Buleleng reflects past glory in North Bali

Alit Kertarahardja, Contributor, Buleleng

Buleleng is one place in northern part of Bali where people from different ethnic groups and religions have mingled, living peacefully and harmoniously for years.

Historically, Buleleng was Bali's main harbor, with traders arriving from places as far afield as China and India, not to mention local sailors from Jawa, Madura and Bugis in Makassar and South Sulawesi. Some traders decided to stay in the regency and created their own communities while adopting their own faiths, mostly Islam and Confucianism.

It was Ki Gusti Anglurah Panji Sakti, Buleleng's king, who played a significant role in creating such a harmonious and tolerant society. The king, a devout Shiwa Buddhist, allowed his citizens to practice different religions.

During his reign, Islam grew rapidly in Buleleng and its adjacent areas. The discovery of an ancient Koran, dated l624, in an old mosque in Kajanan village in Singaraja was clear evidence that Islam had been growing in the area since the early 17th century.

Muis AK, an official at Singaraja Grand Mosque, said that the Buleleng royal family and local people were close. "Ki Gusti Anglurah Panji Sakti and his descendants were reported to be supportive and open-minded towards Muslim residents," Muis said.

Up to the present time, the king's descendants have been free to adopt faiths other than Hinduism.

I Gusti Celaga, a noble of Puri Sukasada, for example, is a devout Muslim. According to one of Panji Sakti's great grandsons, A.A. Made Udayana, Buleleng's king, I Gusti Ketut Jelantik, initiated the construction of the Grand Mosque Jamik in Singaraja before he was exiled to Selong, Padang, West Sumatra, in l873.

"At that time, the king promised to help build the mosque, but the Dutch army caught and sent him to Sumatra for 17 years," he said.

Udayana said the Grand Mosque was actually an expansion of Masjid Keramat in Singaraja.

At present, Singaraja has two large mosques and dozens of mushollas (small ones).

Hajjah Komang Saniah, a 66-year-old Balinese from Banjar Kajanan, said that thus far, she had found it no problem being a Muslim.

"We live side by side with people of other faiths," she said. "Other members of my family have remained Hindu but that is not a problem for me. We still have one line of puruse (ancestry)."

Although she is a Muslim, Saniah still observes the family tradition of nyama braya (family visits) when one of them holds a Hindu ceremony, such as ngaben (cremation), or life cycle rituals such as otonan (a celebration held every six months), telubulanan (a celebration for a three-month-old child) and other ceremonies.

"In Bali, we put into practice Islam teachings as our brothers elsewhere, but we still have to respect our ancient customs and traditions," Saniah said.

IGB Hasan, better known as Bagus Hasan, was a descendant of the Puri Sukasada royal house. "Our extended family respects members who practice other religions. Choosing one's religion is a very basic human right," said the 74-year-old man.

Bagus Hasan himself has been a Muslim since his childhood. "We are a mixed family because many of us married people from outside Bali," he said.

Exposure to outside influences has weakened some Balinese customs and traditions. Balinese Muslims have started to delete certain titles, like the noble title "I Gusti" and lay names, like Putu, Nyoman, Komang and Made.

"Using a title such as 'I Gusti' has a particular impact upon our society. We want to be perceived as ordinary people. If we still used such a title, people would feel reluctant to speak to us," Bagus Hasan said.