Guide to Bali

Looking for a Cheap Hotel in Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:43:00 +0000

Bali has 20,000 hotel rooms supposedly. Today is December 20th, which is high-season. That means prices are increased and rooms are harder to get. My friends from Oregon wanted to change hotels this morning. The Puri Cendana in Seminyak was nice, but they didn’t want to pay the 300,000rp price tag. Their combined requirements were, a cheaper place, close to the beach, AC, pool, double beds. At 7.30am I took the car back to the shop on Jl. Padma Utara, and walked home. Arriving at the Puri Cendana an hour later, Ollie and I jumped on my motorbike for a tour of the accommodation in Legian and Kuta. I had some places in mind, but he wanted to see the rooms.

We also needed to know the availability and current inflated price. It was an interesting exercise for me. Starting off in the Padma area in Legian and working our way across Jl. Melasti to Jl. Benesari, we viewed maybe 6 places all in the 250,000rp range. When a decent place has a restaurant, hot water, pool, AC and its high season, you are looking at 250,000rp+. I think many backpackers get it in their mind that Bali is cheap and expect 40,000rp a night. You can get that, but for a small guest house with no pool, restaurant, hot water, AC.

I knew the cheaper places would be on further down Jl. Benesari and Poppies II. We checked both of those streets and Poppies I, never really finding the prefect balance between pool, room and cost. Finally we decided to settle for two places, the Suka Beach Inn, that had a pool, twin beds and AC, for 150,000rp, for Toby and Maya, and the Beneyasa, which now has some AC rooms, double beds on the 3rd floor, for 120,000rp per night, for Ollie & Asia.

Having a motorbike allowed us to hit a dozen or more places, check out the rooms, talk about price, and get on to the next place. At this time of year (wet season) its hot and humid. You will be much better off with AC. After May and up to October a fan room will do. On many occassions, Ollie and I talked about price with the staff, them allowing us to leave without going for a cheaper rate. This shows me they know they’ll get customers.

Advantages of staying in these type of guest house rooms, is that you are close to everything. The beach is a 5 minute walk, bars and restaurants are within a 30 second stroll off of the property.

Enter the Dragon: Komodo Indonesia

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:46:00 +0000

Most kids love pets and in western countries we’re talking about cats & dogs. Here in Indonesia the wildlife is a bit more diverse and sometime doesn’t take to the young ones as expected. As the China Post reports, one unlucky lad got too close to a Komodo dragon.

Komodo dragons are the world’s largest lizards (though some Seminyak expats could give them a run for their money) and possess razor sharp teeth. Their mouths are a bacteria pit, containing more than 60 different disease inducing nasties (sounds like my ex-girlfriend). Deer and other mammals are prey to this creature and after one vicious bite, nature and the humid climate take care of the rest.

On this occasion the 3 meter, 166kg gecko ambushed the little lad in the dunny, giving him no chance. Villagers on Komodo report the lizards are usually okay. Komodo island is the place to see the dragons in their natural habitat. If you want to visit the national park there you’ll have to go via Flores or Timor, since there is no airport / accommodation on Komodo.

The padmasana: Balinese Lotus Throne

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:47:00 +0000

Balinese temples differ slightly in their layout, but retain many similar elements. The most important part of of the pura (temple) is the jeroan (inner courtyard). The most important shrine in the jeroan is the padmasana, or Lotus Throne. Balinese Hinduism has many Gods, with many incarnations for example Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (the Creator, Protector and Destroyer). They also believe the Supreme Deity is Sanghyang Widi Wasa. During the Galungan festival, the most important festival of the year, the Gods, and souls of their ancestors come down to Earth to sit in the jeroan receiving worship. They must be honored with ceremony, music, offerings and dance.

Sanghyang Widi Wasa is given a stone seat (Lotus throne) atop a sculpted tower. This padmasana (tower) is always located in the kaja-kangin corner of the courtyard, which is the closest point to Gunung Agung. The whole tower is supported on the back of the Cosmic turtle, or Bedawang, which carries the world on its back. What a wonderful imagination the Balinese have! The Bedawang has 2 helpers in the form of snakes. These are Naga Basukih and Naga Anantaboga and are part of the Balinese creation myth. In the temple I checked out south of Ubud, they had a little golden figure of a man at the top of the tower, symbolizing fertility it seemed.

Speaking of Cosmic Turtles, a class I took years ago used this little story to illustrate the subject of recursion.

After a lecture on cosmology and structure of the solar system, William James was accosted by a little old lady who told him his view of Earth rotating around the Sun, was wrong.

“I’ve got a better theory.” said the little old lady. “And what is that madam?” inquired James politely. “That we live on a crust of Earth, which is on the back of a giant turtle.”

