 Mahendradatta was known to be promoting the cult of Durga in Bali, and curiously later associated with Balinese legend of evil witch Rangda, which translates to "widow".Airlangga was born and grew up in Bali, groomed by his mother, queen Mahendradatta, to be a proper future ruler.In his teenage years his mother sent him back to her parents home in Java to be educated further in Watugaluh court, Medang, East Java, under the patronage of his uncle, king Dharmawangsa.