South East Asia's Panji Tales

The Panji tales are stories of the many adventures of Prince Panji (Raden Inu Kertapati), as he searches for his missing bride, Princess Chandra Kirana (Dewi Sekartaji). Their adventures undertaken in various disguises and with a range of different names, before the lovers are reunited. The setting is in East Java featuring a number of kingdoms such as Kahuripan (also known as Janggala), Daha (Kediri), Gegelang and Singhasari (Tumapel). (Photo : Kemdikbud) The tales are estimated have emerged in the Majapahit kingdom’s heyday in the 13thcentury and were spread by merchants along the trading routes, and became one of the most popular forms of literature in Southeast Asia. . Dewi Sekartaji, depicted in modern art (2019 Panji Festival - Kediri). Photo: Warstek According to Noriah Mohamed - researcher from Universiti Sains Malaysia - the influences of the Panji Tales also can be found on “ Sejarah Melayu ” (Malay Annals) and “ Hikayat Hang Tuah ”. In “ Sejarah Melayu ” (Malay Annal