Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gandhi connect to Indonesia's Padma awardees

New Delhi: India last week conferred Padma Award to two Indonesian nationals, Dr I. Wayan Dibia for art related to Ramayana, Mahabharata and Agus Indra Udayana for his work in promoting Gandhian values in the archipelago nation. Both are based out of Bali, the only Hindu-majority province in Muslim-majority Indonesia.

Speaking to the media, Dr I. Wayan Dibia on the Indian govt conferring him award said, "This is a very special award for me. It is out of my expectations. In my work, I work a lot in Ramayana and Mahabharata. I didn’t expect this kind of recognition being given by the Indian govt."

He has created more than 150 new works on dance and dance dramas, mostly exploring both the Hindu Epics. Indian culture has impacted Bali since 5th century and 9 different art forms in the province utilizing the epics.

Dibia explained, "people of Bali are very familiar with Mahabharata and Ramayana. The people Java too. Java Bali are areas where Ramayana and Mahabharata are very important. That is the literature we use in my performing arts..To Bali people it's not just literature, it is Itihas, story of Gods, the journey of Gods, the philosophical way of life".

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Dibia is Bali's most influential Kecak Dancer, a traditional Indonesian art form depicting chapters of Ramayana. He has collaborated with Indian artists. In 2016, he worked with Indian dancers living in Toronto.

Meanwhile, the other key Indonesian awardee is Agus Indra Udayana is the founder of Ashram Gandhi, Bali. The ashram gives scholarships to 45 students for education and life in Ashram follows "simplicity of Mahatma Gandhi".

"It was a surprise for me...I say thank to President Kovind and PM Modi" Udayana said, highlighting, "we should live very simple...Gandhi ji's idea's very simple.."

His Ashram has been visited by 2 Indonesian President has been to the Ashram-Megawati Sukarnoputri and Abdurrahman Wahid. Both of them also were honoured at the Indonesian embassy.  Udayana and Dibia are Hindus by religion.

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