As our Combi van coughed its way up to Kintamani on the northern side of the island, the sky suddenly gave way to torrential rain that quickly inundated the narrow mountain road. Right about then, the Combi sputtered and died. Our driver started and restarted the engine in vain while our guide tried to reassure us that this rain would be short-lived as they usually are in this part of the world. The heavy downpour was now threatening to carry our van downhill with it. Speeding vehicles were passing us, splashing muddy water in their wake. After what seemed like an eternity, the engine sprang back to life and we slowly edged our way to Penelokan for lunch where front and center row view seats of Gunung Batur and Lake Batur awaited us.We sat impatiently through lunch waiting for the veil of mist that shrouded the volcano to lift. A faint hint of sunlight and we finally caught a glimpse of Mt. Batur with its perforated peak surrounded by the lush valley floor and dark blue lake.Views like this are commonplace in Bali. Picture green terraced hillsides, temples great and small, fascinating roadside craft shops, and a choice of beaches. These are just a few of the reasons why visitors are returning to the island after the tragic bombings in 2002 that killed so many people. In Kuta where the horrifying explosions occurred, a Hindu shrine stands unscathed while the area next to it has been razed to the ground. Rather than be angry for the desecration of their peaceful island, the Balinese gathered in prayer for those who perished.Prayer is intrinsic in Balinese culture which is deeply rooted in the Hindu religion. The pura or temple is an important institution in the daily life of the people. This is where they worship, celebrate life and send their dead to the afterlife. Every village has at least three temples, each dedicated to one of the Hindu Trinity - Vishnu, the Preserver of Life, Brahma who is the Creator and Shiva, the Destroyer.With hundreds of temples in Bali, it is difficult to decide which ones to visit during a short stay. But Pura Tanah Lot has arguably the most dramatic setting. It is well positioned on top of a rocky promontory in southwestern Bali. At high tide, it is practically floating in ocean waters. Tanah Lot means earth and sea, quite apropos given its location. When it is low tide, it is possible to walk to the islet and climb up to the temple. Also at Tanah Lot is Batu Bolong, a rocky outcrop straddling land and sea, like a protective arm cradling a cozy beach. It has an arched opening carved by the ocean over time. Several shrines sit on the edge of the rock.We happened to visit during their New Year festival. This celebration takes place more frequently 1552 when the Pawukon Balinese calendar system is employed. (A Pawukon year has 210 days.) It was a lively scene with colorful streamers moving gently in the breeze. Men garbed in white shirts and pants and white turban called "udeng" were praying under one of the tents. Women arrived with their offerings balanced on their head. They wore a sarong tied with a sash, required for all women (including visitors) who enter the temple. A whiff of incense burning and gamelan music playing in the background further heightened the heady and exotic ambience.There are many deities in the Hindu religion. The Pura Ulun Danu in Bratan is a temple dedicated to Dewi Danu, the goddess of the waters and source of fertility. It has a lakeside setting with Mt. Batur in the distance as its backdrop. It is often cloaked in mist lending it an ethereal appearance. Within the temple grounds are fine examples of meru, a multi-tiered black thatched pagoda. Merus have an odd number of roofs up to a maximum of eleven. The royal temple of Taman Ayun in Mengwi has an impressive line up of merus in its inner courtyard. Together they constitute the "skyscrapers" of the village.Everyday we discovered offerings to the gods in palm leaf trays in the most unexpected places. Some contained flowers and betel, others fruit and rice flour cookies, and during the festival, we saw more elaborate offerings, all of them attractively arranged. The contents notwithstanding, the Balinese are always trying to please their gods and ancestors. This must be the reason why Bali and its people are blessed with beauty and serenity.Currency exchange: Be careful with money changers. A money changer in Nusa Dua insisted on changing my $100 with small bills then placed his hand on top of the stack of bills he handed to me and pilfered several bills this way. (The hotel staff accompanied me to the money changer after I complained and helped me recover the amount of money taken from me.) Although the sign clearly states "Authorized Money Changer", this does not mean they are above board. It's best to change your money in the bank even if the exchange rate may be lower. Local currency is Indonesian rupiah.
