The first Balinese Hindu temple in Europe has formally opened in the Netherlands, a move that symbolises cooperation between the two regions and aims to encourage tourism to the Indonesian island.
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The Santa Citta Bhuwana Temple – located within Overijssel province’s Taman Indonesia, a zoological garden some 125km (78 miles) northeast of Amsterdam – offers a gateway to the island’s traditions for both its diaspora and a wider European audience.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster, who attended the formal opening ceremony on Saturday, personally brought the ceremonial items needed for the temple’s purification ceremony, according to The Bali Sun.
The inauguration coincided with Hari Raya Kuningan, an auspicious day on the Balinese calendar when ancestors are believed to ascend back to the heavens after 10 days on earth, and saw a large turnout.
Koster expressed hope that the temple would become a vital spot “not only for the sake of holidays but as a means of gathering to develop a sense of family and togetherness among the Balinese people”.
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The Netherlands is home to a large Indonesian community, a legacy of the Southeast Asian country’s long history as a former Dutch colony.