“If your theory is correct madam.” he asked, “what does this turtle stand on?” “You’re a very clever man, Mr. James, and that’s a very good question.” replied the little old lady. “But I have an answer to it.” “And it’s this: the first turtle stands on the back of a second larger turtle, who stands directly under him.”

“But what does this second turtle stand on?” persisted James. To this, the little old lady crowed triumphantly, “Its no use Mr. James, it’s turtles all the way down.”

Adapted from J.R. Ross (1967)

Maybe the little old lay had been to Bali.

Temples in Padangbai Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:49:00 +0000

Padangbai has 5 major temples, Pura Dalem, located downtown, Pura Segara located next to the beach in between town and the main beach, Pura Telagamas, Pura Silayukti and Pura Tanjungsari in the eastern end of Padangbai.

Pura Dalem (the temple of the dead) is where cremation ceremonies happen. Pura Telagamas sits behind Pura Silayukti and is connected by a pathway. Pura Silayukti was the home of a priest named Empu Kuturan in the 11th Century and there is a 3-roofed meru (tiered structure) inside the temple.

A path from Silayukti leads to an ancient shrine overlooking the ocean. The shrine has a candi bentar (Balinese split gate) and some ancient rocks wrapped in cloth. A turtle shaped sarcophagus sits above the waves below.

Pura Tanjungsari is dedicated to Empu Bharadah, Kuturan’s brother who together with his brother spent time at the early Besakih temple site. These temples could make a an interesting hike after a morning at the beach. Simply go along the beach road to the end and up around the headland. Remember to bring a sarong and sash.

Walking on the beach in Seminyak Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:50:00 +0000

Living in Bali offers certain advantages including proximity to the beach. Not being a beach goer, my tan is the same as it was back in England, but having access to the fresh air is a pleasant thing. This morning Ika told me the tide was high and the waves seemed big. Investigating a while later it was true, the beach had mostly disappeared and the tide was way in. The predictions of stormy weather didn’t materialize although it is overcast.

In Indonesian the word for beach is pantai, the most famous beach being Pantai Kuta. As you get further up the coast, the amount of beach side development and beach activity drops off dramatically. In Seminyak in front of La Lucciola / Pura Petitenget, you’ll get wandering salesmen selling watches and kites, but other than that its just expats walking their dog and resort tourists lounging in front of their hotel.

I was taking the photo, the guy with the umbrella had to scoot up the slope as a swell charged in. So easy to get swept away if you’re not careful. Most surf shops handout free tide-charts, which will give you the schedule for the upcoming couple of weeks. For early morning beach runs you want the tide out (low tide) so the beach is wide and flat. There are little estuaries that cross the beach in Legian / Seminyak (I won’t say what comes out of some of them) and at low tide you can skip across them without getting your ankles wet. At high tide you’ll be knee deep, so I wear sandals.

Favourite places in Seminyak to enjoy a beach-side breakfast / lunch include KuDeTa (nice breakfast selection for 70,000rp) and La Lucciola.

For people staying in Seminyak hotels, a pleasant morning walk might be to stroll along the beach from Jl. Oberoi to Jl. Dhyana Pura, then head towards Jl. Seminyak and around to Jl. Oberoi. You’d get the fresh air of the beach and the interesting sights on the street. The loop will take about an hour. Best done a dawn as the temperature climbs fast.

Leko: Balinese Social Dance

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 02:35:00 +0000

Leko is a type of social dance, may be a flirtation dance as a matter of fact. In old days, Leko was a palace dance, designed for the entertainment of the king, nowadays it is a popular social dance that anybody can enjoy and participate. It is performed by a pairs of female dancers and usually involves the audience. Leko can only be found in Western part of Bali, in the regency of Tabanan and Jembrana.

As any other dance performance in Bali, Leko performance is preceded by presenting a set of offering for the success of the performance by the priest or the elder of the troupe. After the process of presenting the offering is finished, the semara pagulingan orchestra which accompany the Leko performance play an introduction melody usually without a dancer. The musical accompaniment of Leko is not always the semara pagulingan, Leko troupe from Jembrana regency used bamboo instrument orchestra (tingklik or rindik).

When the introductory of the accompaniment orchestra is finished, a pairs of female dancers step out and stand in the middle of the stage, the accompaniment orchestra played introductory melody to the dancers. The dancers dance introductory dance for around 20 minutes.

At the end of introductory dance session, the ngibing (dancing with the audience) begins, accompanied by a special, very lively composition played in fast tempo. Each of the dancers carries a loose scarf in one hand and fan in the other. When the dancers begin the session, men shout from all over the audience, urging the dancers to choose from among them. Each dancer improvises with several men, in turn. When the dancers go out into the audience to select their partner, each dancer designates the lucky man by tapping him with her closed fan.

