0 Visiting the tomb of Mads Lange

On the eastern outskirts of Kuta, a famous Danish trader is immortalized with a tomb and a narrow road that bears his name. The tomb is called the Mads Lange Memorial, while the road’s name is Jl. Tuan Lange. The southern entry of the road lies on the left side of Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai, some 200 meters south of the infamous Simpang Siur intersection, known for its frustrating traffic jams. Entering the road, a small compound of Chinese graves is soon encountered. A stone and concrete monument more than 2 meters tall is the centerpiece of the Mads Lange Memorial.

On its front face, a plaque bears the words “Sacred to the Memory of Mads Johansen Lange, Knight of the Nederland, Leeuw and Danish Gold Medal, born on the Island of Langeland, Denmark, Sept. 18, 1807. Departed this life at Bali, May 13, 1856, after a residence of 18 years on this island.” Dried flowers and leaves were scattered on the ground. They were apparently the remains of a canang (Balinese Hindus’ simplest offering of fresh flowers and leaves arranged on rectangular container made of young coconut leaves) presented on daily basis by a relative tasked with maintaining the tomb.

The house of the family lies next to the tomb compound. “I was asked to take care of the grave. As a Balinese, I always present a canang on the grave,” a member of the family, Ni Made Widi, said, adding that the tomb was often visited by Danish tourists. The tomb has undergone several restorations and the names of individuals who financed the restorations can be seen on the wall next to the tomb’s gate. A prominent scholar on the history of Bali, Adrian Vickers, dedicated a single chapter in Bali Chronicles, a book he co-authored with Willard A Hanna, to narrate the life and personality of Mads Lange.

In 19th century Bali, Mads Lange was an influential trader, the trusted advisor of the island’s kings and princes. He rose to be the trade agent for the King of Kesiman, the most influential and powerful among the traditional rulers of Badung, a kingdom that ruled, among others, Kuta, where Lange established his residence. Lange passed away in 1856. It is said that he was poisoned. He was reportedly survived by several wives and a group of children.

source : bali daily