Dewi Sri
By Aloysia Rarasningtyas.
My story is about Dewi Sri. Dewi Sri is an Indonesian goddess of fertility and rice, because we eat rice. The story is: Dewi Sri came to the earth, sent by a god to teach humans how to grow crops and to make the earth fertile. She becomes a princess, Sri. Dewi means goddess, so it’s Goddess Sri, but she becomes Sri in the human world. She has a brother called Sedana. The king wanted him to get married, but Sedana didn’t want to. The king became angry and cursed him to become a snake.
Sri was very sad because she loved her brother. She went looking for him, asking, “Where is my brother?” During her journey, she met a giant. It is a bad giant. In temples, they may look cute, but they are dangerous. The giant is called Kaladaru. He chases her. She is a goddess, so she curses Kaladaru to become a boar. He becomes angry but continues chasing her because he can still move and hunt. She calls out to the god for help. The god becomes angry because she used her power on earth. He tells her not to do that and curses Dewi Sri to become rice. That is why the boar always looks for rice and eats it, and the snake always chases the boar, because Sadewa, her brother, wants to protect her.
That is how it is. Dewi Sri is not someone people actively pray to, but every time rice is mentioned, it is associated with her, so she remains close to everyday life. People know her story. Her name is often used in families. Many people in Indonesia are named Sri. It represents fertility and growth, a hope that the child will be useful for others. The name Sri is usually given to girls.
