Introduction and Empu Mudra keris

[globalnomad]

Hello Everyone,

Would like to introduce myself and it's always more fun with photos.

I recently moved to Jakarta and during the holidays, was able to visit Empu Ketut Mudra and his son, Komang at their place in Klungkung, Bali.

I was able to acquire my first keris from them. The original came with a Ganesh hilt but they graciously accommodated my request to have one made that resembled their multi-generational, gigantic keris. I know it is not traditional but felt it was a good homage to them.

I have been learning a lot from reading the forum and look forward to continuing my education and journey into the Indonesian and keris culture.

If anyone is in the area, I am always up for coffee and a good conversation about keris and Indonesian life.

Kind Regard,
Alejandro

[David]

Welcome to the forum Globalnomad. I would suggest that if you are especially interested in Bali keris that you spend some time in out archives as there are some extraordinary examples to view there.

[A. G. Maisey]

You might like to visit the Neka Museum in Bali if you get the opportunity, this place is a general art museum, with a couple of galleries filled with keris, some are modern art keris, many of which are of very high quality, here is a sample:-

http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/neka-page-1

in the left hand gallery at the top of the stairs you will find a collection of genuinely old keris, which is very valuable to collectors to provide a real life example of what genuine old Bali keris really looked like.

Here is a link to the website:-

https://nekaartmuseum.com/

A visit to the Bali Provincial State Museum in Den Pasar is also worth a visit, here is a sample:-

http://www.kerisattosanaji.com/den-pasar-museum-p-1

[globalnomad]

Thank you David and Alan for the recommendations.

I have been going over a lot of the discussions and learning so much. I'll make sure to review the archives for additional information.

I was lucky enough to find the Neka museum during my last visit and will return again as there's so much to take in. I'm sure we can all just spend hours going over those two rooms.

I appreciate being pointed to the Bali Provincial State Museum as I haven't visited there so that will be on my next itinerary.

Thank you again to you both of you as a lot of my learning has been from your responses in the discussions along with some of the other senior members of the forum.

If there are any other Empus / shops / museums or other keris related places in Bali or Java that anyone recommends, I'd appreciate the input.

Thanks,
Alejandro

[David]

Globalnomad, one thing i would recommend that you do is to make a careful comparison to the quality of craft in these older Bali keris with the one you have presented here.

[SidJ]

Is that keris really made by a bona-fide Empu or a self professed one?

[David]

Originally Posted by SidJ

Is that keris really made by a bona-fide Empu or a self professed one?

Ketut Mudra is indeed well respected in Bali and often acknowledged as the last pande who still knows the proper rites and mantras necessary to create a keris suitable to becoming pusaka. He does descend from a long line of pande besi and apparently began making keris in 2000.
I have rarely seen the title of "Empu" applied to pande keris in Bali and the same system of keraton appointed keris makers does not, as far as i know, exist in Bali. However, in 2025 many things are different in the keris world than they once were. As you can see in the article and the video i have posted below, Ketut Mudra is indeed being recognized by others as an Empu.
None of this, however, speaks specifically to craft or skill level when it comes to creating a high art keris.

https://www.nowbali.co.id/empu-keris...acred-daggers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQrr4EsnL_I

[Sajen]

Is the keris blade in question really worked by pande Mudra? By all respect, the blade in question looks like it was made by a beginner!?

Regards,
Detlef

[SidJ]

Looks like the skill in carving in the finer details on the blade are a direct function of the thickness of the wheel on the angle grinder being so enthusiastically used in David's video! That's a hard no for me personally.