The high cliffs of Jawa's southern coast go straight into the Indian Ocian, which is a true proove of the power of nature, with it's big waves and currents near the coast. This is the domain of Kajeng Ratu Kidul, the mighty Queen of the South Sea, which should be the wife as well as the protectional spirit of the rulers of the Jawanese kingom of Mataram.
Following the 19th century chronicle Babad Tanah Jawi, the prince of Pajajaran, Raden Joko Suruh, met a hermit which ordered him to found the kingdom of Majapahit in East Jawa. Joko Suruh discovered that the hermit in fact was a beautiful Lady, and fell in love with her. She rejected him, because she really was his aunt Ratna Suwida, who had lived in the mountains to meditate ever since she was a young girl. She told the prince she would soon leave to the southern coast of Jawa, to be the ruler over the spirit-world. When the descendants near the Gunung Merapi - not far from the southern coast - founded a principalty, she would marry the successive rulers.
Generations later, Panembahan Senopati, founder of the second Mataram principalty, went back to the southern coast to prepare an attack on the principalties at the northern coast. Kangjeng Ratu Kidul, who listened to his meditation, promised to help him. During three days and nights he worked on the secrets of army and rule - and the difficult game of love - in the undersea palace of Ratu Kidul. At Parangkusomo, south of Yogya, he came to the surface again. The story goes that Ratu Kidul had intercourse with all successors of Senopati. Every year representatives of the palaces in Solo and Yogya honour her at this spot.
The first sultan of Yogya, Hamengku Buwono I, ordered the construction of the difficult fortress and royal court, Taman Sari, with low ponds, and tunnels, surrounded with an artificial lake. It can be said that this is a replica of the undersea principalty of Ratu Kidul. In the space below the surface, known as sumur gumuling, the sultan is believed to have contact with the goddess every year.

Appearance

The most holy dance of the kraton of Solo, the Bedoyo Ketawang, is showed only once a year to celebrate the day that the sultan ascended the throne. Nine dancers in classical Jawanese bridal dressing envite Ratu Kidul to appear and marry the susuhunan.
As it is told, the goddess appears as a slightly visible tenth figure at the floor of the nine dancers. The Yogyan version of this dance, the Bedoyo Semang isn't performed anymore.
A while ago, a popular movuie about Ratu Kidul was showed, a sudden violent storm started, which was involved with heavy rains. The show was stopped inmediately. The Jawanese who collect birds nests, only work in several months, but not before offering a buffalo head to the goddess. The luxury Samudra Beach Hotel at Pelabuhan Ratu ( 'Queens Bay' ) in western Jawa, always has a room free for the goddess at the top floor. Who wants to meet her can do that through a middleman, who takes care of the right sacrifices for you.
However the goddess has eternal youth, deceased sultan Hemengku Buwono IX swore that she acually does get older, but only at the first day of the lonar month, she is young again. Her favorite color is green, specially light-green, or gadung melati.
Her presence, expressed by a sudden strong wind, followed by a soft wind, after which the air is filled with an odour of flowers, was clearly experienced when Hamenbku Buwono X was named sultan in 1989. Not only by members of the royal family, but also by the spectators. Probably Kangjeng ratu Kidul still hasn't left the royal house.