Green Is Not Your Color
May 16, 2007
The sleepy eyes open and you wonder what is lined up for the day. Then you suddenly realize it is the first day of your long-awaited vacations. This ecstasy is truly divine.
There are different types of travelers. Some travel for relaxation like a spa getaways, some prefer adventure venues, some enjoy shopping haunts while others travel to understand various cultures and historic locations. The classification is vast but the aim is to learn and do what one enjoys the most.
Researching local history is something I cannot resist. In the western Java province of Indonesia lies the virgin beaches of Pelabuhanratu. Apart from the clear waters, breath-taking sunrise and sunsets, what attracted me most was the secret behind the room 308 of Samudra Beach Hotel. There are many versions of this mystical legend and the locals continue to firmly believe in it.
Nyai Roro Kidul or Ratu Laut Selatan, Queen of the South Seas ruled the waters of Java. Her favorite color was green and the swimmers who wore this color and took a dip were pulled into the ocean floor.Her immense beauty was more of a curse to her.
The King’s concubines loathed her and banned her from the Royal Palace. Still unsatisfied, they performed black magic to take away her beauty.Nyai Roro Kidul in despair went to the ocean. There, she felt welcomed by the cooing angelic voices of the mermaids and she jumped. Instead of perishing in the deep waters, she became immortalized as a Goddess. The cliff from where she plunged from is a made from lava called Karang Hawu.
Another version states that Nyai Roro Kidul suffered from a dreadful skin disease. It was the jealous women who had conspired to cast a deadly spell. The lonely, disheartened damsel had nowhere to go. One day, she dreamt that the only way to regain her complexion was to jump into the Java sea. Since she had nothing to loose; she plunged into the deep waters. Voila! The skin infections washed away into the salty sea and immortalized her.
She turned into a Goddess and till today resides in her kingdom at the ocean floor, served by maidens. It is also said that Sultans of Jogja worship this Goddess and perform the ceremony of marriage with her. This ensures their power to rule over their territory.
Room 308 of Samudra Beach Hotel is kept in her honor. The room is exquisitely designed in various tones of green. The way it is setup, it feels that the Goddess really lives there and has stepped out for a bit. Lush wall to wall carpeting, elaborately embroidered bedspreads and a well-maintained dressing table with bottles of creams, lotions and perfumes were the few things that caught my attention.The walls were adorned with the portrait of the Goddess with beautiful, sparkling eyes and long flowing hair coming out of the billowing waves. It felt so realistic.
There were beautiful artifacts neatly arranged and everything about the room felt so peaceful.This room is let out to people who want to sit and mediate. Sometimes they allow visitors like us to pay homage and rest of the time it is kept closed; away from public scrutiny.
Many would be brides come and offer their wedding gowns to the Goddess. They keep their bridal wear overnight and collect it the following day, taking in the blessing as they prepare for their journey into marital bliss.I decided not to take any photographs and disturb the sanctity of this mystical room. Even the Goddess needs her privacy.
©Nayna, 2007. All Rights Reserved.
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