Once the male reaches the stage, the dancer wraps her scarf around his waist, and the two perform together for few minutes. Some men, better dancers than others, are permitted to dance longer than the rest. It is characteristic for the male partner to take the lead, and a good Leko dancer is esteemed for her skill following closely and responding deftly to dance overtures of her partner. The man usually attempts to get very close to the dancer but she always darts away in time to evade him. When the man wants to stop he unwrap the scarf around his waist and returns it to the dancer. (BALIwww)

Balinese Stage

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 02:40:00 +0000

Before we talk about a Balinese stage, let us take a glance on what Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary has to offer on the word ‘stage’ in the context of theater – a raised area, usually in theater, etc. where actors, dancers, etc. perform. When we apply this definition on what is called stage by the Balinese, it is clear that there are only few stages in Bali. But when we define the word “stage” as Balinese define it – place to perform a performance, everywhere is a stage in Bali. For wherever there is a space to dance, to mount a play, there is the Balinese stage.

A stage in Bali can be the hamlet meeting hall (bale banjar), the temple court, the ground outside the temple, the courtyard of Balinese house, the outer courtyard of a palace, sometimes it maybe the village street, the football or volleyball field. Sometimes its floor is bare earth, covered by with palm leaf mating; its roof is the sky or an overhanging tree or as a shelter from sun and rain, a ceiling of woven coconut leaves supported on the pillars of bamboo. The décor maybe the gateway of a palace or temple, or the flight of steps leading up to it, or if there is no gateway available a temporary décor made of bamboo and cloth in the form of a door will do just fine.

As there are only few stable theaters, most of the stage properties are portable ones. There is the curtain in Arja, Topeng and Jauk, there are lances and umbrellas of Barong play, Gambuh and Baris and a Calonarang performance has a male papaya-tree, which must always be planted on the dance ground, as a favorite place for the witch and her disciples to play.

The Balinese stage is static, the change of scene, for example in a drama performance do not involve the change of stage’s décor. The conversation of the characters alone indicates where they happen to be at the moment; in a forest, on the sea shore, in a market place, palace court, or grave yard or journeying from one place to another. Peasants tramping round the stage are always on their way to the rice fields, or possibly put their trouble before the king, a king or guards will probably denote a palace; witch transformation or the great witch Rangda herself indicates a graveyard; women with offerings sign at a temple.

The progress of a journey is suggested by words, glances and deviations over very restricted space of the dance-ground. Things are seen afar, they grew nearer and finally the illusion given arriving at a distant place, though the end is the same as the beginning. Demons or divinities followed on their course through the air. The décor of Balinese stage is in the mind of the spectators.

Balinese stage is just a place for performing the performance. The actual stage is in the mind of the spectators since no décor can surpass the beauty of human imagination. (BALIwww)

Calonarang - Most Well-known Tale of Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 02:42:00 +0000

At the beginning of 7th century, a Balinese prince, the great Erlangga, became the king of a Javanese in east Java, the Kingdom of Daha. His mother, Mahendradatta, was a Javanese princess who ruled Bali with her Balinese husband, Dharmodayana, until the husband, suspecting her of practicing evil magic, exiled her to the forest.

When Erlangga’s father died, leaving Mahendradatta as a rangda or a widow, she conspired to use her band of pupils trained in the black arts to destroy Erlangga’s kingdom. Her chief grudge against Erlangga because of fancied insults to her beautiful daughter, Ratna Menggali – the noblemen of Daha had refused her in marriage for fear of her mother’s evil reputation and the failure of Airlangga to prevent his father ( Dharmodayana) to marry again.

Calonarang (Erlangga’s mother who practising evil magic) went with her pupils to the cemetery and they prayed and danced in honor of Durga Bhairawa, the deity of black magic, to help them destroy Daha. The goddess appeared and danced with them, granting her permission, warning the witch, however, to preserve the center of the kingdom untouched. The witches danced at the crossroads and soon people fell in great numbers.

Discovering the cause of the epidemic, Erlangga ordered his soldiers to go and kill the witch. They stole into her house while she slept and stabbed her in the heart , but Calonarang awoke unhurt and consumed the daring soldiers with her own fire. The witch went once more into the cemetery and danced with her pupils, dug out corpses, cutting them into pieces, eating the members, drinking the blood, and wearing the entrails as necklaces. Durga Bhairawa appeared again and joined in the bloody banquet, but warned Calonarang to be careful. The witches danced once more at the crossroads and the dreadful epidemic ravaged the land, the vassals of Erlangga died before they could even bury the the corpses they bore to the cemeteries.

