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A traditional ballet marks the completion of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue, a masterpiece by maestro Nyoman Nuarta “I always say Indonesia is not only Bali. We have long wanted to bring tourists to Lake Toba via our hub in Kuala Lumpur,” said Airasia CE

Celebrating the completion of Bali’s Garuda Wisnu Kencana’s statue with a traditional ballet

The long journey of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue to Bukit Ungasan in Bali has officially finished. After 28 years, the 121m-high masterpiece was finally complete and officially inaugurated as the new icon of Bali. Highlighted by a grand performance of a traditional Balinese ballet entitled Swadharma Ning Pertiwi, the ceremony involved a string of dancers like I Ketut Rina and singers such as Dira Sugandi. The choreography by Eko Supriyanto re-enacts the meeting between Lord Vishnu the Preserver and the mythical Garuda bird, signifying that the masterpiece is indeed a splendid offering for the archipelago. To Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya, Bali is more complete with Garuda Wishnu Kencana. “Now, Bali relies not only on nature- and culture-based tourism, but also tourism based on human creativity. It is a new icon for Bali and the new icon of Indonesia.”