Tabanan, Rainbow over Ricefields

Wirata, Skilled in Lontar Writing

I Gusti Nyoman Wirata of Banjar Pengayehan, Desa Gubug, Tabanan is an expert in writing ‘lontar’ leaf manuscript using the Balinese alphabet. He dedicates most of his activities in training future artists and in the role of jury in cultural contests such as annual Bali’s Art Festival and ‘Porseni’ Sport and Art Festival.

Originally, he devoted much time to writing ‘lontar’ using the Balinese alphabet and disseminating skills among youngsters. His new task of preparing the Tabanan youth to participate in various annual contests has changed his course of life to leaving him little time for ‘lontar’ writing, the man, born in 1943, told Bali Travel News recently.
His position as Chairman of ‘Widya Saba Dharmagita’ of Tabanan, gave him the task of realizing programs pertaining the holy-song recitation related to Balinese Hindu religion, this has intensified his activities. “I often teach enthusiastic trainees in reciting ‘geguritan’, ‘kidung’, ‘kekawin’, and reading sloka or palawakya. Apart from this, I am trusted with the task of leading pesantian gatherings in Tabanan,” says the champion of The Balinese Language Proficiency Contest (1978) and also winner of mekekawan in Tabanan in 1980.
Wiratha, who is also a member of a team charged with the task of developing ‘Sekaa Santi’, youth associations, Desa Adat (traditional village) in Tabanan, made it clear that he really loves the art of ‘lontar’ writing which he often practices. By this practice, we gain knowledge of various forms of the Balinese alphabet, whilst giving us the opportunity to be acquainted with the different meanings of ‘lontar’ manuscript of which there are hundreds.
Being a D2 graduate of Educational Academy, he scarcely has time to write ‘lontar’ manuscript. Since he became Chairman of ‘Widya Saba Dharmagita’ of Tabanan in 1981 and of Tabanan (1998), he has always been engaged in managing a variety of tasks related to the organizations. Such busy activities have posed a great burden to Wiratha, who is also head of SD VI elementary school at Dajan Peken, Tabanan City.
However he has been able to spare some time to write a lot of books on ‘geguritan’ such as that of ‘Raden Mantri Jajar Pikatan’, ‘Sudamala’ and ‘Babad Mengwi’, and Manual of Study on Mewirama, Makidung and Makekawin. He added that he also succeeded in launching cassettes on the same topics, including the cassette Sekar Alit.
Speaking on the question of orders for writing in Balinese alphabet, Wiratha said, the era of handwriting has gone. In place of this writing in Balinese characters, there is now a computerized way of preparing printing in the aksara Bali alphabet to the disadvantage of writing the Balinese alphabet by hand. “I have been quite happy because of my profession as trainer in Balinese tembang songs and Balinese pop songs in Tabanan, while today I am concentrating on literature and songs, specifically on sound,” Wiratha told us as he closed his interview with Bali Travel News magazine. (Budarsana)