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The Origin of Majapahit


Asal Usul Nama Majapahit | Edisi Indonesia

Indonesian Folklore Website

The Legend of Maja Tree

Folklore from East Java


A long time ago, there lived a king named Raden Wijaya. During his reign in Tasik, East Java, he found many Maja trees that had fruits with a bitter taste. Thus, Raden Wijaya's kingdom is called Majapahit. Pahit means bitter. He reigned from 1293 AD to 1309 AD.

Majapahit, also known as Wilwatikta, was an empire in East Java, Indonesia, that existed from 1293 to 1527 AD. This empire was founded by Raden Wijaya (son-in-law of Kertanagara, the last king of the Singhasari kingdom). It reached the peak of its glory as a grand empire that controlled a large area in Nusantara during the reign of King Hayam Wuruk, who ruled from 1350 to 1389.

The Majapahit Empire was the last Hindu-Buddhist empire to rule the archipelago and is considered the largest monarchy in Indonesian history. According to Negarakertagama, its power extended from Java, Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, Kalimantan, the Philippines (Sulu Islands), Manila (Saludung), Sulawesi, Papua, and others.











Did you know?

Aegle marmelos, commonly known as bael (or bili or bhel), also Bengal quince, golden apple, Japanese bitter orange, or wood apple, or Maja, is a species of tree native to India, Nepal, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Myanmar. It is present in Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malesia as a naturalized species. The tree is considered to be sacred by Hindus. Its fruits are used in traditional medicine and as a food throughout its range. The common name "wood apple" may also refer to Limonia acidissima.

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