Puteri Saadong

Here is the story of Puteri Saadong, told by Professor Normala (my aunt, Kak La) to us on the day I dropped off her order of biscuits.  My emphasis on the prof bit, to add authenticity to the story. She couldn't be making this up, ok....prof and all.  As for me, who is only half Kelantanese, all these while I thought Puteri Saadong is a mythology like Puteri Santubong and Puteri Sejinjang who had long changed into mountains in Kuching, Sarawak .  To my surprise, she is real, like you and me.

When did the beloved by  all Kelantanese ruler ruled?  Way before Arwoh Mok? ( my Kelantanese great grandma I wrote about) Wow...thats long, ancient!  Arwoh Mok told me during her younger days, she went around berkemban.  That is in sarong fastened above bosom, without top.  I imagine the constituents of Puteri Saadong, going around berkemban under her souverign.

Prof  Normala, spoke with upmost certainty of the princess and her history. (that figures)  Kelantan must be the only state that had such a great and powerful woman ruler so...(that figures too)....that is why Kelantanese women are quite prominent in their state and are usually strong...(that figures)....they were empowered from the very beginning...by Puteri Saadong and later on by Cik Siti Wan Kembang, another great women in Kelantan history.  That is why, rarely Kelantanese women are taken for fools. Hmm...now I know...hmmm.....

The story goes like this;

Puteri Saadong was once a reknown ruler in Kelantan who was loved and revered by all and beyond.  Her royal husband was a Tengku Abdullah. They lived in power and happiness.

Alas, their happiness was shortlived.The Siam Emperor wanted Puteri Saadong and to do that, he and his army came to attack Kelantan.  To save her beloved country, she sacrificed her own needs and was willing to be pawned for the safety of her people. So she left Tengku Abdullah and Kelantan and submitted to be married to the Siam Emperor, with one condition, she is not to be touched.  Being a multitalented person, she can cast spells....and casted a spell on the Emperor to have skin disease that cannot be cured even by the best of healers. No skin specialist then.

Time past and the Emperor could not endure the ailment much longer and if Puteri Saadong could cure him, he would grant her anything. She wished for her return to her country and the Emperor, as soon as he was healed, let her go.

Puteri Saadong came back to Kelantan only to find Tengku Abdullah betrothed to another women on the throne.   Her unfaltering love for him did not seemed reciprocated in the same way.  ( a man is a man no matter where and when) She declared war ( being at the top does this to you)  and with her army, attacked Tengku Abdullah and his people. With her hair pin, she stabbed Tengku Abdullah (so sad, huhu) to his death.  Love at its most complicated.

After that she turned into a recluse and stayed in the mountains of Bukit Marak and after sometime,  turned into a 'orang halus' .  She became invisible but provided the people with crokery, (plates, bowls, glasses etc). I heard many times from  old folks that crokery those days were borrowed from 'another world'. I suppose human don't own much household items then. They borrowed for kenduri and return them after use. Unfortunately some people did not return them and this saddened Puteri Saadong. (poor queen)

For a long time, there were people who could still  hear the sounds of crokery at Bukit Marak, maybe even to this day.  It is there Puteri Saadong  last lived and became a legend in Kelantan, part mortal and part spirit, a bridge between the two worlds.

Allahu a'lam. So it goes  according to Kak La.