Terrifying to behold, the child-eating Rangda leads an army of evil witches against the leader of the forces of good — Barong.

Rangda is important in Balinese culture, and performances depicting her struggles with Barong or with Airlangga are popular tourist attractions as well as traditions.

Rangda is known as a Leyak queen, the incarnation of Calon Arang, the legendary witch that wreaked havoc in ancient Java during the reign of Airlangga in the late 10th century.

It is said that Calon Arang was a widow, who had mastered the art of black magic, who often damaged farmers' crops and caused disease to come.

Because of the difficulties faced by her daughter, Calon Arang was angry and she intended to take revenge by kidnapping a young girl.

The story goes that Mahendradatta, the mother of Airlangga, was condemned and exiled by the king, Udayana, for allegedly practicing witchcraft and black magic.

She proceeded to take her revenge by killing off half the kingdom, which by then belonged to her and Dharmodayana's son Airlangga, with a plague before being overcome by a holy man.