TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The first Balinese Hindu temple was officially inaugurated in the Netherlands on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The inauguration, coinciding with the Kuningan celebration, was attended by Bali Governor I Wayan Koster.
In a written statement by the Indonesian Embassy in the Netherlands, the temple is located in Taman Indonesia, Kallenkote, 125 kilometers from Amsterdam. More than 300 members of the Balinese Hindu community from the Netherlands and its surroundings participated in the series of Melaspas and Ngenteg Linggih rituals led by Ida Shri Bhagawan Putra Natha Nawa Wangsa from Bali. The ceremonial paraphernalia was directly brought from Bali.
Bali Governor and the Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mayerfas, participated in the solemn and orderly ceremony. The ceremony took place in the bright and mild spring weather with temperatures ranging from 10-17 degrees Celsius.
The community members, comprising not only Indonesian diaspora but also local Dutch residents, enthusiastically participated, contributed, and cooperated in the event. Some played gamelan, some prepared food, and the Pecalang (traditional Balinese security personnel) maintained security and order.
Governor Koster appreciated the initiative of the Balinese community under the coordination of the Bali Abdi Samasta Foundation (BAS). This foundation successfully realized the establishment of the temple independently with a spirit of mutual cooperation.
Governor Koster hopes that the community will continue to utilize the temple consistently and appropriately. The Balinese community in the Netherlands is also expected to continue preserving traditions and cultural heritage wherever they are.
Ambassador Mayerfas emphasized that May 3, 2025, was a historic moment with the inauguration of Pura Shanta Citta Bhuwana as the first Balinese Hindu temple in the Netherlands. "This temple will become a place for gathering, learning, and connecting. It will also serve as a bridge to strengthen mutual understanding and appreciation of Balinese Hinduism as part of Indonesia's rich cultural heritage," he said.
The temple inauguration event was the culmination of an 8-day Bali Festival. The event was opened by Ambassador Mayerfas and the Mayor of Steenwijkerland, Rob Bats.
The program included art performances such as Rindik and Gamelan music, Balinese dances, various workshops, photo and Balinese woven fabric exhibitions, as well as authentic Balinese culinary delights such as sate lilit, lawar, sambal matah, and Babi Guling.
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