Aksara:
Rajapatni.com: SURABAYA – Sanskrit and Javanese script becomes the focus of the Indian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sandeep Chakravorty. ꧌ꦝꦸꦠꦧꦼꦱꦂ꧍ Ambassador Chakravorty, who was accompanied by the Honorary Consul of India for ꧌ꦗꦮꦠꦶꦩꦸꦂ꧍ East Java, Central Java including Yogyakarta, Manoj Bhat, met with ꧌ꦥꦸꦫꦷꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦫꦴꦗꦥꦠ꧀ꦤꦷ꧍ Puri Aksara Rajapatni, the Surabaya Javanese Script community at JW Marriott Hotel Surabaya on Sunday afternoon (25/5/25).
Puri Aksara Rajapatni, represented by ꧌ꦅꦠꦯꦹꦫꦗꦪ꧍ Ita Surojoyo (founder) and ꧌ꦤꦤꦁꦥꦸꦂꦮꦤ꧍ Nanang Purwono (chairman) was invited to collaborate more seriously in the field of culture, especially language and script. So far, through the office of the Honorary Consulate of India for East Java and Central Java, ꧌ꦥꦸꦫꦷꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦫꦴꦗꦥꦠ꧀ꦤꦷ꧍ Puri Aksara Rajapatni has begun by exploring the historical roots of the Javanese script, which indeed originated from the Pallawa script from South India.
During its journey in the archipelago, the Pallawa script developed accompanied by local influences, thus becoming the Old Javanese script or ꧌ꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦏꦮꦶ꧍ Kawi script. Facts show that the old Javanese script, which is found on a number of inscriptions in Java uses Sanskrit. Among them is the ꧌ꦥꦿꦯꦱ꧀ꦠꦶꦮꦸꦫꦫꦺ꧍ Wurare inscription on the Joko Dolog statue in ꧍ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ꧍ Surabaya.
꧌ꦝ꦳ꦏ꧀ꦠꦱꦼꦗꦫꦃꦅꦤꦶ꧍ This historical fact is what later became one of the reasons, besides the fact that Sanskrit is still used in Indonesia. In this regard, Indian Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty hopes that Sanskrit can continue to be developed by collaborating with ꧌ꦥꦸꦫꦷꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦫꦴꦗꦥꦠ꧀ꦤꦷ꧍ Puri Aksara Rajapatni.
“Here (red: Indonesia) Sanskrit is still used, both for the names of institutions and for the names of people. For example, the name Taruna,” said Ambassador Chakravorty to Puri Aksara Rajapatni at the Executive Lounge, JW Marriott Hotel Surabaya on ꧌ꦩꦶꦔ꧀ꦒꦸꦱꦺꦴꦫꦺ꧍ Sunday afternoon (25/5/25).Chakravorty added that Indonesian actually uses loanwords derived from Sanskrit.
Based on this premise, Ambassador Chakravorty invited ꧌ꦥꦸꦫꦷꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦫꦴꦗꦥꦠ꧀ꦤꦷ꧍ Puri Aksara Rajapatni to identify and register Javanese language teachers who could be given a chance to study Sanskrit.
“As a start, we will do it via online class. Next, it is not impossible, we can send teachers to study Sanskrit in ꧌ꦅꦟ꧀ꦝꦶꦪ꧍ India. ꧌ꦏꦼꦩꦸꦝꦶꦪꦤ꧀꧍ Later, it will be open to undergraduate, postgraduate and even doctoral levels,” explained Ambassador Chakravorty.
The scope of the teachers is not only from Surabaya, but can be wider.Even if there are participants coming from outside the island, such as Kalimantan and ꧌ꦱꦸꦭꦮꦼꦱꦶ꧍ Sulawesi, it is possible,” said Manoj Bhat, Honorary Consul of India in East Java and ꧌ꦗꦮꦠꦼꦔꦃ꧍ Central Java.
꧌ꦲꦸꦧꦸꦔꦤ꧀꧍ The relationship between Java (Nusantara) and India has indeed been going on for hundreds of years. The relationship through language and script, offered by the Indian Embassy to Indonesia in ꧌ꦗꦏꦂꦡ꧍ Jakarta, is a manifestation of cultural relations as an implementation of bilateral diplomatic relations between ꧌ꦅꦟ꧀ꦝꦺꦴꦤꦺꦱꦾ꧍ Indonesia and India.
In addition, the meeting also discussed the idea of making a joint documentary film about ꧌ꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦗꦮ꧍ Javanese script, which is related to scripts from India. Devanagari and Carakan are descendants of the Brahmi script.
“We can collaborate on joint production. The Indian film team will work on the Indian side and the꧍ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ꧍ Surabaya team will work on the Nusantara side. Give me the concept,” said Ambassador Chakravorty.
Appreciation and ꧌ꦝꦺꦴꦤꦱꦶ꧍ Donation
In an informal meeting, Indian Ambassador Chakravorty appreciated ꧌ꦥꦸꦫꦷꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦫꦴꦗꦥꦠ꧀ꦤꦷ꧍ Puri Aksara Rajapatni’s efforts in preserving Javanese script as a derivative of script originating from India.
“Because of Rajapatni’s continuous efforts in campaigning for the use of ꧌ꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦗꦮ꧍ Javanese script, I hope this activity can be developed in other regions,” added Chakravorty.
As support for Rajapatni’s efforts in preserving Javanese script and establishing cultural relations with India, Ambassador Chakravorty donated ꧌꧇꧑꧕꧇ꦗꦸꦠ꧍ 15 million rupiah for script preservation efforts.
“Oh, thank you very much indeed for being so generous, Mr. Sandeep,” said ꧌ꦅꦠꦯꦹꦫꦗꦪ꧍ Ita Surojoyo.
As a form of gratitude, Puri Aksara Rajapatni gave souvenirs in the form of batik sarongs with ꧌ꦄꦏ꧀ꦱꦫꦗꦮ꧍ Javanese script and Rajapatni mugs and calendars written in Javanese script. (PAR/nng)