Gana Kalajaya “Wayang Wong” is a classic story about the birth of Batara Gana/Lord Ganesha in the Yogyakarta Palace version.
After the grand success of Mahabharata and Ramayana Ballet live from Indonesia, The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Mumbai once again trying to win the hearts of the Indian public. The Indonesian Consulate in Mumbai in collaboration with the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace will hold a virtual performance of Wayang Orang (Wayang Wong) “Gana Kalajaya”.
The virtual performance will be broadcast live on 25th September 2021 from the Court of Srimanganti Keraton Yogyakarta via YouTube and Zoom channels at 19.00 – 22.30 WIB/17.30 – 21.00 IST.
Apart from being part of the promotion of tourism, arts, and culture, the virtual performance of ‘Gana Kalajaya’ is also part of the celebration of the 76th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia.
It is worth mentioning here that Wayang Wong “Gana Kalajaya” is the work of (Yasan Dalem) Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, the current King of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta.
This event is an ongoing effort to promote Indonesian tourism to the people of India and the world, while at the same time highlighting the similarities and uniqueness of the cultural heritage of Indonesia and India. Apart from being part of the promotion of tourism, arts, and culture, the virtual performance of ‘Gana Kalajaya’ is also part of the celebration of the 76th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia. The show is done virtually so that it can be seen all around the world.
The choice of the story “Gana Kalajaya” in this show is considered to be in accordance with the atmosphere of the celebration of the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival in India, especially in Mumbai, Maharashtra, which lasts for ten days in early September.
It may be noted that “Wayang Wong ‘Gana Kalajaya’ is a classic story about the birth of Batara Gana/Dewa Ganesha in the Yogyakarta Palace version”. Batara Gana or Lord Ganesha is one of the gods who is glorified in the life of the Hindu community as the God of Science. It is also considered a symbol of wisdom, protection, and good luck. In the central character of this show, Batara Gana is depicted as a creature with a human body with the head of an elephant, possessing supernatural powers, and strong tusks. His success in conquering the giant king, Prabu Nilaudraka, made him one of the gods in heaven. He was given the title Batara Gana or Batara Ganesha.
His Excellency Agus Prihatin Saptono, Consulate General of Indonesia in Mumbai (photo: Mewati Sitaram MM)
His Excellency Agus Prihatin Saptono, Consulate General of Indonesia in Mumbai speaking to Mumbai Messenger Newspaper says” The event is a continuous effort to promote Indonesia tourism destinations to the people of India and the world while exploring similarities and uniqueness of cultural heritage of Indonesia and India. We share the same platform from the ancient period and we are continuously following it in bringing to people of both countries. Exploring cultural similarity between Indonesia and India, the concept emerged during a discussion on cultural activities between the Consulate and the Palace of Yogyakarta in Indonesia”.
CG further added “It emerged in my mind that Ganesha Festival is celebrated prominently in Mumbai, Maharashtra and rest of India. No sooner it clicked in my mind, the idea of co-related and showcasing Gana Kalajaya came into existence. The main aim was to hold a virtual cultural performance as a part of the celebration 76th Independence Day celebration of Indonesia and the Ganesh festival in the month of September. In fact, Lord Ganesha is also respected by Hindus and Buddhists in Indonesia since the ancient period ”.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
