Arja dance tells of the need to love and respect
Arja dance tells of the need to love and respect
By I Wayan Juniarta
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): The beautiful teenage girl, Ida Ayu
Prihandari, donned in an elaborate and lavish Galuh costume of
the classical Balinese dance-drama Arja, appeared on the stage
playing an exquisite Balinese gamelan instrument last Saturday
night.
This eleven-year old prodigy, intensely absorbed in her
gamelan instruments, produced heavenly tunes on the chilly full-
moon night. Her body swayed elegantly, showing her prowess in
creating unison with the gamelan music.
Unusually, the intriguing performance was held on an
intersection of the four main streets in Denpasar where the
statue of Catur Muka, four-faced god Brahma the Creator, stands.
A few minutes later, a number of boys and girls from the
Sekeha Bajra Sandhi cultural group joined Prihandari in a series
of memorable performances of Balinese sacred dance, intricate
gamelan music and a recital of the Kakawin Sutasoma ancient
manuscript.
Kakawin Sutasoma tells the story of a prince who chooses to
live as a hermit and leaves his glamorous life as a king. He
sacrifices his own life to rescue other people's lives.
"Sutasoma is the perfect embodiment of Buddhist principles.
But, since he received his enlightenment from Durgha, the Shakti
of Siwa, Sutasoma is also considered as the perfect incarnation
of Siwa principles," explained Granoka, leader of the group.
The Sutasoma manuscript encapsulates Indonesia's state motto
Bhineka Tunggal Ika, or Unity in Diversity.
The Sutasoma story was staged to arouse people's compassionate
and selfless love. The heroic story, Puputan Badung, was also
enacted as a reminder of the nation's heroes and heroines.
What a remarkable show! The performances, usually staged by
accomplished adult artists during certain important events, were
perfectly presented by a group of talented junior artists.
Their one-and-a-half hour awesome performance enthralled an
audience of hundreds, including high-ranking government
officials, including the Bali's governor, Denpasar Mayor and
other officials.
"It was so magnificent. There is no proper word to express my
feeling. These children... our children's devotion to nurturing
our traditional arts has belittled me," praised Denpasar Mayor
Anak Agung Puspayoga, adding that he was also moved by the
children's efforts to convey messages of peace, harmony and
unity.
Their messages clearly voiced the need to love and respect all
God's creatures and to sacrifice one's self for his/her beloved
country.
Noted expert on ancient Balinese literature, Ketut Sumarta,
pointed out that each dance movement, song and music piece were
wrapped delicately to convey those messages.
The choice of the stage had religious and symbolic meaning,
Sumarta explained. The location of the Catur Muka statue is
considered to be the center point of the island of Bali.
The Balinese Hindus believe that intersections in streets are
spiritual gates for gods, holy spirits and evil creatures to
enter the world of humans.
"So, it entirely depends on us whether we will prevent or ban
evil spirits or gods from entering our lives," Sumarta added.
Before the performance took place. Two Hindu high priests, Ida
Pedanda Jelantik Duaja from Budakeling and Ida Pedanda Gede
Singarsa from Karangasem, conducted a special ritual to
spiritually measure the size of the stage and to purify the stage
area from any bad influences.
Both priests are qualified shadow puppet masters who often
recite and stage Kakawin Sutasoma and the Ramayana epic.
What's even more interesting, the two high priests come from
different Hindu sects. Ida Pedanda Jelantik Duaja is a Pendada
Boda, meaning he is a follower of a Buddhist sect of Hinduism,
while Ida Pedanda Singarsa is a Pendada Siwa from the Siwa sect
of Hinduism.
Their collaborative work was proof that while differences
exist in the religious arena, people can still show their sense
of unity and togetherness.
The performance itself would not have occurred without the
meticulous efforts of Ida Wayan Oka Granoka, leader of the Sekeja
Bajra Sandhi which was established in l991.
Granoka believes the arts are a means of both expressing one's
ideas and a way of achieving spiritual freedom and enlightenment.
Born 51 years ago to Brahmin family in Budakeling, a small
village populated mostly by Pedanda Boda families, around 75
kilometers north-east of Denpasar, Granoka fell in love with
ancient manuscripts.
He studied a large variety of old literature. His favorite
text was, and still is, Sutasoma, written by Mpu Tantular during
the golden era of Majapahit Kingdom of East Java in the 13th
century.
He mastered both written literature as well as ancient
performing arts. To disseminate the wisdom and the spiritual
richness of these ancient literary and artistic legacies, Granoka
established the Bajra Sandhi, which accepts only children.
"Their hearts are still pure and their minds are still clear
and they are easier to be trained as accomplished artists," he
said.
The group has 25 members, including Granoka`s four daughters
and one son. Twice a week they gather at Granoka's house in
Batukandik village, west of Denpasar, to take lessons on gamelan
traditional music, to dance, to paint, or to read and recite the
ancient texts.
"We have never performed just for money or entertainment..
That's the reason I once turned down an offer to do a series of
performances in Europe and the United States," Granoka recalled.
Granoka explained that the performance at the Catur Muka
intersection was just a part of a series of performances which
will reach their climax in the year 2006, to celebrate the 700th
anniversary of Kakawin Sutasoma, the 100th anniversary of Puputan
Badung, and the new millennium.
The Catur Muka performance was held on May 20th, The National
Awakening Day, which is also celebrated by the Balinese as the
day of Saraswati, Hindu Goddess of Knowledge and Wisdom. This
year the day held special significance.
"Our nation now is in great distress, yet it is not an excuse
to lose our true selves. As long as we have love, wisdom, trust,
friendship, and goodwill toward each other, I personally believe
than in the end we, as people and as a nation, shall prevail,"
Granoka concluded optimistically.
At the end of the performance, the children presented three
glass Cakras, the mythical and symbolic weapon of the god Visnu,
to the Governor of Bali, the Mayor of Denpasar, and the Badung
Regent.
"The presentation of Cakras symbolized that the people
respect, love, and trust their leaders, who must prove to the
people that they, like Visnu, can also bring peace and
prosperity," Sumarta noted.