Putroe Neng: When the First Night Becomes the Last Night for 99 Men |

My photo in 2010, when researching about Putroe Neng.

The title above I took from the title of my novel published by Grasindo, a major publisher in Indonesia. The novel tells the story of Nian Nio Lhiang Khie, a beautiful princess from China who had 100 husbands. The Acehnese people know her better as Putroe Neng.

And her 99 husbands died on the first night in a deadly romance. In Putroe Neng's vagina there is a poison that causes all men who make love to her to rise in the world, except for her 100th husband because he managed to remove the poison before making love.

That's just a myth. However, I did a long research to write the story in a novel and until now, I hope that one day it will be made into a film.

EVERY time passing through Jalan Medan – Banda Aceh in Blang Pulo Village, Lhokseumawe, Aceh, road users’ eyes are more focused on the flames extending from the flare of PT Arun Perta Gas, the former PT Arun NGL which was once the largest producer of liquefied natural gas in the world.

At night, the former natural gas liquefaction plant appears to be flashing with thousands of lights like dancing fireflies.

The PT Arun Perta Gas plant is more eye-catching than the Putroe Neng Tomb Complex which is located right on the edge of Jalan Medan – Banda Aceh in Blang Pulo Village, Lhokseumawe. In fact, the tomb is only two meters from the edge of the road. About 200 meters to the north, lies the PT Arun Perta Gas plant which used to be a place for liquefying natural gas before being exported to Japan and South Korea.

Compared to the tomb of Sultan Malikussaleh in Beuringen Village, Samudera District, North Aceh, the tomb of Putroe Neng is rarely visited by tourists. The religious tourism location is less well-known. Apart from the lack of promotion, the name Putroe Neng is indeed less famous than Sultan Malikussaleh.

Putroe's real name is Nian Nio Liang Khie who came from China. She entered Aceh with thousands of Chinese female soldiers around 1024 and founded the Seudu Kingdom with the capital Panton Bie (some say Kanton Lee) which is now part of Aceh Besar Regency. Then, after converting to Islam and marrying Meurah Johan or Sultan Johansyah as the founder of the Aceh Darussalam Kingdom, Nian Nio Lang Khie was better known as Putroe Neng.

The story of Putroe Neng is indeed full of legends. Some Acehnese believe that Putroe Neng had 100 husbands. Each husband always died on the first night during intercourse.

Only the 100th husband, Abdullah Kana'an or better known as Syiah Hudam, survived. The tomb of Syiah Hudam is also located in Blang Pulo, not far from the Bukit Indah Campus of Malikussaleh University.

Unfortunately, the legendary tomb of Putroe Neng has received little attention. The Lhokseumawe City Government has not maximized the potential of this historical tourism destination. The tomb has not received proper care. Putroe Neng's tombstone and several other tombs are covered in moss. The carvings on the tombstone are not clearly visible.

The tomb area of ​​Putroe Neng measures approximately 20 x 20 meters.

Surrounded by about 12 starfruit trees and 14 areca nut trees, and one breadfruit tree. Of course, all of these trees did not grow during Putroe Neng's lifetime. With that many trees, it is no wonder that every morning many leaves fall. It is quite tiring for the guards to clean them.

Inside the complex, there are many graves. About 11 graves including Putroe Neng on the west side, and five graves on the east side. The grave on the east side reportedly belonged to a cleric in the past. Here, to the right of the grave, there is now a second-hand goods trading business which also reduces the exoticism of Putroe Neng's grave.[]