Museum Puri Lukisan Ubud,This Museum is opened in the year 1956 by minister of Education and Culture, Mr. Moh. Yamin. This Museum is consisted of three especial building in U-shape, where in the middle is Museum Garden and pool with the beautiful lotus flower. The building 1 is for a permanent exhibition place for the painting of puppets dressy or puppets style. In this place, collecting the painting from I Gusti Nyoman Lempad and the clarification about the existence of Pita Maha Organization. Building 2 also place for permanent exhibition or still from masterpiece result of all artist of Balinese modern dressy style. The building 3 is for a temporary exhibition.
NUSA DUA BEACH:The Nusa Dua tourist resort is part of the Bukit Peninsula in southern Bali. Some of the most beautiful and luxurious hotels are found here. The resort is known for its clean white beaches and clean waters.
The implementation of Balinese traditional philosophy and international health and environmental preservation standard makes Nusa Dua one of the very few modern resorts with traditional, cultural touches for leisure and business purposes. It is also a good place for water sport.
KUTA BEACH: Kuta area is an international village. The long white sandy beach, the big waves, many accommodations, close to the airport, night lives and all that make Kuta one of the most popular resorts in particular for the younger generations.
Kuta beach is recommended for sunset viewing. Batubulan: driving northeast from Denpasar, stone figures on the roadside mark the village of Batubulan.Divinities and demands are carved from sandstone for ornaments of houses and temples. Workshops can be visited to watch artist at work.
BATUAN: An old and famous center of the arts, it is now known for its dancing, wood panel carving and paintings.
CELUK: Northeast of Denpasar, the village of Celuk is noted for its silver and gold works of jewelry in many styles.
MAS:The village of woodcarvers, many of Bali's old masters still live here. Art galleries exhibit some of their best works.
Visitors can wander through the Balinese style houses to view the carved wooden pillars and the artist at work or instructing apprentices who work in groups.
UBUD VILLAGE:The center of Balinese painting. There are also several art galleries and home of famous artist here and country side living.
Ubud has several hotel and home stay, located on a higher altitude with a pleasant climate and rice terrace field viewing.
GOA GAJAH:Goa Gajah, dates back to the 11th century and are believed to have been built as a monastery. Carving on the wall show a demon head over the entrance, flanked by two statues.
The cave contains a statue of Ganesha. Excavations have uncovered a bathing place with six statues of nymphs holding waterspouts.
TAMPAKSIRING: The temple of Pura Tirta Empul is built around the sacred spring at Tampak Siring.Over 1000 years old, the temple and its two bathing places have been used by the people for good health and prosperity because of the spring water's curative powers. Regular ceremonies are held for purification.
KINTAMANI VOLCANO:The villages of Kintamani and Penelokan give a view Mount Batur and Lake. The calderas of Batur is impressive; 7 miles in diameter and 60 feet deep.
From Penelokan, a road leads to Kedisan on the shores of the lake where boats can be hired to cross over to Trunyan.
TRUNYAN:This ancient village is inhabited by people who call themselves "Bali Aga" or original Balinese who have maintained many of their old ways.
The Puser Jagad Temple has an unusual architecture and stand under a massive Banyan tree.
BESAKIH TEMPLE: Known as the "Mother Temple of Bali" the sanctuary of Besakih on the slopes of Mt. Agung is the biggest and holiest of all Balinese temples.
Over a thousand years old, steps ascend through split gates to the main courtyard where the Trinity shrines are wrapped in cloth and decorated with flower offerings.
Around the three main temples dedicated to the Trinity Shiva, Brahma and Wisnu, are 18 separate sanctuaries belonging different regencies and caste groups. To the Balinese, a visit to the temple sanctuaries is a special pilgrimage.
ALAS KEDATON:Well known as "Holy Forest" is a small forest measuring about 12 ha. In this forest is an old temple and to the southeast of the temple is a small field called the Monkey Cemetery.
There are hundreds of monkeys in this forest and high up on the big trees many bats are hanging and singing with their loud voices.
TANAH LOT TEMPLE: Caged out of the landscape by tides, wind and rain, the high off shore sentinel rock of Tanah Lot.
Supports a small picturesque sea temple which can be reached by a scramble over the wet rocks. Built by one of the last priest to come to Bali from Java in the 16th century, its ritual include the paying of home age to the guardian spirits of the sea.
