However, a small fraction of the capital city’s residents choose to find solace in quite an unusual activity, learning the ancient art of classic calligraphy.

Inside a small and quiet craft shop in Pluit, North Jakarta, 10 people work with oblique pens, pointed nibs and ink in a calligraphy course held by 30-year-old calligrapher Sri Ratna. For Rp 650,000 (US$47), the 10 participants learned the fundamentals of copperplate calligraphy, a writing style that developed in Europe in the early 17th century.

One of the participants, Jessica Sandra, 24, an office worker from Central Jakarta said she was interested in joining the course because it taught classic calligraphy rather than the more modern and popular brush pen calligraphy.

“It’s a classic copperplate calligraphy course, so I thought it was very unique and interesting. It’s different from brush pen calligraphy, which has become quite common,” Jessica told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Jessica, who had never tried calligraphy before, said she was looking for an activity to refresh herself from the stress of work.

“I’ve joined a lot of craft workshops before, such as soap making, a flower arrangement class and a wax sachet workshop. I’ve wanted to take a calligraphy course for a while, and now I have the chance. I think making crafts is a great way to relieve stress,” she said as she dipped her pen in the ink bottle.

Another participant, Durand Edison, 27, from West Jakarta said he joined the calligraphy class as a weekend date with his girlfriend.

“Well, basically she asked me to join the class with her, since she’s been interested in calligraphy for a while,” he said while laughing.

Besides accompanying his girlfriend, Durand said that he also wanted to learn a new skill and find a new hobby to reduce stress. “I’ve heard calligraphy is quite therapeutic.”

Durand, who was the only male participant in the class, said he loved joining craft-making classes. “I love making handicrafts. I’ve participated in a leather working workshop, a wooden plaque carving course, and a macramé or knotting class.”

Sri Ratna said there had been a growing interest in calligraphy in recent years. “Back when I started doing calligraphy in 2015, there was only one calligraphy workshop in Jakarta. But now every weekend there’s a calligraphy workshop in the city.”

She said that in the digital era, where everything can be digitized and mass produced, handmade crafts and handwriting were getting more appreciation for their personal touch.

“That’s why calligraphy is getting more and more popular not only in Indonesia but internationally. Social media also helps to expose the art of calligraphy to a wider audience,” Ratna told the Post.

Ratna, who left her job in 2016 to be a full time calligrapher, said calligraphy had brought a lot of benefits for her mental health.

“I was going through a difficult time when I started getting into calligraphy. My mom was sick; I had problems at the office; I had financial problems; my house was flooded a lot; I was in a long distance relationship; it was hard. However, after I learned calligraphy, every single day after I got home from work, I would go directly to my room and practice for an hour, and it took my mind off of everything,” she said.

Ratna said practicing calligraphy had saved her from depression and reduced her anxiety. “It made me more patient and calmer in facing my problems. It sounds unreal, but people who have learned an art will understand. Many of my students have also shared similar stories.”

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