Wonderful Indonesia Festival in Bangkok: Legends, Cultural Shows, and Scrumptious Food
Carrying the theme: “The Never Ending Story of Magical Lands and Legends", the festival will take place at Bangkok's shopping complex Central World Square from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Indonesia's specially selected artists will perform during the three-day festival. These are the well-loved Yogyakarta-based theater group Papermoon Puppet from Central Java, the Jakarta-based vocal-violinist band Kamila from the capital city, the Cirebon-based rapper group Project Qiu from West Java, the Banten-based dance group Sanggar Bina Seni Tari Raksa Budaya, the carnival team from Malang Amore Carnival, East Java, as well as Bandung's popular performers DJ Ninoy, percussion group Kartwel Nusantara, and Patrakomala band.
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While Thai artist, Pinky Sawika Chaiyadech will also join the performance during the festival.
They all are set to entertain Bangkok's public with story-telling and performing five of Indonesia's folklores namely the Legend of Lake Toba in North Sumatra, the Legend of Lutung Kasarung, the legendary gibbon, the Legend of Roro Jonggrang in the construction of the elegant Prambanan temple complex, the Legend of Keris Mpu Gandring, and the Legend of the Barong from Bali.
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In the Legend of Roro Jonggrang, for example, performers will explore the story of Prince Bandung Bondowoso who had fallen madly in love with Roro Jonggrang , which story is believed to be the origin of the creation of the Prambanan temples.
Photo source: www.indonesia-heritage.net
According to local legend, there was once a Prince named Bandung Bondowoso who had fallen deeply in love with princess Roro Jonggrang and desired to take her as his wife. Unfortunately, the princess rejected his proposal because Bondowoso had killed her father, King Boko, in order to rule the kingdom. Since Bondowoso kept pressuring her to marry him, she agreed on one condition,that he build a thousand temples in one night. This he complied. As the thousand temples were about to be completed even before the break of dawn, Loro Jonggrang quickly called together her maidens to start pounding rice, which will normally wake up roosters to start crowing, indicating that dawn had arrived. With just a few temples short of a thousand, Bondowoso had thus failed in his efforts to win her. He was enraged and in revenge turned Loro Jonggrang into a statue. Which is the statue that still stands until today in the main temple of Prambanan.
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Next to stage performances, the festival will indulge visitors with a large spread of Indonesian food and beverages presented with a live-cooking concept, Popular dishes presented will be the Bakso or Meatball Soup, hot ginger based beverages such as Bandrek and Bajigur, Not missing are Indonesia's renowned and well-loved dishes of Nasi Goreng or Fried Rice, award winning Beef Rendang, Soto, Satay, and Sambal.
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At the Wonderful Indonesia Festival as presented by the Ministry of Tourism, visitors will further be able to explore the country's cultural heritage through a fashion and crafts market, as well as through interactive discussions and workshops.
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