Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world. Indonesia comprises 13,677 islands of which over 6000 are inhabited. Of its total population of 20.28 crores, more than 88 per cent are Muslims, and 10 per cent Christians. Its 2 per cent Hindu population is concentrated mainly in the island of Bali, the famous tourist paradise.

Indonesian Rupiah with Ganesh inscription: a specimen of the Ganesh-inscribed 20,000 rupiah currency note of Bank Indonesia.

Brand logo of Bali: The recently adopted above new brand logo for the Island of Bali is a manifestation of country’s Hindu traditions. An Indonesian Ministry of tourism publication explains the logo as : The triangle (shape of logo) is a symbol of stability and balance. It is formed out of three straight lines in which both ends meet, taking the symbols of a blazing fire (Brahma – the creator), lingga or phallus. The triangle also represents the three Gods of the universe (Trimurti – Brahma, Wisnu, and Siwa), three stages of nature (Bhur, Bwah and Swah Loka), and three stages of Life (Born, Live, and Die). The tagline ‘Shanti, Shanti, Shanti’ represents peace upon Bhuwana alit dan agung (yourself and the world) that will deliver a sacred and holy vibe that awakens a deep aura that balance and make peace to all living creatures.

In Indonesia, the names of places, of people, and the nomenclature of institutions also give one a clear impression of a benign Hindu/Sanskrit influence.

Bali is one of the bigger islands of the country. Its industries include gold and silver work, woodcarving, weaving, copra, salt and coffee. But the moment you touch the place you can see clearly that the place is swarming with tourists. With a population of around three million, Bali has a tourist traffic of around one million every year.

The capital of this island is Denpasar.

Krishna-Arjuna statue at Jakarta main square

Statue of Bheem

Ghatotakach statue near the Ngurah Rai International Airport

Finally, the official mascot of Military Intelligence in Indonesia isHanuman. The rationale offered by a local was that it was Hanuman who had been able to trace that Sita, kidnapped by Ravana, had been kept in confinement at the Ashok Vatika.

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