The Legend of Mahsuri

The most famous legend tells of Mahsuri, a girl, whose great beauty and charm captured the hearts of many men, including the son of the island's chief, Mat Deris, who married her. She was later unjustly accused of adultery with a travelling minstrel and was executed. With her dying breath Mahsuri put a curse on Langkawi -- that it would, henceforth, not prosper for seven generations. Fact or fiction, seven generations have since passed, and today, Langkawi is a flourishing international tourist destination.

A mausoleum (Makam Mahsuri) located in Kota Mahsuri in Kampung Mawat, Ulu Melaka has been built to honour her. Within this cultural and historical complex is a well, believed to be the spring that had provided water to Mahsuri and her family.

The Legend of Mat Chinchang and Mat Raya

They were two giants who dramatically transformed the landscape of the main island. Mat Raya had planned a grand feast to celebrate the engagement of his daughter to Mat Chinchang's  son. Unfortunately, the young man was caught flirting with another maiden at the party, an indiscretion that resulted in a raging battle between the two families.

Where the engagement ring was flung became known as ‘Tanjung Cincin’ or Cape of the Ring; the broken crockery became the village of ‘Belanga Pecah’ or broken pot; the spilt gravy became ’Kuah’ or gravy; Kisap or ‘to seep-in’ became the name of the village where the gravy seeped into the ground; and the Hot Springs at Air Hangat is apparently the spot where the pot of hot water was smashed. As for the two giants, they incurred the wrath of the gods and were were turned into mountains, Gunung Mat Chinchang and Gunung Raya. Mat Sawar who tried to mediate between them was transformed into the hill located between the two mountains.

The Legend of Telaga Tujuh

The Seven Wells or Telaga Tujuh are a series of seven pools that break the fall of the waters from the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang. The legend that surounds the place speaks of fairies who delight in bathing in the cool waters, which many people claim to possess soothing healing properties. A mountain prince who once lived near the wells tried in vain to capture one of these fairy maidens, but until today, they have remained elusive.

Gua Cerita & Merong Maha Wangsa

It was said that the emperors of Rome and China had plans to marry off  their children. The scheme was opposed by the legendary Geruda (phoenix) who saw the union of the two great powers as a threat to the other smaller kingdoms. The Geruda was determined to spoil the scheme; what it did was to abduct the Chinese princess and hid her in a cave believed to be on Langkawi Island. Geruda then attacked and destroyed the Roman fleet, which was escorting the Prince of Rome. The fleet was under the command of Merong Maha Wangsa who was believed  to be of mythical origin, the descendants of an indera (a minor god) and a gergasi (orge).

During the battle Merong Maha Wangsa summoned the help of Jentayu, the mythical bird of water. However, in spite of this Geruda still won. During the battle the Roman prince fell into the sea and was washed ashore on the island where the Chinese princess was hidden. He was later found by the princess's maids and the couple was finally united. Realising his failure, Geruda banished itself from the world.

Gua Cerita & Sang Gadembai

A long time ago there lived a strange creature in Langkawi, called Sang Gedembai, who could turn any human or animal into anything she wished. Sang Gedembai was feared and despised by everyone. Her evil powers made her the 'queen' of the island. Her wishes were fulfilled without question and no one dared to disobey her.

She could assume many forms.The Malay dictionary, Kamus Dewan describes her as a ghost and Encyclopedia Malaysiana describes her as a human-like creature with the built of a giant. Both sources, however, mention her ability to turn people into stone. Contrary to what we would  expect, the Langkawi Gedembai was a beautiful and luscious woman in her early thirties. There are other variations and interpretations of Sang Gedembai peculiar to various locations in Peninsula Malaysia. That of Langkawi's Gua Cerita is one.

Sang Gedembai's character was devoid of love or compassion and her deadly ability steered people away from her. Many of the islanders left the place and those who could not afford to leave lived in gripping fear. Survival instinct taught them to act docile and weak so that Sang Gedembai would not harm them. 

Sang Gedembai lived in a beautiful timber house that was built for her by the villagers. One day as she was walking along the beach of Tanjung Rhu, she noticed a cave and took a liking to it. This cave, called Gua Cerita, was already inhabited by a family but Gedembai turned them all into stone. For some time to this day, stones could be found in the cave in the shape of beds, tables, pots and pans, and of a man, woman, and three children. However, uncontrolled access and vandalism had diminished most traces of this proof of the legend. Could this be the reason for the sparsely populated cape at Tanjung Rhu?

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