Professor Noriah Mohamed
Former Principle Fellow at the Institute of Malay World and Civilization,
National University of Malaysia
The element of “love” has become a main theme in various stories that are usually not complete if not associated with love. Love can be about anything, as one expresses their love towards the country, parents, freedom or fellow human beings. This paper aims to study the definition of love as portrayed in various stories of Panji that first described the existence of a legendary prince in East Java Indonesia.
There are all sorts of love expressed in Panji, and they are not usually driven by lust. The love between fellow human beings is not limited to how they feel about each other, but is also about their relationship with the Creator and the love for oneself.
This paper looks at the relationship forged between Raden Inu Kertapati and Raden Galuh Candera Kirana as it is the foundation of one of the Panji love stories. With this unwavering bond of love, both characters are willing to face the risks in life with an intention to live together. Ultimately, love transcends all
(Presented in the 2019 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum : Panji/Inao – Preserving and Reviving the Shared Heritage of Southeast Asia, 20 June 2019, W Bangkok Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies and Department of Thai, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)