The desperate king sent for Mpu Bharada, the holy man from Lemah Tulis, the only living being who could vanquish the witch. Mpu Bharada planned his campaign carefully. He sent Bahula, his young assistant, to ask for the witch daughter’s in marriage. Highly flattered, the mother gave her consent and after a happy and passionate honeymoon, Bahula learned from his wife the secret of Calonarang’s power. The possession of a little magic book which he stole and turned over to his master. The holy man copied it and had it returned before the disappearance could be noticed. The book was a manual of righteousness and had to be read backwards. The holy man was then able to restore life to those victims whose bodies had not yet decayed. Armed with the new knowledge, he accused the witch of her crimes, but she challenged him by setting an enormous Banyan tree on fire by a single look of her fiery eyes. Bharada foiled the enraged witch by restoring the tree, and she turned her fire against the holy man. Unmoved, he killed her with one of her own mantras, but she died in her monstrous form and Bharada, to absolve her of her crimes and enable her to atone for them, revived her, gave her human appearance, and then killed her again. (BALIwww)

Magic in Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 02:47:00 +0000

Magic in Balinese life is an integrated part of daily life, there is no clear distinction between the real phenomenon and magical one. There is no word for “miracle” in Balinese language, since in everyday life; Balinese do not differentiate between miracle and common phenomenon. All phenomenons however strange it is, has an explanation and the favorite explanation from a Balinese for a weird event is “the imbalance” between the positive and negative force produces this strange event and a kind of ceremony is needed to restore the balance.

The adjective “sakti” that means “magically powerful” is the key word and the favorite word in Balinese magical. Everything that sakti (magically powerful) is deeply revered by the Balinese out of fear or respect. “Kesaktian“, is the noun form of the adjective “”sakti” (magically powerful), a word, that means “magical power”. On this noun, “kesaktian” (magical power) all Balinese magical activities is centered on. “Kesaktian” (magical power) is not something to be ridiculed or handled improperly. Used only by powerful people, it can be turned against anyone at any time, to his possible harm or even death. It is a powerful force, not to be trifled with. The “kesaktian” (magical power) is a secret art, no Balinese in his right mind will talk about this matter freely, a conversation of this matter is usually avoided. A Balinese who has many knowledge and ability on this subject will tend to keep quiet and refuse to admit that he knows something in relation with the “kesaktian” (magical power).

Balinese believes that “kesaktian” (magical power) can be acquired through four different ways.

1. By buying a “kesaktian” (magical power) from a Balian (witch doctor).
To obtain an instant magical power someone can buy an amulet, usually a drawing of sacred image and characters on a piece white cloth or for more powerful “kesaktian” (magical power) the Balian (witch doctor) will draw sacred characters all over the buyer’s body and give a magical power to the characters with a chant of sacred mantra and a particular offering.

2. Inheritance from the parents
Parents with a “kesaktian” (magical power) will transfer their “kesaktian” (magical power) to their child who accompanies them in their last moment (dying). This is the most dangerous “kesaktian” (magical power) and will likely to harm other people since the child does not know that he/she posses a “kesaktian” (magical power), and does not have any control to his/her newly inherit legacy.

3. Gift
A “kesaktian” (magical power) can be acquired trough a meditation in a sacred or spooky place such as in cemetery, cave, gorge or forest. God or other spiritual being will bestows the “kesaktian” (magical power) as a reward for his/her meditation. Sometimes a particular god will choose a person to become His servant. The chosen person will be given a “kesaktian” (magical power) usually a shamanistic power as reward for his/her services.

4. Study
A “kesaktian” (magical power) can also be acquired trough a deep and serious study on the palm leaf manuscripts. The manuscripts that contain a lesson on how to acquire a “kesaktian” (magical power) is called “Lontar Kawisesan“, the manuscript of power. A qualified teacher is needed in this learning process since the knowledge of “kesaktian” (magical power) is a dangerous knowledge, many Balinese end up with death or insane as result of studying the knowledge “kesaktian” (magical power) without a proper guidance. Before learning this secret art, the student has to purify himself/herself trough a certain ceremony, called “pawintenan” ceremony. Balinese believes that without this ceremony the knowledge of the “kesaktian” (magical power) will not enter the student mind since his/her body is still spiritually dirty.

The “kesaktian” (magical power) as the other things in Bali, is double-edged. It can bring many benefits to the people if it is used properly and can harm people, crops, or animals if falls to the wrong hand. (BALIwww)

Holy Water: The Backbone of Balinese Hinduism

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 02:54:00 +0000

The most important part of all Balinese ceremony is a Holy water. Holy water accompanies every act of Hindu-Balinese worship from individual devotion at household shrine to island-wide ceremonies. Holy water acts as an agent of the power of a God, a container of a mysterious force. It can be cleanse spiritual impurities, fend off evil forces, and render the recipient immune to the attacks of the negative, or demonic, influences. In Bali, holy water is not a symbol, it a material container of mystical power, and as such, is sacred and holy in and of itself. The holy water strengthens and purifies everything it touches. Although there are many kinds and potencies of holy water, no matter where or by whom it is made and no matter whether its quantity is great or small, holy water is always a sacred and powerful agent.

