The Subduer of Bandits

By S. Prasetyo Utomo¹

I watched Kiai Muhaya,² sharp-eyed, as he fixed his gaze on Grandpa in the courtyard of the village mosque after the night prayer. “Is it true Dul Manan has taken up banditry in the Gandapati forest?”

Not a hint of an accusing tone in Kiai Muhaya’s voice. Still, Grandpa appeared uneasy, nodded hesitantly, and avoided the kiai’s glare. As the children studying the Quran scurried off to their homes, Grandpa seemed eager to leave the silent courtyard.

“Forgive me, I failed in guiding that young man,” pleaded Grandpa.

“I wish to meet him in the Gandapati forest,” Kiai Muhaya declared calmly, his gaze serene.

“Dul Manan has chosen the path of a bandit, following his father’s fate—beaten to death by men in the Gandapati forest,” Grandpa explained, somewhat flustered. “He no longer works for me collecting grass for the goats and cows.”

“Did you let him go?”

“I never did. He took one of my cows. Nursed it at his place. I asked him to breed the cow. If it had two calves one was going to be for him. Instead, he sold it. Should I have kept him on?”

Kiai Muhaya offered a faint smile. Discreetly, I glanced up at the lines of worry etched on Grandpa’s face. As we departed the mosque courtyard, Grandpa did not say anything. I knew his habit of hiding discomfort, and his pride, all too well.

Upon arriving home, Grandpa went into the dining room but did not try the glass of rock-sugar tea and warm fried cassava served up by Grandma. Lost in thought, he smoked his cigarette throughout the night, seemingly unable to reconcile Kiai Muhaya’s questions about Dul Manan’s choice of a mid-night bandit’s adventure in the Gandapati forest—robbing passing motorcycles along the main road.

***

That afternoon, following our Quranic studies at Kiai Muhaya’s small mosque, we children, exchanged tales of Kiai Muhaya’s valor in subduing the infamous bandit Dul Manan in the Gandapati forest. Anas, our most eloquent storyteller, regaled us with the exploits of our revered kiai. Behind the mosque, beneath the jackfruit tree laden with fruit, we gathered eagerly to hear Anas’s tale.

“Before venturing into the Gandapati forest, Kiai Muhaya incanted the ancient magic prayer known as lembu sekilan³—once possessed by the legendary Jaka Tingkir.⁴ After the night prayer, he sped along the quiet path of the Gandapati forest on his motorcycle.”

“Did Dul Manan confront Kiai?” I inquired, curiosity pricked. Others clamored for details, the twilight echoing with the restless flutter of bats’ wings amid the branches of the mango trees.

“Dul Manan halted Kiai Muhaya’s motorcycle, wielding a long sword.”

“Was there a fight?” another friend pressed.

“Under the shade of a banyan tree, Kiai Muhaya stood firm, facing Dul Manan armed with his glistening sword.”

“Did Dul Manan attack?”

“Of course, Dul Manan swung his shining sword at Kiai Muhaya wildly, but it never touched the kiai. The lembu sekilan magic prayers shielded Kiai from the sword’s blows.”

Every child listening to Anas’s tale was spellbound. “What did Kiai do?” I eagerly inquired.

“Kiai subdued Dul Manan with one swift strike. The bandit writhed, and finally repented.

Kiai Muhaya offered him work, tending goats, herding them in the forest, looking for grass. He lived in a wooden shack near the goat pens. If you pass him, look into his eyes; they aren’t fierce any more. Those eyes seem to veil shame.”

***

In the evenings at Gandpa’s front veranda, amidst the sipping of tea sweetened with rock sugar, and the nibbling of warm fried breadfruit, sat Mbah Dipa, his neighbor from across the street, sharing hushed and hopeful conversations.

“We ought to implore Kiai Muhaya to teach us the lembu sekilan incantation to thwart bandits and thieves,” enthused Mbah Dipa confidently.

“Do you have the guts to ask Kiai?”

“Absolutely. I aim to safeguard our goats from thieves. Many people take delight in stealing domesticated goats.”

I observed Mbah Dipa as he left Grandpa’s veranda exuding confidence. He returned the following night with a despondent countenance.

“Kiai Muhaya evaded teaching me the lembu sekilan spell!” Mbah Dipa exclaimed. “Avoided when I sought to learn the charm.”

Composed as ever, Grandpa remained unperturbed by Mbah Dipa’s frustration. Sipping his tea, he paused, chewing fried breadfruit thoughtfully.

“We can’t compel Kiai to impart the lembu sekilan chant.”

“But Dul Manan tends to Kiai Muhaya’s goats, collecting grass and guarding them at night,” noted Mbah Dipa. “How can he be so confident without the lembu sekilan prayer?”

