Savage and Surreal in Budi Darma’s: From Archives to Eternity

Among the archives at the H.B. Jassin Literature Documentation Center (PDS) in Cikini, five short stories from the early period of Budi Darma (1937–2021) are preserved in pristine condition. Encased in laminated brown sheets to protect them from dust while maintaining the integrity of their invaluable texts, these stories invite wide-eyed readers into the discovery of what feels like “new” works by Budi Darma. At the same time, they evoke admiration for the silent diligence of archivists. Encountering these five titles feels like stumbling upon a treasure trove of Indonesian literature, urging one to swiftly share them with the literary community.

Through exploration, it becomes evident that these five stories were never included in any of Budi Darma’s short story collections. Two were published in Majalah Tjerita in 1958, while the remaining three appeared in Majalah Horison in 1972 and 1975.

Budi Darma himself acknowledged the publication of his work in Majalah Tjerita in an essay titled “Pengalaman Pribadi dengan Nugroho Notosusanto” (included in the essay collection Harmonium, reissued by Gramedia Pustaka Utama in 2023). In the essay, Budi Darma recounts how he wrote three short stories—two of which are archived at PDS H.B. Jassin, with one still missing—for Majalah Tjerita. At the time, Nugroho Notosusanto, who served as the magazine’s literary editor, took home several submissions for review. As was his routine, Nugroho sifted through the manuscripts to select stories for publication. These piles of papers caught Budi Darma’s attention, as he was staying at Nugroho’s residence at the time.

“I stepped out briefly and borrowed a typewriter from Nugroho’s younger sibling. I returned, sat close to Nugroho, and began typing. In no time, I completed a short story,” Budi Darma recounts (Harmonium, p. 30).

In a single sitting, he managed to write three short stories, all of which Nugroho approved for publication. Unfortunately, only two of these stories—“Seorang Sinting di Kota Rembang” (Majalah Tjerita, Edition II, No. 2, February 1958) and “Parto Gombloh” (Majalah Tjerita, Edition II, No. 8, August 1958)—are preserved in the PDS H.B. Jassin archives. The third story has been lost to time. Despite the archived manuscripts listing the author as “Budi Darmo,” both Budi Darma’s admission and the unmistakable style of these stories confirm their true authorship, likely a minor typo in recording his name.

In “Seorang Sinting di Kota Rembang”, the story revolves around Sundojo, a teacher at H.I.S. who initially gains fame across Rembang, a small city in Central Java for his high status: “Among the fools, he alone had attained such a noble rank.” His notoriety peaks when he slaps a misbehaving child of the local regent, bluntly remarking, “Your father is the smartest of all.” However, his rise is undone by his own actions during exam preparations when he insists both male and female students stay overnight to study and pray. During these “prayer” sessions, Sundojo repeatedly harasses female students. In the end, “Sundojo’s house became riddled with holes from thrown stones.” Through this story, Budi Darma portrays the duality of his characters—a teacher who is both brilliant and abusive—only to have society turn against him.

The tale of “Parto Gombloh” is equally absurd, satirical, and cutting. One night, Parto Gombloh cycles around Johar Market on a borrowed Maharajah bicycle. Poor and struggling, his meagre earnings and savings are consumed by daily needs, leaving him unable to fulfill his dream of owning a bicycle—a luxury in those days. Riding the bike, Parto fantasises about owning it and occasionally dreams of having a girlfriend. “His imagination began to soar,” the story describes. He then encounters Jiyem, a woman who stops him and asks for cycling lessons. To his dismay, Jiyem rides the bike farther and farther away, stealing both the bicycle and Parto’s lofty daydreams. 

“Otak Parto Gombloh sekarang terasa panas. Panas betul-betul. Dia merasa gila. Di kesunyian malam dia menggila, berlarian-berlarian: “Mijem, Mijem. Cintaku! Sepedaku…. Sepedaku…. Eh, sepeda Karsan…!”

