BULELENG – Pura Penyusuhan in Kubutambahan Village, Buleleng Regency, North Bali, became the site of a collective interfaith prayer on Saturday morning (January 17, 2026), as traditional leaders, Hindu priests, and religious figures from different faiths gathered to pray for Indonesia and the nation’s future development.
The event, titled “Prayer for the Nation, from North Bali for the Archipelago,” began at 10:00 a.m. local time and was initiated by retired Indonesian Air Force Marshal Ida Bagus Putu Dunia, together with Ida Pedanda Gde Oka Manuaba of Dharma Ghosana Buleleng and Ida Dalem Semara Putra, the King of Klungkung.
The gathering was considered a rare and significant moment, bringing together senior Balinese royal figures from Paiketan Puri-Puri Se-jebag Bali, high-ranking Hindu priests (sulinggih and pedanda) from across the island, village heads from Kubutambahan District, regional leadership elements, including military representatives, as well as interfaith leaders.
Beyond prayers for national safety amid a series of natural disasters affecting various regions of Indonesia, the event also carried a broader intention: to provide spiritual support for the planned development of the North Bali International Airport.
Marshal (Ret.) Ida Bagus Putu Dunia emphasized that prayers for the airport were not driven by narrow regional interests, but rather by a strategic vision for Indonesia’s future. He noted that for decades Bali has served as the backbone of Indonesia’s tourism sector, while the development burden and environmental pressures have been concentrated in South Bali.
“This imbalance is unhealthy for Bali, for the environment, and for Indonesia as a whole. That is why the development of the North Bali International Airport must be safeguarded—not only through policy decisions, but also through prayer,” Putu Dunia said.
Currently, Bali’s tourism and economic activity remain heavily centered in the southern region, with I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport serving as the island’s primary gateway. The airport faces structural limitations, being surrounded by the sea and residential areas, leaving little room for expansion amid continuously growing passenger demand.
These constraints have contributed to chronic traffic congestion in South Bali, increasing pressure on environmental carrying capacity, and widening development disparities between southern Bali and the northern, western, and eastern regions of the island. In this context, the North Bali International Airport is seen as a corrective solution aimed at achieving more balanced and sustainable development.
Putu Dunia further stressed that the airport also carries significant geopolitical and geo-economic importance at the national level. Designed not only to serve Bali, the airport is envisioned as a new connectivity hub for tourism and trade, particularly for eastern Indonesia, including East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Papua.
“North Bali’s strategic geographic position makes it an effective gateway linking the flow of people, goods, and logistics between western and eastern Indonesia. This airport is not merely a transportation facility, but a unifying instrument for the national economy,” he said.
Echoing this perspective, Ida Dalem Semara Putra, the King of Klungkung, underscored the importance of balance in development. He emphasized that Bali’s philosophy teaches harmony between physical progress and spiritual values.
“True development is development that understands its limits. Bali teaches balance between the seen and the unseen, between progress and preservation. This prayer serves as a reminder that the North Bali International Airport must be built with sincere intentions and broad public benefit,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ida Pedanda Gde Oka Manuaba highlighted the spiritual dimension of development itself, noting that every major project should begin with purity of intention and harmony with nature.
“When development is not aligned with nature and the Creator, imbalance will inevitably emerge in many forms,” he said.
The prayers were led by senior Hindu priests who, in Balinese tradition, serve as guardians of dharma. The presence of interfaith religious leaders reinforced the message that national safety and sustainable development are shared responsibilities that transcend religious and regional boundaries.
From North Bali, prayers were offered for Indonesia, for a new balance in Bali’s development, and for the realization of the North Bali International Airport as a future gateway for the Indonesian archipelago. (*)