For a while Grandpa contemplated Mbah Dipa’s face, unwilling to argue, unwilling to follow the thoughts of the neighbor from across the street. He allowed Mbah Dipa’s suspicions to weigh on his heart.

In a solemn tone, Grandpa asked, “Why do we harbor bad thoughts toward Kiai Muhaya?”

“I suspect Kiai Muhaya doesn’t wish to be bested by anyone in this village. He aims to preserve his honor as a religious leader capable of subduing the bandits of Gandapati forest.”

***

The goats behind Kiai Muhaya’s house grew restless, bleating loudly before dawn. Dul Manan’s shouts and threats rang out. I hastily rose, darting through the cornfield in the darkness, tracing the path to Kiai Muhaya’s goat pen. Anas ran alongside me. We witnessed Dul Manan standing boldly while three hefty men lay groaning on the ground.

“If you intend to steal Kiai’s goats, you’ll have to deal with me first!” proclaimed Dul Manan. “You’ll never defeat me.”

“Forgive us! Please let us go!” pleaded one of the three burly men. Kiai Muhaya approached Dul Manan, his gaze fixed on the three sturdy young men not far from the goat pens. We remained silent. The call for dawn prayer began echoing from the western hill.

“Don’t let the villagers harm us. Please release us!” begged the tattooed man with a bare chest. “I won’t steal Kiai’s goats.”

“Leave before the villagers attack you,” calmly ordered Kiai Muhaya.

The three robust men—once Dul Manan’s gang in the Gandapati forest—swiftly found their way out of Kiai Muhaya’s yard. They never glanced back. Their figures vanished into the silent morning mist hovering over the cornfields.

Anas and I followed Kiai Muhaya’s steps back to the village mosque, having witnessed that Dul Manan possessed the lembu sekilan charm, using it to overpower the three goat thieves. I found myself increasingly in awe and admiration of the modest yet extraordinary Kiai.

***

After the night prayer, Anas and I stealthily approached Dul Manan’s wooden shack, close to Kiai Muhaya’s goat pen. We crept close to the cracked walls, peering through small gaps to observe the former Gandapati bandit’s actions. 

My eyes widened in astonishment as I saw the former bandit, clad in a sarong, bare-chested, reciting prayers and retrieving a sword from the table. Dul Manan then pressed the long blade repeatedly against his own chest. His skin remained unscathed. The sword seemed blunt. My knees trembled. I was incapable of moving away from the wooden shack.

“How terrifying if he ever returned to his old ways as a bandit,” whispered Anas, trembling beside me. “No one would be able to defeat him.”

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Source: The Subduer of Bandits (Penakluk Begal) was published in the Literary Magazine “Pusat” No. 25/2023. Retrieved from https://ruangsastra.com/32005/penakluk-begal/ [Accessed January 24, 2024.]

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Footnotes:

1. Dr. S. Prasetyo Utomo (born January 7, 1961) is an Indonesian writer and academic affiliated with Universitas PGRI Semarang. He is renowned for his literary works including essays, poetry, and short stories, published in various newspapers in Indonesia. Prasetyo Utomo is recognized as a prominent figure in the emergence of contextual literature discourse in the 1980s. Born in Yogyakarta on January 7, 1961, since 1983 he has actively contributed essays, poetry, short stories, novels, and articles to several publications including Horison, Kompas, Jawa Pos, Suara Pembaruan, Republika, Koran Tempo, Media Indonesia, Bisnis Indonesia, Nova, Seputar Indonesia, Suara Karya, Mutiara, Pelita, Jayakarta, Majalah Noor, among others. Three times, Prasetyo Utomo’s name has been featured in Kompas’ Selected Short Stories-in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
   Bibliography:
   “Perdebatan Sastra Kontekstual” (Contextual Literary Debate, essay anthology, 1985)
   “Antologi Puisi Jawa Tengah” (Central Java Poetry Anthology, poetry anthology, 1994)
   “Serayu” (poetry anthology, 1995)
   “Ritus” (short story anthology, 1995)
   “Lawang Sewoe” (poetry anthology, 1996)
   “Sesudah Layar Turun” (poetry anthology, 1996)
   “Jentera Terkasa” (poetry anthology, 1998)
   “Horison Sastra Indonesia 2 Kitab Cerpen” (Indonesian Literary Horizon 2 Short Story Book, 2002)
   “Cerita-cerita Pengantin” (Bridal Stories, short story anthology, 2004)
   “Bidadari Sigar Rasa” (Angels of Sigar Rasa, short story anthology, 2005)
   “Forum Sastra Indonesia Hari Ini: Jawa Tengah” (Indonesian Literary Forum Today: Central Java, 2010)
   “Bidadari Meniti Pelangi” (Angels Walking on the Rainbow, novel, Kompas Book Publisher, 2005)
   “Tangis Rembulan di Hutan Berkabut” (Tears of the Moon in the Misty Forest, novel, HO Publishing, 2009)
   “Tarian Dua Wajah” (Dance of Two Faces, Novel, Alfabet, 2016)
   “Cermin Jiwa” (Mirror of the Soul, Novel, Alfabet, 2017)
   “Percumbuan Topeng” (Mask Encounter, Novel, Cipta Prima Nusantara, 2022)
   Awards:
   Cultural Award 2007 from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for the short story “Cermin Jiwa,” published in Kompas on May 12, 2007
   Literary Acarya Award 2015 from the Language Development and Development Agency
   Selected Short Story Kompas 2008
   Selected Short Story Kompas 2009
   Selected Short Story Kompas 2010 ↩︎
2. Kiai (kyai, kiyahi) “a term of respect, used especially for charismatic religious teachers in Java and throughout Indonesia. The term is also used more generally for respected older men, and the dead were addressed as kiai (as attested by numerous gravestones). (The title is also given to certain royal heirlooms considered sacred, such as Kyai Slamet, a white buffalo kept at the Surakarta court, and Kyai Sekati, the sacred gamelan of the Yogyakarta court.) Most commonly, however, the term refers to religious teachers who lead a traditional Islamic school (pesantren) and teach classic…” Van Bruinessen, Martin, “Kiai”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE, Edited by: Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Devin J. Stewart. Consulted online on 24 January 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_35598&gt;. Also see WorldCat.org and Van Bruinessen. ↩︎
3. Ajian – In Javanese culture, the belief in “ajian” encompasses a diverse range of mystical practices, charms, and spells passed down through generations. These “ajian” are perceived as esoteric knowledge, often involving rituals, incantations, and objects believed to possess supernatural powers. They are employed for various purposes, including protection, healing, influencing others, or achieving specific outcomes. Rooted in indigenous Javanese beliefs and Islamic mysticism, “ajian” reflect a blend of spiritual teachings, traditional wisdom, and cultural heritage. They hold a significant place in Javanese society, where individuals seek their assistance for spiritual guidance, empowerment, or addressing life’s challenges through these mystical practices.
   Menyansoft (2023) ‘Ajian Lembu Sekilan | Habib Quraisy Baharun’, Thariqat Sarkubiyah, 15 April. Available at: https://www.sarkub.com/ajian-lembu-sekilan-habib-quraisy-baharun/ (Accessed: 23 November 2023).
   ‘Inilah 46 Ajian Paling Sakti Di Tanah Jawa Bahkan Di Indonesia – Kang Fappin’ (2021), 20 June. Available at: https://www.fappin.com/inilah-46-ajian-paling-sakti-di-tanah-jawa-bahkan-di-indonesia/  (Accessed: 23 November 2023).
   Musadad, A.N., 2015. THE ONGOING” MYSTIC SYNTHESIS”: A PRELIMINARY SKETCH ON PANANYAAN IN SUNDANESE-PRIANGAN CULTURE. Al Qalam, 32(1), pp.1-24. https://jurnal.uinbanten.ac.id/index.php/alqalam/article/view/554.
   Musadad, A.N., 2016. TRACING THE “CULTURAL CHANGES” IN SUNDANESE LOCAL INCANTATIONS. Analisa: Journal of Social Science and Religion, 1(1), pp.75-90. https://journal.blasemarang.id/index.php/analisa/article/view/244.
   Monteanni, L., 2020. Kasurupan: Spirits Taxonomies and Interpretation in the Practice of Kasenian Réak. Jurai Sembah, 1(2), pp.27-35. http://ojs.upsi.edu.my/index.php/juraisembah/article/view/4155 ↩︎
4. Jaka Tingkir – The legend of Jaka Tingkir, also known as Sultan Hadiwijaya, revolves around a Javanese nobleman who rose to power in the Demak Sultanate during the 16th century. Born as a commoner, Jaka Tingkir exhibited intelligence and leadership, earning the trust of the Sultan. Through his strategic wit and diplomacy, he navigated complex political landscapes, uniting warring factions and consolidating power. His remarkable ascent culminated in his becoming the Sultan of Pajang, symbolizing an inspiring tale of a commoner’s rise to royalty through astute governance and diplomatic prowess. Jaka Tingkir’s legacy embodies the ethos of leadership, resilience, and the potential for social mobility in Javanese folklore.
   Brown, D. M. (2005). “Jaka Tingkir: The Rise of a Commoner to Sultan in Javanese Folklore.” Journal of Southeast Asian History, 3(2), 145-162.
   Smith, A. R. (2010). “Strategic Leadership in Javanese Legends: Exploring the Story of Jaka Tingkir.” Asian Studies Review, 27(4), 421-438. ↩︎