The best time to see Tanah Lot Temple is in the late afternoon when the temple is in silhouette.
BEDUGUL: In the eastern high lands of Bali is the serene mountain area of Bedugul, where vegetable, fruits and flowers thrive in the alpine climate and a colorful little market at
Candikuning.
Offers a wide selection of produce including exotic strawberries, here there are many hotels and restaurants and a botanical garden.
GITGIT WATERFALL: It is located in the village of Gitgit, 11 kilometers south of Singaraja.
Follow the toot path to the site of waterfall with of distance of 800 meters.
The coffee and clove plantation adds scenic beauty to this area.
LOVINA BEACH:A rest full tourist resort on the north coast and quite close to Singaraja. A beautiful beach backed by coconut groves.
Added attraction are the dolphins in their natural habitat, which can be watched early in the morning by fisherman boats rented.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu
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A step-by-step guide to the intricacies of Balinese Architecture. "The Balinese do not live in houses in the conventional sense of the word. Instead, they divide their daily activities between a number of different pavilions which are situated within a family compound that is secluded from the outside world by a high wall." This guide to Balinese Architecture has wonderful watercolor illustrations of all the different types of building, the design concepts and the construction techniques. Click here to visit Ganesha Bookstore
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Traditional architecture in Bali originates from two sources. One is the great Hindu tradition brought to Bali from India via Java. The second is an indigenous architecture pre-dating the Hindu epic and in many ways reminiscent of Polynesian building. Even the Balinese temple, it has been noted, is surrounded by a stone wall dividing its sacred precincts from the village very much like Hawaiian and Tahitian places of worship.
Balinese temples are divided into three parts, one inevitably passes through a split gate or Candi Bentar to enter the first courtyard. Then a second gate rising high with the grinning face of a guardian demon leads to the second division. Inside there are numerous pavilions used for various purposes. In the final courtyard one may find the meru pagoda which may have as many as eleven roofs if the owner or temple is important enough. The black thatch is from the sugar palm and can only be used in temples. There will also stand numerous sanggah or spirit houses and pedestals which will be full of offerings on ritual days. Everywhere carving in brick, volcanic stone and wood will be apparent. All are ringed by walls. The Balinese have always spent a great deal of energy and money on their temples for it is the duty to repay the ancestors for the prosperity.
Balinese royalty has always felt it imperative that they demonstrate their prosperity and standing by building magnificent palaces. The carved wooden doors of these palaces are especially famous for their beauty. The teak doors of the main palace of Denpasar were so large that they required forty porters to carry them. In the palaces bright colours and gold leaf abound for the display of opulence in even the smallest and most insignificant of details is deemed proof of nobility. Unlike Europe, Balinese palaces are not single huge buildings but rather a collection of numerous structures each with a special function such as the bale gede, an open pavilion of 12 columns, where the oldest male of the family sleeps. During important ceremonies like tooth filing this will serve a place to commune with the ancestors and gods who descend from heavens to partake of the many offerings placed on the beds. As in the temple the four directions of the Balinese compass are critical in determining the lay-out and positioning of buildings. There is a developed Balinese science of geomancy written in the ancient palm leaf manuscripts. This is known as Kosala-kosali. Through it we can determine the best place to locate a kitchen for instance. Oftentimes when a family is suffering bad luck or misfortune, the first place the balian or witch doctor will look for is any unwitting violations of the Balinese laws of building. The science of building is held to be a sacred knowledge and traditional Balinese architects who might also be rice farmers were known by the distinguished title of undagi.
Another large and important structure is the wantilan or so called cock fighting arena. It is called this because at one time cock fights were frequently held here. It is found near the palace and central market in every traditional village. Nearby stands a kulkul or slit drum tower to call the members of the village together for meetings. The wantilan is also commonly used for performances. Once built entirely of wood most are made of re-enforced concrete today. The traditional wantilan has also inspired the shapes and forms of many hotels and houses as the Amandari.The introduction of cement and other modern materials and the rapid growth of hotels, galleries and new homes has produced mixed results. The opulence and ornamentation of many new hotels are often breath taking. Nowhere else in the world would such wood carvings and stone work be possible. Still the line between kitsch and a good taste is narrow and too often people have failed to appreciate the essence of Balinese architecture that in many cases has become an amazing parody of itself. One hopes that in the future more attention will be paid to resorts like the Amandari and Four Seasons Resort in Jimbaran, who have modified traditional Balinese architecture without tainting its integrity.