(Parto Gombloh’s mind felt like it was on fire. Truly burning. He felt as though he were losing his sanity. In the stillness of the night, he spiraled into madness, running frantically, shouting, “Mijem, Mijem! My love! My bike… My bike… Oh, Karsan’s bike! – English translation)”

The three stories published in Majalah Horison—“Bulan” (March 1973), “Abang Kandung” (May 1975), and “Episode” (November 1975)—further showcase Budi Darma’s mastery of unsettling narratives. Notably, these weren’t his first contributions to the magazine. According to Prof. Wahyudi Siswanto’s book Fofo dan Senggring (Grasindo, 2005), Budi Darma’s first story in Horison was “Kecap Nomor Satu di Sekeliling Bayi” (May 1969). The three newly discovered stories likely went unpublished in other collections for various reasons.

Budi Darma’s characters, whether in his early works or his later stories compiled in Atavisme (Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2022), remain profoundly complex and often disturbing. In “Bulan”, for instance, the narrative shocks readers with its absurdity:

…bulan meloncat-loncat ke angkasa, mungkin dia menyangka itulah obat yang paling mujarab untuk menghilangkan rasa pusingnya. Sayang, pada loncatan yang kesekian kali bulan terpeleset dan akhirnya jatuh di atas sebidang tanah.

(“…the moon leaped into the sky, perhaps thinking it was the perfect cure for its dizziness. Unfortunately, after several jumps, the moon slipped and fell onto a patch of land.” – English Translation)

The ensuing chaos attracts a crowd of onlookers. Amid their amazement, a depraved man disguised as a pious figure exploits the situation, groping a woman’s chest while openly expressing his lust. The stark contrast between appearance and intent is jarring.

This theme of contrasting characters recurs in “Abang Kandung” – Biological Brother. A student in Yogyakarta is visited by his older brother, who announces plans to renovate their parents’ graves. Their brief interaction exposes the older brother’s deceitfulness. As an elder sibling, he should embody compassion and virtue. Instead, he admits to stealing the narrator’s girlfriend, saying, “Parti or Marti, ah, if I’m not mistaken, Marti. I took her. If she hadn’t run off, I would’ve married her.”

Budi Darma’s writing relentlessly probes the human psyche, unearthing the dissonance between appearances and inner truths. His characters exist in layers—what is seen (phenomenon) often diverges starkly from what lies beneath (noumenon). This sharp psychological insight persisted throughout his career, even in his final days.

In his essay “Mulai dari Tengah”, Budi Darma reflects on the role of sensitivity and imagination in writing. He acknowledges having an imagination that “often grows wild and uncontrollable.” This raw imaginative force permeates his stories, including “Episode”, a piece that challenges readers with its repetitive, almost mantra-like structure and unsettling atmosphere.

Set in a surreal hospital filled with peculiar characters, the story contains no overt action. Instead, it immerses readers in its eerie rhythm:

Ada meja-meja di dalam. Ada tumpukan-tumpukan buku besar di atas meja-meja di dalam. Lalu ada pensil-pensil, ada pulpen-pulpen. Lalu ada beberapa mesin tulis. Dan entah ada apa-apa lagi. Seorang perempuan berpakaian putih-putih bertopi putih pendek duduk di sebelah sana. Kepala putih-putih menunduk di atas permukaan meja. Tangan kiri putih-putih terbaring di atas kertas-kertas. Tangan kanan putih-putih memegang pulpen, menggoser-goser kertas. Di sebelah sana ada putih-putih lain bertopi putih panjang.

(“There were tables inside. Stacks of large books sat atop the tables. There were pencils, pens, and typewriters. And who knows what else. A woman dressed entirely in white sat on the far side. A white head bent over the desk. A white hand rested on papers. Another white hand held a pen, scribbling on the papers. Nearby, another white figure with a long white cap stood…” – English translation)

The repetitive descriptions amplify the unease, evoking a humming tension that resonates long after reading. 

These five short stories deserve to reach a wider audience. Reading Budi Darma means experiencing not only his boundless imagination but also his piercing exploration of human psychology. These previously unpublished works offer valuable lessons for both readers and aspiring writers alike.

The article was written in Bahasa Indonesia by Teguh Affandi, a book enthusiast in the Indonesian literacy arena, a promising Indonesian author, and a talented assistant editor at one of the Indonesian publishing magnates. The article was later translated by Desca Angelianawati for IDWRITERS.