Wayang shadow theatre In Bali Part 12

The surviving main myth can be summarised as follows: Once upon a  time, the god Siwa was lonely, having cursed his wife, the goddess Parwati, and forced her to live as the demoness Durga in the Setra Gandamayu cemetery. Overpowered by sexual longing for Parwati, Siwa transformed himself into the frightening demon Kala Ludraka, and his sexual union with Durgaresulted in numerous demonic beings that instigated a widespread pestilence throughout the world. To restore the security and harmony of the world, the triple gods (Sanghyang Tri Semaya) Brahma, Wisnu and Iswara transformed themselves into three priests and created Wayang puppet theatre. Brahma became the priest Tapowangkeng and served as the dalang’s right-hand assistant; Wisnu became the priest

Salukat and served as the dalang’s left-hand assistant; and Iswara became the priest Lotatia and served as the dalang himself to perform the first-invented Wayang Kulit shadowpuppet theatre. The guardian gods of the four directions (Sanghyang Catur Loka Phala), that is the gods Indra, Kuwera, Yama and Baruna, became the musicians who played the four instruments of the Gender Wayang orchestra.

The performance Lotatia enacted showed Siwa and Parwati, forgetting their divine origin, becoming the demonic Kala Ludraka and Durga, and giving birth to deadly pestilence throughout the world. However, by being entertained by Lotatia’s performance, these demons were all reminded of their divine origin. Calmed, Kala Ludraka returned to Siwa, and Durga to the goddess Parwati. As their demonic spirits were pacified, pestilence vanishes, and human welfare was restored (Ramseyer, 1986: 200).