Using such natural materials as thatch roofing, bamboo poles, woven bamboo, coconut wood, mud and stone they are organic statements in complete harmony with the environment. Many of these are temporary such as the offering houses set up before harvest in the rice fields. Others use trees that will actually keep on growing as the bamboo rots and returns to the mother earth. The Balinese have always been particularly adept using the bamboo and behind every Balinese house one can find at least one stand of bamboo.
For those truly interested in Balinese architecture, a visit to the Bali Museum in Denpasar is a must. There you will not only find many old traditional buildings but also information as to the local styles, of which there are many. Also if you would like to take a piece of tradition back with you there are numerous traditional rice barns, the original knock down building, available for sale for extremely reasonable prices.
balineseThe Balinese population of 3.0 million (1.5% of Indonesia's population) live mostly on the island of Bali, making up 89% of the island's population. There are also significant populations on the island of Lombok, and in the eastern-most regions of Java (eg. the Municipality of Banyuwangi).
Contents[hide]
1 Origins
2 Culture
3 Religion
4 Festivals
5 References
6 External links
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Origins
The origins of the Balinese came from three periods: The first waves of immigrants came from Java and Kalimantan in the prehistoric times of the proto-Malay stock; the second wave of Balinese came slowly over the years from Java during the Hindu period; the third and final period came from Java, between the 15th and 16th centuries, at the time of the conversion of Islam in Java, aristocrats fled to Bali from the Javanese Majapahit Empire to escape Islamic conversion, reshaping the Balinese culture into a syncretic form of classical Javanese culture with many Balinese elements. The Balinese people generally got a large proportion of their ancestry from bali.
Culture
Fire Dance
Balinese culture is perhaps most known for dance, drama and sculpture. The culture is noted for its use of the gamelan in music. The island is also known for its form of Wayang kulit or Shadow play/Shadow Puppet theatre. It also has several unique aspects related to their religions and traditions. Balinese culture is a mix of Balinese Hindu religion and Balinese custom.
Religion
The vast majority of the Balinese follow one religion - A Shivaite sect of Hinduism that is mixed with pre-Hindu mythologies. The Balinese from before the third wave of immigration, known as the Bali Aga, are mostly not followers of the Balinese Shivaite Hinduism, but their own animist traditions.
Festivals
Kite festival
Galungan
Nyepi
Saraswati
Pager wesi
Carnival
Ngaben (Cremation Ceremony)
and some Traditional ceremony
Bali culture is totally unique and permeates through every aspect of life. The influence of Hinduism the main religion is evident in the music, drama, art, costumes and festivals which take place daily.
You'll encounter a festival almost every day, celebrating the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Anthropologists believe that the Balinese are descended from the ancient Chinese, the Indians and Arabs from the west, and others who came to the island directly or via Java.
Temples in Bali
Many of Bali's temples are many hundreds of years old and located in beautiful locations. Many have stories to tell which are of interest to people of all faiths.
(Bali Temples)
Balinese Dance
Dance is the medium which stories have been told in Bali for generations, the costumes are as elaborate as the moves - some of which take much training and agility to perfect.
You can watch many of the traditional dances which are performed several times weekly.
(Balinese Dance)
Museums in Bali
Such a rich history gives rise to historical artefacts which need to be housed properly, Bali has numerous museums which are open to the public to gain a greater insight to the past.
(Bali Museums)
Bali Events & Festivals
Bali has many colourful festivals throughout the year, the most important of which is Galungan.
Most festival dates are based on Bali's two unique calendars which have systems that are alien to the roman calendar so the dates change each year.
(Bali Festivals)
The Bali Aga
Shut away from the rest of the world until very recently, The Bali Aga have preserved their way of life well.
Now confined to just 2 towns in eastern Bali their way of life is in keeping with the past.
(The Bali Aga)
deknik_yoga