The Balinese call holy water toya, from medium Balinese word for “water,” and often the High Balinese tirtha will be used. These are never confused with ordinary water, however, which everyone calls by its low Balinese name, yeh. The uses and potency of holy water vary according to how it is made, its source, and who makes it. The more powerful the mantra and the more elaborate the offering use to make it, the more mystic energy it contains. The more sacred the place from which it is obtain, the greater the sanctity of the holy water. The more exalted the status of the person who makes it, the greater its magical power.

Holy water is use in many different ways and need not always be the most powerful variety. The supply kept in the several shrines of family temples need not come from as remote or high as source as, say, the holy water needed for cremation or temple festival. And sometimes holy water from specific temple may be preferred because that temple emphasizes a particular manifestation the Hindu deity and that manifestation is the one to whom an appeal is being made. All holy water is sacred but some kinds are more powerful, more appropriate in a given situation than others.

Holy water requires special handling, it must be treated with respect and deference. The most powerful holy water from the most sacred source, prepared with the most magical mantras and most elaborate offerings by most exalted priest loses its power if treated casually or disrespectfully. On the other hand, clean water from the well of a house compound placed in a new container in the shrine of an ordinary family temple becomes powerful and effective holy water if the feeling of the user toward it are properly reverent.

The holy water must be kept in a clean container and must be handled with great respect. People often use a bungbung – a section of bamboo culm closed at one end and open at the other – to transport holy water. Ordinary large glass jars, with loose-fitting glass top, are quite commonly use. Villager often transport holy water in ordinary drinking glasses or bottles. These should theoretically be brand new and unused. Typical red clay pot are often use for temporary storage in temples where demand for holy water.

Any container of holy water is always held and passed to others using only the right hand. The container should be held as high as possible as it is being handled, preferably higher than heads of others nearby. If placed on the floor, step over, or handled excessively, holy water will loose its mystical power and be rendered in effective. Containers of holy water are usually store in the shrines of family and public temples.

Holy water is so essential of Balinese life that it is impossible to list all its uses. Those who are sick are made well by balians or pamangkus or pedandas who clean the spirits of their patients with holy water. A Balinese undergoes such as cleansing before and after any major trip. Everyone of the rites of passage involves the use of holy water. Shrines are sprinkled with it everyday. Those who go in trance are bought back from this state with holy water.

And one of the most devastating things that can happen to a family is to be denied access to holy water from the village temples. This is a dreadful punishment for a person who has been expelled from his banjar because of failure to comply with the religious or customary laws. Because it is so serious, it is not a common punishment. It means, in effect, that the person so expelled is ritually dead. And this applies not only to him but also to all members of his family.

Most of the materials for this writing are taken from Fred B. Eiseman, Jr’s Bali Sekala and Niskala Volume I. (BALIwww)

Mantra: Incantation

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:50:00 +0000

No ceremony, ritual, or offering is believed to be accepted by God without proper incantation (mantra) is chanted by a qualified priest or high priest to summon God from heaven and beg Him to accept the essence of the offerings and witness the ceremony or ritual. Balinese considered the mantra that is chanted by the priest as “finisher” (pemuput) of the ceremony, without it all offerings just a heap sewn coconut leaf, foods, fire and water.

The word ‘mantra’ means ‘form of thought,’ mantra is considered to be the original form of a thing, an immortal form, a formula that cannot be destroyed, and the source of all immortal form. Mantra is believed to be the first language of human, and as the first and the right language mantra serves as sacred expression that is used in a ceremony. Mantra is a holy vehicle which connects the devotees with God. Mantra contains the holy name of God and since His power is believed to be united with His holy name, mantra can be used to summon God or at least personification of His power to descent to the world of human.

Mantra consists of combination of sacred characters, arranged in one way or another to create a certain sound. In order to give the wanted effect, mantra must be sounded in a right way, according to its rhythm (svara) and sound (varna). Mantra has its own vibration and sound, if it is translated into another language, mantra lost its rhythm and turn into an ordinary sentence. Successfulness of a mantra also greatly depends on the holiness of the one who utters the mantra.

