Museum Pustaka Lontar from the Dukuh Penaban Village: Bringing Balinese Literary Tradition to the World

Bali, with all its cultural richness, is a place where literary traditions and literacy continue to flourish and be preserved. The ancestors of Bali have compiled diverse literary works, written on dried lontar leaves, which can still be read, studied, and preserved to this day. Various literary traditions in Bali have been diligently upheld from one generation to the next. Many Balinese people are deeply committed to carrying on these traditions.

A tangible example of this commitment can be found at the Museum Pustaka Lontar in the Tourist Village of Dukuh Penaban, Karangasem, Bali. The Pakraman Dukuh Penaban, recognizing the value of this tradition, took the initiative to establish the Museum Pustaka Lontar in March 2017, and it was officially inaugurated on November 14, 2017. The initial reason for founding the Museum Pustaka Lontar was to rescue thousands of ancient lontar manuscripts that had been neglected by their original owners, who sometimes did not realize the value of these lontars as evidence of Balinese literary tradition.

Museum Pustaka Lontar's Achievements (Photo Source: Editorial Collection)

The establishment of the museum was not just for the purpose of storing thousands of ancient lontar manuscripts, but also as a commitment to preserve and promote the priceless literary heritage of lontar to the world. The Museum Pustaka Lontar serves as a center for learning and studying lontar manuscripts for the community. This commitment was further demonstrated by the achievement of the Dukuh Penaban Village in winning 1st place from the Governor of Bali in the Aware Tourism Group competition, showcasing their resilience and hard work in preserving Balinese literary traditions.

Lontars at Museum Pustaka Lontar (Photo Source: Editorial Collection)

Visitors who are interested in vacationing in Bali while learning about Balinese literary traditions will be intrigued to visit the Museum Pustaka Lontar. The museum houses thousands of collections of Balinese literature and literacy on lontar leaves, particularly in the Dukuh Penaban Village, ranging from records of daily Balinese life to records of Bali's ritual practices in its time. There are also records such as Vedas or mantras, types of medicinal plants or "usadha," architecture, martial arts, wedding poems, and records of past events like the eruption of Mount Agung. Some of these records are still relevant because the knowledge or practices written in them are still applied by the Balinese community today.

All lontar manuscripts are cared for by the trusted Jero Mangku, who are responsible for guarding and maintaining these lontars. For visitors who do not understand the Balinese script used in the lontar, there is no need to worry. Museum Pustaka Lontar has provided translations of these lontars in Indonesian, making them easily understandable.

The Picturesque Museum Pustaka Lontar (Photo Source: Editorial Collection)

The Museum Pustaka Lontar stands out when compared to other museums. Due to its remote location in Bali, the environment of the Museum Pustaka Lontar is still very natural and serene. Buildings like the Bale Pasraman, Bale Daja serving as the lontar manuscript collection room, and the Pawaregan or kitchen are constructed with architectural concepts known for hundreds of years, and can only be done by the Jero Mangku, by stacking stones from soil clumps and then arranging them with woven bamboo and straw for the roof. There is also a unique aspect where each stone is made by each resident, 11 pieces from their own efforts, so they can remember their own hard work that has been installed both on the building's walls and its tiles. The unique and serene ambiance of the Museum and its location undoubtedly add to the tranquility of visitors' journey there.

Another uniqueness lies in the various activities that visitors can do at the Museum Pustaka Lontar, which will undoubtedly be one of the most valuable experiences when visiting Bali. In order to introduce Balinese literary traditions, especially in lontar manuscripts, the activities provided at the Museum Pustaka Lontar are not limited to just displaying these ancient lontars for viewing, but also give visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Balinese literature. Visitors can witness the process of writing on lontar leaves directly. Visitors can also request to have their names written in Balinese. And if lucky, visitors can also meet with the Jero Mangku and ask them about various Balinese literary traditions, especially the lontar collections at the Museum Pustaka Lontar. The Jero Mangku will be happy to share all their stories and knowledge with visitors. It's no wonder that there are many domestic and foreign tourists who visit the Museum Pustaka Lontar.

In addition to the daily agenda that can be done each time you visit, the Museum Pustaka Lontar also has equally interesting and successful activities that attract visitors. One of them is every full moon (Purnama Kapitu), there will be a performance of a sacred dance called "Kupu-Kupu Kuning," which tells the story of the Karangasem Kingdom's involvement in a battle in Lombok. There is also the "Canglongleng" dance that narrates an outbreak that once occurred in the Dukuh Penaban Village. In addition to these two dances, there are also the "Rehang Deha," "Alok-alok," and "Papendetan" dances. It turns out that visitors will not only experience lontar manuscripts, but also have the rare opportunity to watch these dances. Museum Pustaka Lontar also offers other activities such as lontar clinics, transcription in Latin script, and reading of inscriptions.

Souvenir Stall at Pustaka Lontar Museum (Photo Source: Editorial Collection)

Despite its serene atmosphere that transports visitors back to ancient Bali, the Museum Pustaka Lontar from the Tourist Village of Dukuh Penaban still offers complete facilities for visitors who want to visit. There is a parking area, meeting hall, jungle tracking, toilet, souvenir kiosk, places of worship like a prayer room, and Wi-Fi area. Additionally, for visitors who enjoy taking selfies, the Museum Pustaka Lontar has provided a designated selfie area.

So, how about it? For visitors interested in Balinese literary traditions, it's best to make Museum Pustaka Lontar your next travel destination. The Museum Pustaka Lontar operates every day with a fairly long operational hours, starting from 08:00 AM to 05:00 PM. With such a wide range of operating hours, visitors can easily choose a suitable time to come.

By ILS Museum Pustaka Lontar Team