Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of founding president of Indonesia, Sukarno, will convert to Hinduism on October 26 in Bali.
Currently, she practices Islam.
The ritual ‘Sudhi Wadani’ will be conducted at the Bali Agung Singaraja at the Buleleng Regency in Singaraja city of Bali.
Sukmawati was married to Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Arya Mangkunegara IX but got divorced in 1984.
The lawyer of Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, Witaryono Rejsoprojo, confirmed to the press that her grandmother’s religion was the reason for her embracing Hinduism. He added that Sukmawati was well versed in Hindu theology.
A poem she had written in 2018 had attracted wrath of Islamists who accused her of blasphemy.
In the poem, recited at Indonesian Fashion Week, she had praised the Indonesian hair bun and said it was prettier than the full-faced veil worn by strict Muslims. She was forced to tender an apology but Islamists were not satisfied and wanted her to be tried of blasphemy.
“From the bottom of my heart I extend an apology to all Muslims of Indonesia, especially those who feel offended by the poem…the poem is a reflection of my concern about the sense of nationalism…and to honour our motherland’s rich cultural traditions and diversity,” she had said in the press conference where she tendered the apology.
Indonesia has about 90 percent Muslim population.
Considering the Covid-19 situation in the country, the ceremony has been kept private and very few people have been invited.