Though mantra that is used in Bali is countless in number, but it can be categorized into four groups based on the effect of the mantra:
1. Siddha (mantra that bestows a success)
2. Sadhya (mantra that full of help)
3. Susiddha (mantra that finishes the work)
4. Ari (conquer the enemy)

Mantra is used for various purposes such as attain salvation, worship the manifestation of the God, worship the ancestor spirit, communicate with gods, communicate with ghost or other spirits, summon power or ability from a super human (purusottama), summon God to accept the essence of offering and witness the ceremony, neutralize negative force, exorcise the evil spirits, cure a disease, create holy water, destroy plants, animal, and humans, control plants, animals, humans, spirits and gods, negate the effect of poison, and purify the body. (BALIwww)

Mudra: Sacred Hand Gesture

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:56:00 +0000

When someone encounters a Balinese high priest (pedanda) in action, one can hardly miss the beauty of his or her hand gestures. This hand gestures are known as mudra. Mudra has been used by both Hindu and Buddhist priests for thousands of years. The word “mudra” means “sign” when the high priest utters the sacred incantation, his or her hands make certain gestures as signs to express the words of sacred incantation with movements.

In Bali mudra is called “patanganan”, or movement of the hand. These hand movements are part of three elements that must unite in order to communicate with God. These three element are mind (the memory of sacred incantation (mantra), voice (the utterance of sacred incantation), and movement (hand gesture that translate the sacred incantation into movement).

Balinese high priest use mudra in officiating a ceremony or cleanse his mind before officiating a ceremony. Mudra is also used for welcoming God, presenting offering to God, achieving something, or increasing healthiness of the body.

It is said that the Balinese dances is made based on the beauty of the mudra. But the most obvious influence of mudra can be found in the ancient statues of Bali. The hands of these statues were made various kind of mudra (sacred gestures) for example cin mudra (hand gesture to calm the restless mind), vakhayana mudra (hand gesture when speaking), sudarsana mudra (hand gesture when giving instruction), jnana mudra (hand gesture of contemplation), dhyana mudra and yoga mudra (hand gesture of meditation), vitarka mudra (hand gesture when giving lesson), bodhyagiri mudra (hand gesture when holding something), bhumisparsa mudra (hand gesture of calming the world), vara mudra (hand gesture of giving a bless), abhaya mudra (hand gesture of removing all obstacle), vismaya mudra (hand gesture of dismay), anjali mudra (hand gesture of giving homage), suci hasta mudra (hand gesture of pointing something), etc. (BALIwww)

Geringsing: Sacred Cloth of Tenganan

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:59:00 +0000

From a tiny village of Tenganan comes the rare geringsing cloth that put this little village among the best in textile technology. The geringsing cloth with its double ikat technique – a method in which resist patterns are applied to both the wrap and the welt before weaving, so that the final pattern appears only on completion – is the most spectacular ever produced by the textile art in Southeast Asia.

When someone encountered the geringsing for the first time, he is immediately captivated by the mute color of geringsing. Geringsing combines red and reddish brown tones, eggshell and dark blue or violet. These mute colors are obtained from natural pigment of outer layers of sunti root (morinda citrifolia) and indigo. The geringsing threads are dyed and cross-dyed several times with the natural pigments to achieve the wanted color and pattern. Since the geringsing is woven in loose tabby from cotton yarns, it produces certain uniformity in appearance.

All kind of geringsings share a basic pattern in which the cloth is divided into two corresponding ‘head’ portion at either end, serves as a frame for a large central panel that is in turn subdivided by arrange the motifs in various ways. Various motifs are used to fill the large central section. For example groups of geometric and abstract floral motifs may be repeated over the whole of central panel, horizontally, vertically or along the diagonal. Some kinds of geringsing have a quite different form of central section for example, the geringsing wayang type has large four-pointed stars with a crenellated motif surrounded by four scorpions devide the main field into semicircular segments. These segments contain stars, emblems, architectural elements, animals and Balinese wayang kulit (shadow puppet) figure.

For the residents of Tenganan village geringsing is not just an ordinary cloth, it is a sacred fabric which full of magical power to protect the wearer. The word ‘geringsing’ is derived from the word ‘gering’ means ‘pestilence’ or ‘plague’ and the word ‘sing’ means ‘no’, it means geringsing possess the magical power to ward off harm wrought by natural or supernatural enemies, and confer invulnerability on the bearer one.

Geringsing not just use for protection but also as a mark of the community membership, it is an incontestable evidence that the wearer belong to the village of Tenganan. Geringsing has become a kind of proprietary mark of Tenganan, a cloth that serves as a social insignia with which Tenganan residence adorn themselves whenever they received guest from neighboring village or when they go outside the village to visit a friend or pay homage to certain temples.

Some materials for this writing are taken from the book “Textile of Bali”. (BALIwww)

Accommodation in Sanur Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:01:00 +0000

Here is a short guide to accommodation in Sanur, featuring budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation options.

Sanur is a quiet version of Kuta that offers a decent selection of accommodation options. You won’t find the mega resorts of Nusa Dua, but will discover a price selection, with many small personal places situated close to the beach.

