Mahsuri (Malaysia)

Mahsuri is an urban legend about a young woman from Langkawi who was wrongfully accused and murdered during the reign of Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah II, between 1178 and 1800. Her family was originally from Siam (Thailand), and they migrated to Langkawi in search of a better life.

While her husband was away to join a war against the Siamese army, Mahsuri was accused of adultery by her village and executed. Before drawing her last breath, Mahsuri allegedly cursed Langkawi Island, condemning the islanders to suffer misfortunes for seven generations as retribution for their unjust treatment of her.

It is widely believed that the seven-generation curse of Mahsuri materialized soon after her death, as Langkawi was invaded by the Siamese army. Many villagers perished, and they were forced to burn their own rice fields to thwart the Siamese forces, preventing the invaders from using the crops as rations. During this tragic incident, the village chief was also said to have been brutally murdered by the soldiers. For years afterward, Langkawi didn’t prosper; it became known as a backwater place, characterized by crime and considered a haven for pirates operating in the area.

According to the legend, Mahsuri’s curse was lifted in the 1980s when her seventh descendant (or eighth, according to some), Wan Aishah Wan Nawawi, was born in Phuket, Thailand. Wan Aishah gained some fame because of her connection with the Mahsuri legend, and it was widely believed that her birth effectively ended the seven-generation curse on the island.

Nowadays, Langkawi Island has transformed into a prosperous tourist destination in Malaysia, and among the tourist attractions are the shrine where Mahsuri’s body is entombed, as well as the museum dedicated to her.

Read more about Mahsuri in Ghosts, Spirits and Paranormal Entities from Asian Folklore and Mythology (Book 2).