Badang : The Strongest Man

Badang

Introduction

Badang was a powerful man from the Malay world who lived in Sungai Batu Pahat, Malaysia. He was active in the courts of the Raja Sri Wikrama of the Kingdom Of Singapura. He was also associated with various historical artefacts, such as the Singapore Stone.

According to a legend, Badang was a slave who had been tasked with clearing the forest for his owner. He caught a genie in his net at the Singapore River. In exchange for his freedom, the latter agreed to let him be the strongest man in the land. Upon eating the genie’s vomit, Badang became very strong and could uproot trees effortlessly.

Physical Traits

Initially, Badang was a weak and hunchbacked man who was very thin and frail. After the encounter with the genie, he transformed into a muscular, tall and powerful young man.

Family

Badang was a Malay boy from Malaysia’s Batu Pahat River. He was the only son of two farmers who worked hard until their deaths. When he was young, he worked as a coolie for a rich farmer named Orang Kaya Nira Sura in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Despite being a slave, Badang had royal blood as he reportedly descended from a prince from the Bugis tribe who married a woman from the Malay community in Bintan. His father, on the other hand, was from the Ming Dynasty. Legend has it that his lineage came from the blood of a Chinese prince who married a woman from the same tribe. Badang eventually became the army chief of the Sultan of Johor. His descendant was Hang Mahmud, whose family had also been involved in the wars in Malacca and Johor. Hang Tuah, son of Hang Mahmud, was a legend who is regarded as a great warrior.

Powers and Abilities

Badang caught the attention of King Seri Rana Wikrama, who summoned him to court. After he was appointed as the commander-in-chief, he was sent to face off against another strong man from India. The king from India then sent his own champion, known as Bijaya Pikrama, to face off against Badang. The winner of the duel would be able to lift a huge rock in front of the palace. During the duel, Badang managed to raise the stone and threw it into the Singapore River.

Modern Day Influence

Both Malaysia and Singapore claim Badang as their own cultural hero with both countries still celebrating his heroics. Many television and storybook versions of the adventures of Badang have been created and passed on to the younger generation even today. A portion of the  famed Singapore Stone is on display at the National Museum of Singapore. Badang’s grave is located in Buru Island, Indonesia