The Legend behind Naga Mesem, Vessel of the Sea King, Sarindon in Hotel Tugu Lombok

TIMESINDONESIA, LOMBOK – Once upon a time, the tip of the Rinjani Mountain was believed to be Kayangan, the Heavens where Batara Guru, the Chief of Gods and the beautiful goddesses resided.

The sea in front of the coast of Sire on the other hand was where the dragons lived, under the reign of the Sea Dragon, the very powerful king of the sea. This sea dragon king was known to have a young handsome son.

One full moon, the beautiful goddesses came down from the peak of Rinjani to Sire coast, to pay tribute to sacred sites along this coast, including the ancient Hindu temples and meditation places of Buddha Mahasobya. In this trip, they stopped and bathed in the natural water source by the blue water of Sire Beach.

The princely son of the Sea Dragon, intending to bathe at the same spot, saw the most beautiful of these goddesses, and vice versa. At first sight, they fell in love, and the goddess decided to stay with the prince and bid goodbye to the other goddesses.

W hen the goddesses returned to Rinjani Peak with this news, Batara Guru, the chief of all gods, became upset. He then sent Dewa Surya (God of the Rising Sun) to persuade the goddess to return to the Heavens. Dewa Surya, famous for his charms, appeared every morning and showered the coast of Sire with his most sparkly rays to persuade the goddess to return to Rinjani. When the goddess still refused, the Sun God asked for the help of the W ind God, who would then send rain and wind to deliver beautiful songs to the goddess.

The Sea Dragon King was awakened from his sleep by these songs of the W ind God. He became worried that the goddess would be enchanted by the majestic sunrise over Sire Beach and would leave his son. As he was not capable of stopping the Sun God from appearing at Sire Beach every day, he then asked the help of the Mahasobya gods to send the Sun God away.

Dewa Surya, the Sun God refused to depart, since he was there because of the order of Batara Guru. The Mahaksobya gods finally compromised, and instead asked all the dragons, the citizens of the Sea King, to take turns to appear on the Beach of Sire, not to fight the rising sun, but to tell stories of happiness and love throughout the life-long marriage between the prince and the goddess, for the Sun God to deliver back to the Batara Guru.

The Naga Mesem boat of Hotel Tugu Lombok has been inspired by this folklore, and stands by every morning on Sire Beach to deliver beautiful, eternal love stories to the rising Sun God, to deliver back to the King of Gods who resides on Mount Rinjani.

The natural water source mentioned in this legend still exists until now, in front of the Sang Hyang Barong temple and between the Bale. (*)