•Budget:

Agung & Sue Watering Hole
Jl. Hang Tuah 37,
North Sanur
(0361)288289
Family run budget place located 250 meters from the beach on Jl. Hang Tuah. Ideally located for people wanting to catch a boat the next day for Nusa Lembongan. Rooms are set in blocks, the better ones having AC.

Agung & Sue Watering Hole II
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 36,
Semawang
(0361)270545
Located 200 meters away from the quiet section of beach at the Blue Oasis Beach Club in Semawang. Budget rooms with fan and others with AC and family rooms. Clean rooms set in small compound with pool.

Coco Homestay
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 42
Sindhu
(0361)287391
Located 600 meters from the beach on busy Jl. Danau Tamblingan. Eight budget rooms with cold water / fan in family run place. Great for people looking for the absolute cheapest price.

Enny’s Homestay
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 172,
Semawang
(0361)287363
Located on Jl. Danau Tamblingan in Semawang. Enny’s is 600 meters from the beach and Hardy’s supermarket. Budget place offering 7 rooms, very clean and comfortable. Choice of cold water / fan or hot water / AC.

Jambu Inn
Jl. Hang Tuah 57
North Sanur
(0361)286501
Located right next to the beach at Jl. Hang Tuah. Easy to find as its next to the Diwangkara Hotel and less than 200 meters from Museum Le Mayeur. Nice garden with pool, 7 bungalows with porch and lounge. Choice of fan or AC.

Keke Homestay
Gang Keke 3 (look for Jl. Danau Tamblingan 96)
Sindhu
(0361)287282
Located down a small gang 600 meters from the beach. Budget rooms with cold water / fan. Five rooms in all, good for people who want a very cheap place in the center of town.

Luisa Homestay
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 40
Sindhu
(0361)289673
Very cheap place offering 13 fan rooms, some with hot water. Close to other cheap backstreet accommodation located 600 meters from the beach.

Pondok Prima
Gang Bumi Ayu 23
Sindhu
(0361)286369
Located on a small gang off of Jl. Danau Tamblingan in Sindhu. Very centrally located and just under 1km from the beach. Good selection of rooms and large bungalows. Pool & restaurant on premises set in nice garden. Choice of fan or AC.

Simon Homestay
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 164d
Batujimber
(0361)289158
Located 600 meters from the beach in Batujimber, just off of the main street down a quiet lane. Six family run rooms offering fan or AC.

Yulia Homestay 1
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 38
Sindhu
(0361)288089
Located on the main street across from the market in Sindhu, next to other cheap places. There are 23 good value bungalows in a family run compound, some with hot water, all with fan.

•Mid-range:

Respati Bali
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 33
Sindhu
(0361)288427
Located in the center of town in the busy main street. Six bungalows very well maintained in compound that extends to the beach. Pool, restaurant and AC rooms.

Rita
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 152
Batujimber
(0361)282630
Located close to the main street in Batujimber. Good value bungalows complete with a small kitchen area, TV and AC.

Hotel Segara Agung
Jl. Duyung 43
Semawang
(0361)288446
Located 2 minutes from the beach, on a peaceful lane in Semawang. Sixteen attractive bungalows in lovely garden and swimming pool. Rooms are large with choice of fan or AC. Family rooms available.

Swastika
Jl. Danau Tamblingan128
Batujimber
(0361)288693
Centrally located next to the Hardy’s supermarket in Batujimber. Large place with 78 rooms arranged in bungalows. The name denotes the Buddhist ‘wheel of the sun’ symbol. Choice of fan rooms which have garden bathroom, or AC rooms with garden view gazebos mostly. There is a good pool and the garden is very nice.

•Luxury:

Bali Hyatt
Jl. Danau Tamblingan
Semawang
(0361)281234
Located on the beach in Semawang. Set in 36 acres and featuring wonderful gardens, tennis courts, swimming pools and spa. Rooms are quality with hot water / AC. Families can have 1 child under 12 stay in their room for free.

Griya Santrian
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 47
Sindhu
(0361)288181
Located close to the action in Sindhu. Collection of 96 bungalows in expansive garden. Property extends down to the beach, 4 restaurants and a swimming pool. All rooms have hot water / AC.

Inna Grand Bali Beach
Near Jl. Hang Tuah
North Sanur
(0361)288511
The most high profile hotel in Sanur, due to its height and size. Choice of rooms set in main building or cottages. Restaurant, 3 swimming pools, tennis courts. Families can bring 2 children under 12 years for free if they share the parent’s room. All rooms have hot water / AC.

La Taverna
Jl. Danau Tamblingan
(0361)288497
Located on the beach in Sindhu. Decent bungalows in unique style, though not as luxurious as some of the other places. Nice verandas over looking the gardens, swimming pool. Rooms are all hot water / AC.

