Puri Kauhan Ubud Revives Nusantara Geopolitical Vision at Sastra Saraswati Sewana

The Puri Kauhan Ubud Foundation has once again held the Sastra Saraswati Sewana, with the 6th edition taking place at the Wantilan Pura Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring, Gianyar, Bali, coinciding with the holy day of Soma Paing Langkir, Purnama Kasa, on Monday (29/6).

Anak Agung Ngurah Ari Dwipayana, Chairman of the Puri Kauhan Ubud Foundation, stated that the event carried the theme ‘Cakrawala Mandala Dwipantara’, chosen to revive the legacy of Nusantara thought as a source of inspiration to address present and future challenges. ‘The concept of Mandala has long roots in Asian history, originating from Hindu and Buddhist values,’ he said.

He explained that around the 4th century BC, Kautilya, during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, wrote the theory of Raja Mandala in the Arthashastra, which is often considered one of the world’s earliest theories of geopolitics and international relations. Centuries later, Sri Maharaja Kertanegara, the last king of the Singhasari Kingdom, developed the Mandala concept within the context of the archipelago. Gung Ari emphasised that Kertanegara’s vision, which saw the Nusantara islands as a unified civilisation, remains highly relevant for Indonesia today as a means to unite diversity, build solidarity between islands, and strengthen national identity rooted in the noble values of the archipelago.

As part of the opening ceremony, the foundation presented a performance of the ‘Napak Pertiwi’ masked dance depicting Sri Aji Dalem Jawi, a figure symbolising the spirit of the Javanese kings who envisioned a united Nusantara. The event also saw the presentation of the Sastra Saraswati Sewana Nugraha award to two individuals who have dedicated their lives to science, culture, and community service in Bali: the late I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa and Ida Wayan Oka Granoka.