The Sukmawati Religious Conversion Ceremony Was Attended By 50 Invited Guests

JAKARTA - The head of the Sukarno Center who is in charge of the event, Arya Wedakarna, said that the Sudhi Wadani Sumawati Soekarnoputri ceremony would be attended by invited guests. However, the number is limited due to the fact that we are currently still in the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Invitations are limited to 50 people and have been cleared. Because the invitation was directly from Mrs. Sukmawati," he told VOI, Saturday, October 23.

As is known, previously there was an invitation from The Soekarno Center Bali-Indonesia to attend the Sudhi Wadani Sukmawati ceremony on Tuesday, October 26. Worried that it would trigger a crowd, the extended family of Dadia Pasek Baleagung Buleleng as the organizer of the ceremony asked anyone who received the invitation not to attend the event.

In addition, Arya admitted that he received a mandate from Sukmawati to be in charge of the success of the Sudhi Wadani event and the series which will be held on October 25-27 in Denpasar, Singara and Tampaksiring, Gianyar, Bali.

The mandate was stated in an assignment letter signed by Sukmawati, on October 18. In the letter of assignment, Arya was also assigned to finance 100 percent of the work (prabeya) of traditional ceremonies, receptions, and punia to Pura Dadia. The financing in question is specifically for a series of ceremonies and offerings.

"I have appointed and mandated Arya Wadekana, representing me and my family in the administrative affairs of Sudhi Wadani before and after the ceremony as well as document requirements according to the law," reads the letter of assignment from Sukmawati.

Sukmawati also appointed Arya as her personal spokesperson to respond to questions from journalists and external parties regarding the Sudhi Wadani event.

As is known, Sukmawati Soekarnoputri will carry out the Sudhi Wadani ritual or convert from Islam to Hinduism. The event will be held Tuesday, October 26, in the Soekarno Heritage Area, the Home of Nyoman Rai Serimben Cultural Heritage Site, Baleagung Singaraja, Buleleng.

Previously, Kelian Dadia Pasek Baleagung Buleleng who was also the organizer of Sudhi Wadani's Karya Pengrajeg, Nyoman Suadnyana Pasek asked those who had received an invitation from The Sukarno Center and claimed to be the organizer or Sudhi Wadani's Pengrajeg Karya not to comply with the invitation.

"The Sudhi Wadani ceremony is a special internal ceremony for the Dadia Pasek Baleagung Buleleng extended family," he wrote in his objection letter, quoted on Saturday, October 23.

Pasek said that in the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Baleagung Family has never issued an invitation related to Sukmawati Sukarno's religious conversion ceremony.

"In consideration of the implementation of health protocols to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to maintain the solemnity and sacredness of the Sudhi Wadani ceremony, our family has never circulated an invitation letter to attend the Sudhi Wadani human ceremony which we will hold on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at Banjar Baleagung, Package Agung Buleleng Village," he said.