THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A princess grappling with the mundanities of everyday life in an island’s drab ally. Sounds like a Disney drama. Here’s the spoiler: She exists in the real world.
Tjokorda Istr Sriatun Sukawati, the name may not ring any bells. Princess Sriatun? Those who are familiar with the travelogue ‘Balidweep’ of S K Pottekkatt, the travel writer non pareil, will immediately recognise the name.
Aloof to her regal legacy, today, the princess is living a commoner’s life at Ubud, Bali - an island in Indonesia. Even her neighbours have no clue she is the daughter of Jokorda Gde Agung, Ubud’s former ruler.
In his travelogue, Pottekkatt reminisces about Jokorda Gde Agung and his 10-year-old daughter, Princess Sriatun, who danced enchantingly for him. The vividness of Pottekkatt’s language made such a lasting impression in the explorers’, including the Express scribe, mind as they went on a search to trace the ‘lost princess.’
The only guiding point was a book published three years ago by K A Francis which mentioned the name of a hotel owned by the Princess’ brothers. But the name of the hotel was lost in translation- Tjampuhan became Champuvan in print. Eventually, they discovered the hotel and got Sriatun’s address from her brothers, who owned the Tjampuhan Resorts, Ubud.
Finally, they reached the house - Puri Bhagwan - devoid of any royal touch. The visit of Pottekkatt to the Ubud Palace was still fresh in Sriatun’s mind, even 65 years later.
“I had no idea he was a great writer from India. He was friendly and we enjoyed his company. I remember him carrying me on his shoulders when my leg got hurt during a visit to a paddy field,” Sriatun said.
Sitting in an old frail armchair on the veranda of the ancient tile roofed house, she went through the copy o f the book that carried her picture standing in front of the Ubud Palace. “My 93-year-old mother still stays there,” she said.
Sriatun’s time ravaged face brightened when she was told Pottekkad described her in the book as a beautiful young dancer. She may no longer be saddled with the responsibilities of royalty, but Sriatun still thinks deeply about Indonesia’s diverse social fabric - the realities of living in a Hindu majority island in a country with the largest Muslim population.
“We have to retain our tradition and values for posterity. My brothers are working hard to inculcate traditional values, restore Vedic knowledge, promote Balanese dance and music. Cinema is not allowed in the island as it will defile the values,” she said.
Sriatun file
Sriatun studied at the University of Jakarta and and worked with the United State Imperial Service (Indonesian American Institute). She quit the job to join her husband who was an officer with the Indonesian Navy. The couple has four children. One of her sons had studied at Santiniketan. But Sriatun has not visited India as she has flight phobia. Her father died in 1976.