THE FAIRY PRINCESS OF GUNUNG LEDANG
The Gunung Ledang ( Mount Ophir) legend tells the tale of
the vain Sultan Mansur Shah of Malacca, who wished to marry a woman superior to
the wives of any other prince in the world. Obsessed with this notion the
Sultan decided to ask for the hand of the fairy princess of Gunung Ledang.
The Fairy Princess of Gunung Ledang was a stunningly
beautiful being with graceful my beauty movements that accentuated every curve
of her body. Adorned with silk and gold , this legendary resided in a cave at
the summit of Gunung Ledang.
The princess’s guardian Dang Raya Rani, one of the 4
beautiful fairies and a princess herself, was not happy with the Sultan’s
proposal. In order to dissuade the Sultan, she set impossible stipulations as a
dowry. The Sultan was given the task of acquiring a betrothal gift of 7 trays
of mosquito hearts: 7 trays of the hearts of mites; a vat of water from dried
areca nuts; a vat of tears from virgin maidens; a bridge made of the purest
gold from Malacca to the peak of Gunung Ledang and a bowl of his young prince’s
blood.
The cruel and impulsive Sultan agreed to the dowry and
severely oppressed his people for his own pursuit. Not even the sacred
relationship between father and his only heir could stop his madness. He was
willing to kill his only son in order to fulfill his selfish desires. Just as
he was about to plunge the blade of his knife or keris into his child the Fairy
Princess appeared. She swore that she would never marry a man who was so cruel
and capable of murdering his own son.
The Fairy Princess eventually wed Nakhoda Ragam, a renowned
seafarer. Unfortunately, that joyful union would too end in tragedy. One day,
as the princess was sewing, her husband surprised her by tickling her ribs.
Startled, she accidentally stabbed him with the needle, killing him
immediately. Heart Broken , she made a solemn decision to return to Gunung
Ledang and vowed never to set eyes on another man again.
Straddling the Johor Malacca border, Gunung Ledang is the
highest mountain in these southern states and can be accessed via the Malacca
or Johor route. The mountain plateau like summit peaks at 1276 meters above sea
level and offers a panoramic view of the Straits of Malacca and the Sumatra
coastline on a clear day. Nestled among the verdant mountain is refreshing
waterfall that delightfully cascades from the top to the foot of the mountain.
Gunung Ledang is ideally suited for picnickers’ nature lovers, birdwatchers,
rock climbers, jungle trekkers and those who seek nature’s raw splendor.
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