Mahsuri binti Pandak Mayah was a young woman who lived in Pulau Langkawi, an island in northwestern Kedah, Malaysia, during the late 18th century.
The villagers at Padang Mat Sirat burned their paddy fields rather than let them fall into the hands of the Siamese.
Many Langkawi locals believe the legend to be true, citing the decades of failed crops that followed Mahsuri's death.
It is only at the end of the 20th century after the seven generations have supposedly come to pass, that Langkawi began to prosper as a tourist destination.
Mahsuri's descendants continue to live in Bukit, Thailand, and have on occasion returned to Langkawi to visit her tomb.