Pics: Jawa Demam Hilts

[A. G. Maisey]

Michael, I have heard this form of jejeran repeatedly claimed as a representation of Durga.

Can you tell me where this belief first arose?


In respect of Durga, I think it may be more correct to refer to her as one of the forms Devi.

Devi, the daughter of Himavat (the Himalayas), is the wife of Shiva.

Devi has many names,which refer to her many forms, attributes and actions, and as the wife of Shiva she is Shiva's Shakti, or female energy.

In her terrible form she is known as Durga, but it is incorrect to refer to Durga as Shiva's Shakti: Devi is Shiva's shakti.


In Jawa and Bali, Dewi Sri is the goddess of rice, essentially the mother of life, as she has power over rice. Her name is a compound of Devi (Shiva's wife, Maha-Devi, the Great Goddess), and Lakshmi who also has the name Sri, and is a wife of Vishnu and the goddess of fortune.Thus, Dewi Sri represents life and death, and good fortune.

I have only ever heard this form of jejeran referred to in Jawa as "wadon"---woman, however, it is my firm belief that it is a representation of Dewi Sri , not Durga. I can see no basis in Javanese traditional belief for Durga to be represented in a jejeran, on the other hand there is ample justification for Dewi Sri to appear as a jejeran.


Coming back to my original question:- where did this Durga belief first arise?