I Gusti Ngurah Rai; Balinese National Hero

On November 20 Bali will celebrate its heroic day. This day is identical with I Gusti Ngurah Rai "die in glory" with his army.

When you pass international airport you can see the most outstanding I Gusti Ngurah Rai's statue, at the intersection of the airport road and major bypass road. Both of which use his name, as does the international airport.

I Gusti Ngurah Rai is the first Balinese which recognized as national hero because of his spirit and braveness against colonialism in Bali; he was announced as a national hero in 1975, 29 years after he declared "puputan" or fight until the last blood against Dutch.

His dedication and loyalties to Jakarta (Indonesia) after Indonesia has announced it's independence made him led his army moving around Bali to consolidate Bali's strugglers again. Good position is offered by The Dutch, but he refused it even he stated that all negotiation and decision is on Jakarta, he had nothing to do with any kind of compromised with the invader.

As the consequences of his "stubborn" decision, Colonel Ngurah Rai who was commander of troops comprising the Bali and Nusa Tenggara Army became the first target of the Dutch Army.

With guerillas strategy Gusti Ngurah Rai made the Dutch frustrated then they brought bombing aircraft from java and more army to stop his struggle. When fighters from the Dutch East Indies' colonial army bombed Col. Ngurah Rai's hiding place in Marga, Tabanan, the colonel ordered 95 men under his command to fight to their death rather than surrender.

On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, 29 years old, led his 95 guerrillas in a last-ditch battle in which all were killed by aerial bombardment-a reenactment of the 'puputan'. Although Balinese resistance was broken, the Indonesians eventually won the war.

To memories this great battle and as an honor to Bali's great fighters, Bali's government decides to use the date as the Bali heroic day. And Museum was built with collection is taken from the last war even you can see the uniform that used by the hero near the place where the last battle took place.