Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Exactly today 123 years ago, Soekarno was born into the world. During his lifetime, he was known as a figure who had great charm. Various things related to him have never stopped being discussed throughout the ages. One of them is about supernatural powers and mystical matters concerning him.
Since childhood, Soekarno lived in a Javanese era situation that was thick with mystical nuances. So, when he was born as a leader who broke colonial boundaries, mystical stories and other irrational things immediately enveloped him.
Soekarno did not deny it and instead admitted that he believed in things like that. He believes in good days, unlucky days, and talismans that bring blessings. He also said that many people came to him because he was considered to have a spiritual attraction.
In autobiography Bung Karno: Connector of the People's Tongue (1965) written by Cindy Adams, the proclaimer said that once a farmer came to him asking for water. The farmer believed that the water Soekarno gave him had miraculous substances that would cure him.
“He was sure his child would die if he didn't get medicine from me,” he said.
Soekarno also gave him tap water and miraculously the child did not recover for long. Apart from that, he once told me that there were pregnant women who believed that Soekarno's leftover food brought miracles. In the future, if the pregnant mother eats Soekarno's leftover food, her child will also be like Soekarno.
Things like this do not include other legendary stories circulating in society, such as the magic of Soekarno's command stick, Soekarno's transparent glasses and his ability to have a lot of money.
In fact, the Balinese people believe that Soekarno is the reincarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu. Because every time Soekarno went to Bali, it rained even in the dry season.
However, there was one moment that made Soekarno reflect on the logic behind this superstition and mysticism. This moment occurred when he was exiled by the colonial government to Ende, Flores, NTT, in February 1934. At that time, Soekarno was determined to break the superstitious prohibitions attached to him.
First, he broke the superstition of magical stone rings. So, the ring was given by an admirer in Bandung. The person said the ring was very special and brought good luck. Because the stone on the ring has liquid and small seeds that can float. This could happen, he said, after being immersed in black magic.
“Soekarno, I hope you remain at the top like this floating seed,” said the person.
While in Ende, Soekarno really believed in the magic of the ring. Until finally, one day he had no money. The only thing he has is the magical ring. In a pinch, he sold the ring to a merchant in fear that his luck would run away from him.
Long story short, the ring was sold for IDR 150. Days later, Soekarno's life was still safe. At this point, he felt he was free from superstition.
Second, when Soekarno broke the cracked plate superstition. Previously, he believed that he would not want to eat from a cracked plate because he would be bad luck if he did so.
However, in Ende that all changed. He dared to eat using a cracked plate. Again the results were nil. Soekarno's life was still safe.
“You are an inanimate object, lifeless and stupid. You have no power over my fate. I will face you. I don't want to depend on you. Now, I use you as my food,” said Soekarno.
Moments like that are proof that Soekarno's superstitions are just myths and mere coincidences. However, society's strong sense of mysticism has once again broken all of that. In fact, even after Sukarno died on June 21 1970.
Senior journalist Mochtar Lubis, who is also Soekarno's enemy, said that a week after Soekarno died, people flocked to look for Soekarno's mysticism for personal gain. Many people believe that everything related to the proclamation can bring miracles.
“Soekarno's mystical appeal is because he shook the strings of emotion, sentiment, irrationality that dominate the soul of our nation,” said Mochtar Lubis in Indonesia Raya (June 30, 1970)
The mystical search for personal gain continues over time. In 2005, Soekarno's mystical aspects were also used as a tool in a fraud case.
One that the site displays Online Law happened when someone bought a black stone believed to belong to Soekarno. It turns out, after being sold for IDR 8 billion, the stone was just a hoax. Then, there was also a land sale and purchase transaction in Banten based on Bung Karno's will. Again, this is a case of fraud.
Apart from that, in 2022 as reported Detik.com viral news about money with a picture of Soekarno that can bend and catch fire on its own. However, that's not true. Moving on from cases like this, khe name of Soekarno could be a double-edged sword.
Until now, people's minds that like mystical things make the story of Soekarno's supernatural powers continue to unfold. In fact, Sukarno himself had not believed in this for a long time. Stories like this are delicious as stories, but difficult to prove as facts.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
(mfa/mfa)