or the Bandung Purba Lake. Based on geological research, the flood started to subside gradually in Neolithic Age (± 8000-7000 BC).
It’s told that Mount Tangkuban Parahu (upside down boat) was the reflection of unfulfilled love of a physically strong son, Sangkuriang. It was also narrated that the story of Tangkuban Parahu began long time ago when Sunda was ruled by a king whose daughter was smart and beautiful called Dayang Sumbi. Dayang Sumbi was spoiled and short temper.
Dayang Sumbi unintentionally dropped her ball of twine when she was knitting one day. She was really mad at herself for being careless and said that one who took her the twine would be her sister if she’s a woman and her husband if he’s a man. Surprisingly, a male dog took it. Somehow, the dog was a cursed god sent from above to the earth. Dayang Sumbi had to keep her words and finally married the dog named Tumang.
They, Dayang Sumbi and Tumang, lived together merrily and had a son named Sangkuriang. As he was a son of god, Sangkuriang inherited supernatural power possessed by god.
One day, Dayang Sumbi had Sangkuriang get her deer liver for a ceremony. Soon, Sangkuriang went hunting to a jungle accompanied by his dog which was his father, Tumang. They explored all over the jungle, yet they couldn’t find any deer. Having all day long explored the jungle without anything to bring home, Sangkuriang began to panic. He’s afraid his mother would get mad at him because he couldn’t bring her deer liver. In his hopelessness, Sangkuriang took his arrow, shot Tumang and got his liver. Sangkuriang soon went home with Tumang’s liver on his hand.
Dayang Sumbi, saw him in wonder when he came home without Tumang and asked him where the dog was. Sangkuriang told her that Tumang is killed by a tiger; however, Dayang Sumbi wasn’t all that easy to believe, she kept questioning about Tumang. Finally, Sangkuriang told her the truth. She completely lost her temper just after Sangkuriang told her what he’d done to Tumang that she couldn’t control of herself and hit Sangkuriang’s head with the dipper she was holding. As a result, Sangkuriang ran away from her while she could only cry regretting things were going.

***

Time went by; Sangkuriang grew up and turned into a very good-looking and brave man. One day, he met a really beautiful woman. Sangkuriang didn’t know that the woman was his own mother, Dayang Sumbi, as well as she didn’t that finally Sangkuriang proposed marriage to her. A day just before wedding, Dayang Sumbi just noticed that Sangkuriang was her son. When she combed Sangkuriang’s hair, she found a scar on a part of his head which she hit before Sangkuriang ran away. She was definitely surprised. She told Sangkuriang that she was his own mother and tried to cancel the marriage; howover, Sangkuriang didn’t believe her. Dayang Sumbi finally proposed Sangkuriang a requirement impossible for him to do that she could easily cancel the marriage when Sangkuriang failed to fulfill the requirement. She asked him to make her a lake and a boat which were to be accomplished before the dawn came around. With his supernatural power and being helped by genies, he started doing these two projects. He dammed up the river with logs, stones, and mud. The river got stuck and shaped a big lake. Sangkuriang, then, cut down a big tree and started to make a boat. In the meantime, Dayang Sumbi pled the gods in heaven for the sun rise sooner than ever. Her request was granted that the genies disappeared for the dawn had come around. As a result, Sangkuriang failed in fulfilling the requirement offered by Dayang Sumbi. Sangkuriang got mad at himself, and kicked the undone boat that it became upside down. He dressed down the gods that they got angered and made the earth swallow him. At that moment, Sangkuriang realized that he was wrong.
It’s said that the upside down boat gradually became a mountain which people now call it Mount Tangkuban Parahu (upside down boat).

***
The End