Klungkung, Ancient Kingdoms

”Lontar” of the Kingdom Age

Before the 20th Century, lontar was mainly used for writing many kinds of notes and books. A lot of messages and letters were written on the lontar leaf. Nowadays, lontar leaves are also used for many kinds of handicrafts such as bags and flowers. A tiny group of the Balinese today still uses the lontar writing technique but for most it is just a memory.

Communication through letters in the form of lontar leaves reached its peak during the golden era of the Balinese Kingdom age, especially in the kingdoms of Klungkung, Gianyar, Bangli, Badung and Karangasem. The King’s letters on lontar can still be read. One the places where lontar writings of the previous Balinese kingdoms are stored is Semarajaya Museum in Semarapura City, to the west side of Kertha Gosa, about 41 km east of Denpasar.
On the west side of the museum you can see lontar with neat Balinese lettering which are still legible and intact. The lontar which was a letter from I Dewa Putra Balemas to Karangasem’s King, is already 157 years old. The lontar from Gianyar’s King, Anak Agung Ngurah Agung, addressed to the Dutch Queen, Wilhelmina is also in perfect condition.
The lontar written by I Dewa Putra Balemas has three sheets that are arranged neatly with wooden frames complete with Balinese carvings. The translations of this lontar are available in the three languages of ancient Balinese, Indonesian and English. The lontar of Gianyar’s king, Anak Agung Ngurah Agung, also about three sheets, is also translated into three languages.
The essence of the lontar written by Ida I Dewa Putra Balemas is to notify the king of Karangasem that the Dutch were intending to attack the Balinese kingdoms.
“My son Gde Ngurah Karangasem, I notice from a message from your man I Lange to me, that I should be careful in defending this Balinese kingdom because he has heard the exact news. If the Dutch attack Balinese kingdoms, it should be Karangasem and Denbukit that will be attacked first. If I Lange’s message is true, two things will be faced by both of us, which means that if you consider me right, let’s finish Bangli first. Let’s hope for Hyang Widhi’s mercy for both of us. The reason I send this to you is if the Dutch attack Balinese kingdoms, we will not facing any difficulty to fight them. Now your father, Gde Putra, asks you to deeply think about I Lange’s message to me, also to Singaraja, Gianyar, Mengwi, there was my message that was the same as my letter to you.
This letter is an example of the importance of the lontar in the kingdom age in Bali. Now, it is difficult to find people who can write on lontar or make lontar in Klungkung. Wawan

Klungkung History

Ida I Dewa Agung Jambe of the Gel-gel dynasty was the founder of the Klungkung Kingdom in 1686. At one time, the Gel-gel Kingdom was the center of the kingdoms in Bali. Dalem Waturenggong, one of Gel-gel’s kings, created the golden age where society was at its most prosperous and had a good standard of public welfare.
In 1650, the rebellion of the Prime Minister, I Gusti Agung Maruti, brought about the collapse of the Gel-gel dynasty ruled by Dalem Dimade. Gusti Agung Maruti took control the kingdom from Dalem Dimade. Dalem Dimade, the last king to rule Gel-gel, fled and took refuge in Guliang Village in the kingdom of Bangli.
Then, one of his sons, Ida I Dewa Agung Jambe, as mentioned above, took the Gel-gel Kingdom back from Gusti Agung Maruti in 1686. He built a castle on the north side of Gel-gel and named it Semarapura. From that time, the kings of Klungkung were no longer known as “Dalem” but took the name “Dewa Agung”.
Klungkung had many kings. The last was Ida I Dewa Agung Putra IV. During his administration, on 28th April 1908, a heroic event occurred in Klungkung Kingdom. The Dutch Army, under the military command of General M.B. Rost Van Tonningen, attacked. The King I Dewa Agung Jambe with Bahudanda (the Kingdom functionary) and the loyal citizens struggled against the Dutch Army, but to no avail. They fought to the death (Puputan) as they tried to save their kingdom. Finally, the King and all his man died in battle, and the Dutch took control of the kingdom. This battle is known as the ‘Puputan Klungkung’. The kingdom of Klungkung and the whole of Bali then came under Dutch colonial rule.
The Dutch decided to appoint Ida I Dewa Agung Oka Geg as the Regent, the figure of a perfect king, so that the citizens would give sympathy and support to the new kingdom. The coronation was held in July 1929. This strategy kept Klungkung under Dutch control until Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17 August 1945.
The spirit and enthusiasm of Puputan Klungkung are still alive in modern Klungkung. Each year on 28th April, the people of Klungkung commemorate ‘Puputan Klungkung’. (Ketut Darmawan)