Roro Anteng and Joko Tengger: The Legend Behind Yadnya Kasada

TIMESINDONESIA, MALANG – The annual ritual of Yadnya Kasada is more than a religious offering it is a living echo of an ancient promise made by Roro Anteng and Joko Seger, the legendary founders of the Tenggerese people.

Today, this tradition continues as an act of gratitude, sacrifice, and spiritual connection between the Tenggerese, their ancestors, and the sacred volcano they call home.

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The Lovey Dovey Story of Roro Anteng and Joko Seger

The story strat when long ago, in the final years of the Majapahit Kingdom, a noblewoman named Roro Anteng fled the unrest that plagued the once-glorious empire. Accompanied by her husband, Joko Seger, a man of Brahmin descent, the couple journeyed eastward in search of peace.

They eventually found it in the misty highlands surrounding what is now Mount Bromo, where they settled and gained the respect of the local people.

With their kindness and wisdom, Roro Anteng and Joko Seger became beloved leaders of the community. Under their guidance, the land grew prosperous, and the people lived in harmony.

However, despite all their blessings, one sorrow remained, they were unable to have children. Years passed, and their longing grew deeper, until they decided to pray to the mountain gods for a miracle.

Climbing to the top of Mount Bromo, Roro Anteng and Joko Seger offered heartfelt prayers and sacrifices to the divine beings believed to reside in the volcano.

The gods heard their plea and promised them many children but under one condition: the couple must sacrifice their last-born child as an offering back to the mountain. With heavy hearts, they agreed.

In time, Roro Anteng gave birth not to one or two, but twenty-five children. Their joy was beyond measure. The community flourished with the presence of the royal family’s growing lineage.

Yet as the years passed and their youngest son, Raden Kusuma, grew older, the couple’s fear and sadness returned. The time had come to fulfill their promise to the gods.

Unable to bear the thought of losing their beloved child, Roro Anteng and Joko Seger tried to hide Raden Kusuma from the gods’ will. But divine promises cannot be broken without consequence.

The mountain shook with rage, and Mount Bromo erupted, spewing fire and smoke into the sky. In the chaos, Raden Kusuma was taken—swallowed by the volcanic crater.

Before vanishing, Raden Kusuma is said to have spoken from within the mountain. He did not curse his fate, but instead made a final request: that his family and descendants honor the gods each year with offerings, as a sign of gratitude and balance. His words became a spiritual mandate that would shape the future of the Tenggerese people.

In memory of that tragic vow, the ritual of Yadnya Kasada was born. Every year, the Tenggerese people climb Mount Bromo to throw offerings—vegetables, livestock, money, and prayers into the crater. These acts are not only expressions of gratitude, but also a reminder of the sacred promise made by their ancestors.

The name Tengger itself is a tribute to their legacy taken from the final syllables of Anteng and Seger. Their love, sacrifice, and devotion live on through ritual, prayer, and story of Yadnya Kasada. And every time the people gather beneath the smoky sky of Bromo, they remember the child who became a guardian spirit, and the couple whose promise still echoes in the fire. (*)

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