ive dancers in sparkling costumes and ornate headdresses took to the stage at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta on July 17, performing a piece to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Thailand.
Titled the Blessing Dance, the performance was created by the Thai Culture Ministry’s Performing Arts and Fine Arts Department. The dancers moved gracefully to soft Thai music interwoven with Javanese melodies, highlighting the deep cultural ties between the two nations. Each performer held a fan, symbolically casting away misfortune and ushering in peace and prosperity for both countries.
Moments later, the tempo quickened with the introduction of a distinctive Balinese melody. The scent of incense filled the hall as five more dancers emerged from the audience, carrying bowls of flowers and incense, and joined the performance on stage.
This was Puspa Mekar (“Blossoming Flower”), a welcoming dance created in 1982 by Guruh Sukarnoputra, son of Indonesia’s first president Sukarno, together with Balinese dance maestro Anak Agung Gede Oka Dalem from Puri Kaleran Peliatan Ubud. The piece expresses heartfelt gratitude and a warm welcome to honored guests.
Cultural exchange: Deputy Culture Minister Giring Ganesha (right) poses with Thai Vice Minister Ploy Tanikul during a cultural event on July 17, 2025, to celebrate the two countries’ 75 years of diplomatic ties, in Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.
(Culture Minister/-)
Celebrating a milestone
The joint performance marked 75 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Thailand, officially established on March 7, 1950. However, historical ties between the two nations go back centuries, to the Srivijaya era in the eighth century, and later, the visits of King Chulalongkorn to Java in 1871, 1896 and 1901.