Ken Arok facts for kids

Ken Arok (also known as Ken Angrok or Rajasa) was a very important figure in the history of Indonesia. He was the founder and first king of Singhasari, an ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdom in East Java. Ken Arok also started the Rajasa dynasty. This royal family later ruled both the Singhasari and Majapahit kingdoms.

Ken Arok came from a simple background. However, he rose to become one of the most powerful leaders on Java. His life story is filled with exciting adventures and challenges. He ruled for about five years, from 1222 to 1227.

Early Life of Ken Arok

According to an old storybook called the Pararaton, Ken Arok was born into a poor family. His parents were Ken Mazim and Ken Endok. They lived near the Brantas River in East Java.

When Ken Arok was a baby, his parents left him near the river. They hoped he would be found by a richer family. A thief named Lembong found baby Ken Arok. Lembong raised him and taught him many tricks. Young Ken Arok became a very clever person. He was known for causing trouble in the area. Many people tried to catch him, but they never could.

One day, Ken Arok met a wise teacher named Mpu Lohgawe. Mpu Lohgawe was an Indian rishi, which is like a holy person. He patiently taught Ken Arok to change his ways. Lohgawe even said that Ken Arok was a special person, like an avatar of Vishnu. Ken Arok listened to his teacher. He then became an assistant to Tunggul Ametung. Tunggul Ametung was a powerful local leader in the Tumapel area.

One day, Ken Arok saw Ken Dedes, Tunggul Ametung's beautiful wife. A legend says that Ken Arok saw a special light around her. He told his teacher about it. Mpu Lohgawe explained that Ken Dedes would have children who would become kings. He also said that any man who married her would become a king. Ken Arok was already impressed by her. After hearing this, he wanted to marry her even more. At this time, Ken Arok already had a wife named Ken Umang.

The Special Kris of Mpu Gandring

Tunggul Ametung was a very strong and important leader. Ken Arok needed a powerful weapon to defeat him. He also needed a plan to do it without getting caught. Ken Arok decided to order a special dagger, called a kris, from a famous smith named Mpu Gandring.

Making the kris took a very long time. After several months, Ken Arok became impatient. He went to Mpu Gandring to check on the kris. The kris was almost finished and looked very strong. However, Mpu Gandring said he needed more time. He wanted to perform special rituals to give the kris magical power. He also wanted to make sure it would not become an evil weapon.

Ken Arok was very angry when he heard this. He knew Ken Dedes was expecting a baby. He wanted to take over before she had a son who could become Tunggul Ametung's heir. So, Ken Arok grabbed the kris from Mpu Gandring. He then used it to harm the smith. With his last breath, Mpu Gandring put a curse on the kris. He said that Ken Arok and seven generations of his family would be harmed by that very kris.

Now, Ken Arok had his powerful weapon. He moved on to the next part of his plan. He gave the kris to Kebo Ijo. Kebo Ijo was another assistant to Tunggul Ametung. He loved collecting krises and was known to show them off. Just as Ken Arok expected, Kebo Ijo showed his new kris to everyone. The kris was unique and easy to recognize. Soon, almost everyone in Tumapel knew about the kris.

One night, Ken Arok secretly took the kris back from Kebo Ijo while he was sleeping. He then went to Tunggul Ametung's room. Ken Arok harmed Tunggul Ametung and left the kris there. In the morning, everyone in Tumapel was shocked by Tunggul Ametung's death. When they found the kris, they blamed Kebo Ijo. This was exactly what Ken Arok had planned. Before Kebo Ijo could explain, Ken Arok harmed him too. He pretended he was getting revenge for Tunggul Ametung.

After this, Ken Arok married Ken Dedes. He then declared himself the new ruler of Tumapel.

Ken Arok's goals did not stop in Tumapel. In 1222, he fought King Kertajaya of Kediri in the Battle of Ganter. Ken Arok won the battle. He then founded a new kingdom called Singasari. The kingdom of Kediri became a smaller territory under Singasari.

Ken Arok's Rule and His Passing

Ken Arok founded a new kingdom and started a new royal family. He took the title Sri Ranggah Rajasa Bhatara Amurwabhumi. This means "The rainbow king of the universe and all lands." His family was called the Rajasa dynasty. The center of his new kingdom was in Singasari, which is now near Malang. This was about 50 kilometers east of Kediri. To make his rule seem more rightful, he said he was a son of Siwa, a powerful god.

However, Ken Arok's rule was short. Anusapati was the son of Ken Dedes and Tunggul Ametung. This made him Ken Arok's stepson. Anusapati had suspected for a long time that Ken Arok was responsible for his father's death. One day, he found out the truth. Anusapati then harmed Ken Arok. Legend says that Anusapati used the same kris of Mpu Gandring to harm Ken Arok. This was the same kris Ken Arok had used to harm Tunggul Ametung. This event began to fulfill Mpu Gandring's curse. Later, Anusapati was also harmed by his stepbrother, Panji Tohjaya, using the same kris.

Royal Descendants

It is believed that the kings of Majapahit came from Ken Arok's family. The rulers of Mataram also claimed to be his descendants. Ki/Kyai Ageng Pemanahan, who founded Mataram, said he had royal blood from Majapahit. This means all later Mataram kings were descendants of Ken Arok. He is also thought to be the ancestor of the new Mataram Empire. This empire was founded in the 17th century. It later split into two kingdoms in 1755. These became the present-day kingdoms of Surakarta and Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat (the Sultanate of Jogjakarta or Jogja). This makes Ken Arok and Ken Dedes the ancestors of all Javanese monarchs today.

See also

• Kediri (historical kingdom)
• Singasari
• Ki Ageng Pamanahan (in Indonesian)
• Greater India
• Indosphere
• Hinduism in Indonesia