Anak Bajang Herds the Wind: A Novel

A powerful new reimagining of the ancient Ramayana epic!

Long before the age of men, the sage Wisrawa journeys to the kingdom of Alengka to seek the hand of Princess Sukesi for his lovesick son. But when Wisrawa sees the princess, his passion for her overwhelms his wisdom and their forbidden union unleashes a cosmic imbalance that shakes the heavens. Cursed by the gods, exiled from their kingdoms and shadowed by remorse, Wisrawa and Sukesi's tragedy becomes the origin of all human conflict and suffering—the eternal struggle between divine understanding and earthly desires.

At the center of this Javanese version of the tale is Anak Bajang, the misshapen dwarf child, a mysterious, unseen being whose presence restores balance to a world shaken by chaos. Neither god nor hero, Anak Bajang embodies innocence, sincerity and strength—representing those who strive for purity despite their flaws and who, despite futility, continue to seek meaning—by herding the wind.

Drawing on Javanese retellings of the Ramayana, Sindhunata weaves poetry, myth and philosophy into a visionary epic where gods test mortals, beauty turns to ruin, and even demons yearn for grace. A work of spellbinding imagery and spiritual resonance, Anak Bajang Herds the Wind reveals how the winds of passion and remorse drive both gods and humans and how, from their collision, our world is born.