Balinese Kshatriya is aHinduKshatriya community that exists on the island ofBali inIndonesia. During the second half of the sixth century, Bali had a strong Kshatriya rulingdynasty. The rulers were mostly indigenous Balinese with someIndian blood.[1] These clans mostly belonged to the Nāgavanshi dynasty.[2][3] However, in due time, these indigenous Kshatriyas became extinct and were replaced by theJavanese Kshatriyas who immigrated to Bali. Most of the Kshatriyas now living in Bali are claimed to be the descendants of KingDewa Agung, who immigrated to Bali fromJava. However, there are also a few other Kshatriya clans who were elevated to theKshatriya status from theVaishyavarna. Altogether, Kshatriyas constitute around 4% of the total Balinese Hindu population.
Dewa Agung is believed to have crossed over to Bali from Java many centuries ago, along with his half-brother Arya Damar and six otherKshatriyas. However, only Dewa Agung retained his Kshatriya status, as the descendants of the other seven were degraded to the status ofVaishya. Most of the Kshatriyas belonging to theDewa Agung clan are located in Badong,Tabanan, Mengui, and Karangasem. However, in Badong, there is another Kshatriya clan named Gusti Pam'chuttan, who are descended from theRaja Ngurah Sakti Pamecutan. Kshatriyas are also found inKlungkung,Bangli, andGianyar. The Kshatriya clan which lived inBuleleng has now shifted their location toBadung. Other Kshatriya clans who live in Bali, such asDesak, Pradeva, and Pungakan, are of questionable origin.[4]
The word Kshatriya, which is ofSanskrit origin, is pronounced asSatria inthe Balinese language.[5]