REGIONAL NEWS

Lembaga Pengembangan Dharma Gita Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (LPDG DIY) continues to strengthen preparations for Utsawa Dharma Gita (UDG) selection process as a strategic effort to identify the best participants who will represent Special Region of Yogyakarta at the national competition. This effort was marked by an audience meeting with the Managing Director of Werkudara Group, I Gusti Putu Yaktianuraga, accompanied by the Hindu Community Guidance Office of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Yogyakarta on Monday.

The audience served as part of strengthening synergy between religious institutions, the government, and the business sector in supporting the development of Hindu religious arts rich in spiritual, cultural, and character-building values. Utsawa Dharma Gita selection is regarded not merely as a competition, but also as a platform for nurturing young Hindus to deepen their understanding and appreciation of dharma teachings through sacred vocal arts.

The Head of Hindu Community Guidance of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Yogyakarta, Didik Widya Putra, emphasized that participant quality is a primary focus in this year’s selection process. He adds that Dharma Gita development plays an important role in instilling spiritual values while preserving Hindu religious traditions amid modern developments.

“Through this program, we want to ensure that participants representing Yogyakarta truly possess strong qualities, both in their understanding of dharma values and in their ability to perform Dharma Gita. Synergy with various stakeholders, including the business sector, is an important step in strengthening the sustainability of this program,” said Didik.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of LPDGI DIY, Lutviana Wayan Seneng, stated that Utsawa Dharma Gita selection process is a strategic part of developing young Hindu generations while preserving religious arts. She explained that her institution continues striving to sustain the program despite limited support.

“We remain committed to organizing this selection process as part of continuous development. However, the support currently available is still limited, so we hope for stronger collaboration and assistance from various parties,” she stated.

On that occasion, Lutviana also invited I Gusti Putu Yaktianuraga to serve as a guest judge for Utsawa Dharma Gita selection scheduled for June 28, 2026.

Meanwhile, I Gusti Putu Yaktianuraga expressed his appreciation for the efforts of LPDG DIY and the Hindu Community Guidance Office in preparing Utsawa Dharma Gita selection. He noted that the event makes a significant contribution to building the character of younger generations based on dharma values.

“We support this activity because it not only preserves religious arts, but also helps shape the character of younger generations through dharma values. We are ready to collaborate according to our capacity,” he remarked.

Strengthening cross-institutional cooperation has become an important step in sustaining Dharma Gita development in Yogyakarta. Beyond serving as a platform to select the region’s best representatives for the national competition, Utsawa Dharma Gita selection also reflects a shared commitment to preserving Hindu religious artistic traditions while instilling spiritual and cultural values in younger generations.

Editor : I Made Juni Saputra

Photographer : I Gusti Ngurah Sathya Dharma

Contributed and Translated by Muhammad Mahmud Alhushori