[Book] 15 Reasons You Should Read ‘Centhini – Kekasih yang Tersembunyi’

Traveljunkieindonesia.com – The Historical period of this story is approximately in 1630. Serat Centhini is an insertion of the larger chronicles namely Babad Tanah Jawi (The chronicles of Java).

Here are 15 reasons you should read ‘Centhini – Kekasih yang Tersembunyi’:

1. Centhini was a servant. The Serat Centhini is undoubtedly one of the most important works of literature to come out of Java, and in it one finds an encyclopaedic compendium of all things Javanese.

2. Twelve books of songs: Perang, Penggembaraan, Minggatnya Cebolang, Terjadilah asmara, Empat puluh malam dan satunya hujan, Ia yang memikul raganya, Buku Kesembilan, Alih rupa, Dendang awan mencari matahari, Pulau Besi, Termakan and Nafsu terakhir.

3. The main frame that builds the book’s story is the war between Sultan Agung, the king of Mataram, Central Java, with Sunan Giri who didn’t want to bow to Sultan Agung; God was his reason.

4. Cebolang, a very handsome — as beautiful as a silk young girl in appearance — boy that would make anyone men and women seeing him turned on mostly sexually, the only son of Syekh Akhadiyat and Siti Wuryan.

5. Religion is a very important thing in this book.

6. This book era was when Wali Songo; the founding saints of Islam, their child and grandchild spread Islam across Java.

7. Religion was always mentioned when the travel junkies introduced themselves once they met other people on their way, and so did the strangers. Often they met someone with different religion, yet they respect each other.

8. Other major discussion in this book is sexuality. The story of the Javanese life-journeys.

9. Free sex and homosexuality — man on man, women on women — are among the usual topics in this book.

10.  It is so blurred that we will find the contradiction between their faithfulness on God and their sexual behavior.

11. The power of women also stands out in this book.

12. Religion and sex, and despite the characters’ physical aims of adventuring, finding each other, true love, shame, etc.

13. It’s often referred to as the Javanese Kama Sutra. You will understand their orgasm style.

14. There was one true spiritual thing that each character seek: the knowledge of perfectness.

15. You will get more opportunities to love the real wonder of the Javanese culture.

Happy Sustainable Travels!

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