BALI - The Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, was touched when he sprinkled flowers in front of the Puputan Margarana Temple complexes Taman Pujaan Bangsa Margarana, Tabanan, Bali. The story of the struggle of the heroes who died in the Puputan Margarana War was the cause.
Ganjar, who was on a working visit to Bali, made a pilgrimage to Pujaan Bangsa Park, the location of the death of National Hero I Gusti Ngurah Rai along with thousands of troops during the Puputan war. In that complex, Puputan Margarana temple was established and thousands of tombstones of the heroes who died in the battle on November 20, 1946.
Together with dozens of veterans from Bali and grandson of I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Nanik Suryani, Ganjar held a flower-laying ceremony at the monument. After that, he visited the tombstone of I Gusti Ngurah Rai and paid his respects and flower-laying. Ganjar was also invited to visit the museum which tells the story of the struggle of the Balinese hero.
"I got a lot of heroic stories, how was Ngurah Rai's war at that time. Mr. I Gusti Bagus Saputra, he told in detail how the proud figure of Ngurah Rai was. He dared to challenge the Dutch at that time. He replied to a threatening letter from the Dutch to surrender with challenges. The Dutch should not be in Bali," said Ganjar, Saturday, October 8.
In addition to the heroic story of I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Ganjar also discovered the story of a fighter from Kutoarjo, Purworejo Regency, Central Java named Wagimin. Apparently, during the Puputan war, Wagimin, a former Dutch police officer, helped Ngurah Rai's troops fight the invaders.
He escaped Ngurah Rai's troops into the arsenal belonging to the Dutch he was guarding and used the weapons to fight.
"He, it turns out that there is the story of Mr. Wagimin, originally from Jenar Kutoarjo, Central Java. That's my village neighbor in Purworejo. So I was a bit moved earlier, of course there is an emotional bond, right. It turns out that the extraordinary Mr. Wagimin became a liaison, he took a weapon, helped Ngurah Rai's troops in the Puputan war," he explained.
This means that Ganjar continued, in the struggle of the Indonesian people, it involves all elements of society. There are Java, Batak, Bali and from any area. They all work hand in hand to fight for independence.
"Yes, men, yes women, there are pangs of Hinduism, Islam, there are Buddhist Catholics all of them, so that's Indonesia. So it doesn't differentiate, even some of those Japanese people who then defend Indonesia. This means that human values can also emerge even though they are different countries, you know. even though they used to colonize but could turn around because maybe they have a sense of humanity. Fair and civilized humanity," he said.
Ganjar invites the younger generation to imitate the struggle of the nation's heroes. At least, knowing that the struggle at that time was truly a life given up and without strings attached.
"Like the story of Ngurah Rai and the heroes here, they are not afraid. Fight forever for one goal. Independence or death," he explained.
Meanwhile, the grandson of I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Nanik Suryani, 56, admitted that he was happy and proud of Ganjar who took the time to visit his grandfather. According to him, the leaders of the nation do not forget history.
"I am happy and proud of the leaders from Indonesia, especially Central Java, Mr. Ganjar Pranowo who had visited and visited the pilgrimage here, where the Margarana Puputan War occurred. Hopefully we can all imitate what the fighters are doing," he said.
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