Paranormal Pajama Party

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Episode 23: Rangda

Stephanie Summar

Queen of the Demons

“Rangda mask dance”
By Wiaskara - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87186886

If you've ever visited Bali, you've likely encountered the terrifying visage of Rangda in temples or during one of the many tourist-oriented Balinese ritual dance performances. Her fangs and bug eyes make for a great photo opportunity.

But there's far more to this fearsome female than meets the eye. In this episode of Paranormal Pajama Party, we get into the complex mythology and history surrounding Rangda, Bali’s demon queen.

The myth of Calon Arang

Rangda's story is intrinsically linked to the story of Calon Arang, in which a widow-witch unleashes destruction upon a kingdom. This story is often depicted through elaborate dance rituals, which are more than mere entertainment – they’re an important part of Balinese religious practices and cultural beliefs.

The Calon Arang story unfolds in East Java during the reign of King Airlangga. Calon Arang, a powerful witch, is angered when no man will marry her beautiful daughter, Ratna Manggali, due to fear of Calon Arang's reputation. Seeking revenge, she performs a ritual to the goddess Durga, unleashing a devastating plague upon the kingdom.

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The story culminates in a dramatic confrontation between Calon Arang, who transforms into the terrifying Rangda, and a holy man who becomes the protective Barong, a lion-like guardian spirit and king of the host of good. Their battle represents the eternal struggle between destructive and creative forces.

Rwa Bhineda: Unity in Duality

Central to understanding Rangda is the concept of "rwa bhineda" – unity in duality. In Balinese mythology, Rangda isn't simply an evil entity to be vanquished. She's an essential counterpart to Barong, and in their eternal battle, neither will ever emerge victorious.

This concept is a fundamental principle in Balinese religious practices, aimed at maintaining cosmic balance. The goal of many rituals is to achieve harmony in all realms of existence – heaven, earth, and the underworld. By paying tribute to deities or appeasing demons, the Balinese seek to ensure tranquillity across these interconnected domains.

Rangda plays a crucial role in this balancing act. Her mask, along with Barong's, is kept in the local Pura Dalem (death temple) and is used in various purification rituals. Interestingly, while Rangda represents destructive forces, she's often the one who completes these purification ceremonies, especially after periods of illness or death in a community. 

In these rituals, Rangda brings both disease and cure, death and life, demonstrating the complex duality she embodies. Her power to heal and bless is as potent as her ability to harm, reinforcing the Balinese belief that both creative and destructive forces are necessary for maintaining cosmic equilibrium.

In seeking balance, we have to acknowledge and respect both the light and dark aspects of existence, rather than attempting to eliminate one in favour of the other.

From Queen to Demon

Rangda's roots stretch beyond myth into historical reality. We can trace her origins back to Queen Mahendradatta, a powerful 10th-century ruler who brought significant changes to Bali. Born into the Javanese Mataram dynasty, Mahendradatta was married to the Balinese King Udayana as part of a political alliance.

Mahendradatta's arrival in Bali marked a significant shift in the island's power dynamics. Unlike previous Balinese queens, she wielded considerable influence, often overshadowing her husband. She introduced the worship of the Hindu goddess Durga and changed the official language from Old Balinese to Old Javanese. These actions made many Balinese uncomfortable with her growing power and foreign influence.

The discomfort with Mahendradatta's rule grew into suspicion and fear. Over time, her worship of Durga became associated with black magic and witchcraft in the popular imagination. Although there's no historical evidence of this, after her death, legends began to circulate that she had been banished for practising dark arts.

The social stigma of widowhood

The story of Calon Arang, a widow who unleashes a plague on a kingdom, bears striking similarities to the rumours and fears surrounding Mahendradatta. Both were powerful women, associated with Durga worship and alleged black magic, who were seen as threats to the established order.

The episode also touches on the challenges faced by Hindu widows, both historically and in modern times. The stigma and social isolation experienced by widows provide context for the Calon Arang story and deepen our understanding of Rangda's significance. While Mahendradatta was not actually widowed, her alleged banishment would have had the same social effect.

As centuries passed, the historical Mahendradatta and the legendary Calon Arang began to merge in Balinese folklore. The fearsome aspects of both figures, combined with the intense imagery of Durga worship, eventually coalesced into the demon queen Rangda we know (and fear) today.

The demonisation of powerful women

This transformation reflects a broader pattern of patriarchal societies’ tendency to demonise women who don’t conform to oppressive social norms.

Unfortunately, Mahendradatta was far from the last example of a woman in the region being reinvented for political reasons. During Indonesia's anti-communist purge in the 1960s, for example, the Gerwani women’s organisation was vilified and its members were subjected to horrific violence, demonstrating how female empowerment can be perceived as a threat to established power structures.

Throughout history, the portrayal of women in positions of power has often been tinged with fear and suspicion. Rangda embodies this uncomfortable truth, serving as both a cautionary tale and, increasingly, a symbol of female power in the face of oppression.

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