Bajra Sandhi Monument and Bali Struggle Museum

The Bajra Sandhi Monument and Bali Struggle Museum stands in Renon, the civic district of Denpasar, on Jl. Raya Puputan in Bali, Indonesia. Construction began in 1987 and the monument was inaugurated in 2003, with the president of Indonesia at the time, Megawati Sukarnoputri, associated with the opening. It was designed by the Balinese architect Ida Bagus Tugur and takes the form of a vajra, the ritual bell used by Hindu priests, set on a raised base within a large landscaped park. Its dimensions are symbolic: the numbers of its steps, gates and height are chosen to reflect 17 August 1945, the date of the Indonesian proclamation of independence. Inside, the museum is arranged over several levels around a central space. The ground floor contains dioramas, commonly numbered at thirty-three, that portray Balinese history in sequence from prehistoric times, through the Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms and the Majapahit conquest, to Dutch colonial rule, the puputan battles of the early 20th century, the Japanese occupation and the revolutionary struggle, including the battle at Marga in 1946. The approach is chronological and narrative, with the display figures and scenes intended to dramatise events rather than to show original artefacts. A lower level and an upper floor hold a library, ritual objects and a hall used for ceremonies, and a climb to the upper levels gives views over Renon and the surrounding city. As a modern construction, the building is generally well kept, with periodic maintenance of its concrete and stonework. Admission for foreign adults is around IDR 25,000 to 50,000. The grounds are used by local residents for events and recreation. The museum is a useful short orientation to Balinese history for visitors, especially in combination with the older Bali Museum.