This glossary will show you what type of thing, clothes, and anything that in the novel, so the readers not confused about some props in the novel....

The Kris or Keris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger from the Indonesian Island of Java. Both weapon and spiritual object, the kris is considered to possess magical powers. The earliest known kris goes back to the tenth century and spread from the island of java throughout Southeast Asia..

There is some type of keris, melayu keris, sumedang keris, and many more, but in this story, will focus on the java keris..

Surjan is a clothes that only can wear for a nobles or civic apparatus, behind the simplicity of the clothes and the pattern, there is a ton of meaning and purpose of it. Right now, Surjan usually wear by most of people, and now there is a mandate for Civil Servant and teacher to wear this clothes in certain days, to maintain the tradition of it

Jarik is a cloth that has batik pattern, man or woman can wear jarik, there is a rule how to wrap jarik in our body, sometimes jarik can be a baby carrier in our shoulder, can be a blanket, wrapping a baby so they not move around, or wrapping a deceased body and many more, because it is not a clothes, skirt, or pants, it just a plain of cloth, there is a name the method of wrapping jarik, and it's wiron.

 Courtesy: Jarik Adik by Endah Herawati

Macapat

Definition: Macapat is a traditional

Javanese poetic form that combines verse and song. It is known for its

intricate rhythmic patterns and structured syllabic counts.

Structure: Macapat typically consists

of stanzas with a fixed number of lines, each containing a specific number of

syllables. Macapat follows a strict pattern known as Guru Gatra, Guru Wilangan,

and Guru Lagu.

Guru Lagu: In Macapat, "guru

lagu" refers to the ending of a vocal word within a line, which affects

the syllable count and rhythm. This concept is crucial in maintaining the

musicality and flow of the poetry.

Guru Gatra: Macapat also employs

"guru gatra," which refers to the metrical unit or line length, often

ranging from 7 to 11 syllables per line.

Guru Wilangan: Another aspect of

Macapat is "guru wilangan," which determines the total number of

lines in a stanza. Common guru wilangan values include 4, 8, and 12 lines per

stanza.

Themes: Macapat explores themes of

love, nature, spirituality, and moral teachings, drawing from Javanese cultural

heritage and mythology.

Kakawin

Definition: Kakawin is a traditional

Javanese poetic form that originated in ancient Java. It is characterized by

its highly structured metrical patterns, intricate vocabulary, and rich use of

mythological and religious themes.

Structure: Kakawin typically consists

of stanzas with a fixed number of lines, each containing a specific number of

syllables. The syllabic counts in Kakawin follow a strict pattern known as

"guru laghu," which dictates the length of syllables in a line and

contributes to the rhythmic flow of the poetry. −−−|UU−|U−U|UU−|−−U|−−U| U the

pattern of guru laghu, the symbol of – means a long syllable and U means a

short syllable.

Guru Laghu: Etymologically, guru laghu consists of two words, guru and laghu. About kakawin, guru means a heavy voice, a long and regular voice, while the word laghu means short, tight and light sound. "Guru Laghu" refers to the syllable pattern within a line, indicating the placement of long and short syllables. This rhythmic pattern, along with other structural elements, contributes to the musicality and elegance of Kakawin verses. Guru means heavy

Themes: Kakawin often explores themes

from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as tales of

ancient Javanese kings, heroes, and mythological beings. The poetry reflects a

deep appreciation for spirituality, morality, and cultural heritage.

Macapat and Kakawin are tightly bound

in religion, Macapat is bound with Islam, and Kakawin is bound with Hinduism.

Honestly, I don't know well about Kakawin. After all, in school, Kakawin had

never been taught especially in Java, maybe in Bali, because Kakawin is so

close to their culture and the poem grew rapidly in Bali. Kakawin believed in

Java from the 9th until the 15th century when it was the Hindu-Buddhist period

in Java and grew rapidly in Bali since the 16th century. Macapat started in the

17th century in Java, it started as a poem from Walisanga (The nine saints for

Islam in Indonesia) to spread the religion, using the local of Hindu-Buddhist

culture to teach moral teachings, love, and spiritual themes.

Kakawin used Aksara Kawi, not Aksara

Java nor Bali, Kawi is the descendant of both Aksara. The big thing is I am

still using Java language for the Kakawin or Varania's chanting, which Kakawin

use Ancient Java Language, and I don't know any words from that language, so I

will stick to Java Language, not the ancient one.