Candik Ala

I've read a book entitled 'Arjuna Wiwaha' recently. It was written by Sunardi DM. First published by Balai Pustaka in the year of 1986. The book tells us about the battle of Arjuna, the third of the Pandawa Brothers, versus Niwatakawaca, King of Imantaka.

Niwatakawaca, a giant himself, wanted to marry Dewi Supraba, a very beautiful goddess. If Batara Endra refuse his will, he threatened to destroy Kaendran (Batara Endra's palace) with full scale military assault. Batara Endra knew that even the god could not withstand the power of Niwatakawaca's army. Niwatakawaca was once blessed by Batara Guru himself when he was young.

Batara Endra then seek for a chosen warrior, that was said can defeat the giant king. His choice fell to Arjuna, his own adopted son, who lived as a hermit named Begawan Mintaraga at that time. Batara Endra sent seven goddess, including Supraba , to disturb Arjuna's meditation. This was done to prove Arjuna's worthiness as the chosen.

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So much for the story. When I read the book, I stumbled upon a word 'Candik Ala'. Suddenly, I felt so nostalgic. This word 'candik ala' has brought me seventeen years back in time. When I was a child, I often take a vacation to my Grandpa's village. I was happily playing around outside when my grandpa told me to go home. "It's already candik ala", he said. At the time I never understand why. Yet my grandpa pronounced 'candik ala' as 'sendekala'. Maybe it's the right pronunciation, I don't know.

It is said that 'candik ala' is the time when the sun almost set. It is also said that everything at 'candik ala' will look beautiful. Don't choose a lover in 'candik ala' cause everyone would looks beautiful.

I do admit that (almost) everything looks beautiful at ‘candik ala’. The sunrays cast a golden-yellowish color. Human skin would looks beautifully gold. I’ve seen a beautiful picture of a girl. Agus, a friend of mine, took the picture at Panderman. It was taken in the morning actually, but it still has the same effect.

Photographers like ‘candik ala’ (and of course its morning counterpart)when they go hunting outdoor nature or landscape photography. The sky and the clouds form an amazingly beautiful color of red, orange, yellow and blue.

Maybe this is why my grandpa forbade me to go outside at ‘candik ala’. Maybe because it was ‘deadly’ beautiful so that anyone could drawn in adoring its beauty.

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Sure that ‘candik ala’ is beautiful. To me, it’s a way more than beautiful. Nostalgically beautiful. Imagine yourself as a kid playing, running, through the banks of Serayu river at ‘candik ala’.. ..

Rumbai, 18 March 2005 1625