Hotel Sanur Beach
Jl. Danau Tamblingan
Semawang
(0361)288011
Massive place with 425 rooms located in Semawang at the extreme southern end of Sanur. Luxury place with swimming pools, tennis courts, spa, watersports center. Luxurious rooms all with hot water / AC.

Segara Village (Desa Segara)
Jl. Segara Ayu
Sindhu
(0361)288407
Located next to the temple in Sindhu. Selection of rooms styles with the choice being the upstairs garden-view bungalows. Gardens extending to the seafront, with swimming pools, tennis court, kid’s club, restaurant. All rooms with hot water / AC.

Tandjung Sari
Jl. Danau Tamblingan 41
Sindhu
(0361)288441
Centrally located on the beach in Sindhu. A high-end place featuring 28 private compounds with cottages. Antique Chinese floor tiling, Javanese furnishing and garden bathrooms. Swimming pool and beach-side restaurant. All rooms with hot water / AC. (BaliBlog)

New branding for Bali tourism industry

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:05:00 +0000

Branding is important to any industry. Putting an image in people’s minds and working it is what drives business. The whole ‘Bali aura’ is exactly that, conjuring up an image from the 1940’s of a tranquil tropical island, unspoilt by industry and rich in cultural tradition. Add on some idyllic scenes and a few topless local women in sarongs and you’ve got a package.

Here’s more from the Jakarta Post.

New tourism brand invokes Bali of peace

Following six months of intensive research, which included direct interviews with hundreds of Balinese residents and foreign visitors, the local government has finally unveiled its new tourism brand for the resort island.

The new brand is expected to unite the tourism industry under a single flag and battle cry in an effort to elevate the vital economic sector, which had been paralyzed by two terrorist attacks, environmental degradation and the locals’ increasing resentment toward tourism development.

“We hope this brand will give us new energy in our struggle to recover the industry, which for decades has been the backbone of the island’s economy,” Bali Tourism Agency head Nurdjaya said.

The new brand — comprising a logo, a tagline and a series of strategic recommendations — centers around the vision of making Bali known as “The World’s Place of Harmonious Peace”.

Teguh Mahasari, the engine behind the so-called Bali Reborn team responsible for preparing the new tourism brand, said the vision was the key, recurring message conveyed by a large majority of the research participants.

“It genuinely reflects the true aspiration of the Balinese people as well as the visitors’. Harmony, balance, peace and spirituality are several major themes that kept appearing in our interviews with people from a wide spectrum of society,” she said.

In the course of their research, the Bali Reborn team interviewed 900 Balinese individuals, from Hindu high priests to academic scholars, and from farmers to housewives in every regency of the island.

The results showed that over 50 percent believed “paradise” or “heaven” was the image that most correctly described Bali. This was followed by “balance” at 26.5 percent of respondents then by “harmony” at 21.9 percent. Curiously, “vacation” was only selected as the most suitable image by 16.5 percent of respondents.

Moreover, they also listed temple, culture, traditional customs and arts as the island’s most precious heritage. A staggering 73.5 percent majority viewed the temple as the perfect icon to represent Bali.

Meanwhile, 37.3 percent of 327 foreign visitors to Bali recalled “Island of the Gods” as the island’s most popular tagline. Only a minuscule 5.8 percent considered it to be Bali is My Life”, the most recent tagline, as popular.

“The team analyzed and interpreted the findings and then came up with this new brand,” Teguh said.

The brand concept was based on the ancient Balinese Hindu principle of Tri Hita Karana, the harmonious and balanced relationship between three primary elements: mankind, nature and God.

“That’s the philosophy behind our triangular-shaped logo. The triangle perfectly captures the stable relationship between the three elements,” Teguh said.

The spiritual nature of the brand is further reflected in the colors of the logo — red, black and white, the colors respectively associated with the Balinese Hindu trinity of Brahma, Wisnu (Vishnu) and Siwa (Shiva).

The final touch was the tagline “Shanti, Shanti, Shanti”, obviously taken from the daily Balinese Hindu prayer of Tri Sandhya. Literally meaning peace, shanti and its repetitive chant is a sacred invocation for a reign of peace in the three worlds — the under, middle and upper.

“Frankly, we want this brand to inspire the Balinese as much as the foreign visitors. With the increasing internal conflicts among Balinese, the people of this island needs peace as much as any other in this world,” Teguh stressed.

– I Wayan Juniartha

Bali’s image / aura is well understood and a recent survey among Balinese locals supports the idea that the local culture / icons represent Bali the best, over let’s say a ‘beach resort’. Bali’s customers come from all over the world and seek different things entirely. There are the party groups from Australia who come for the beach, shopping and evening pub crawls. The surfing crowd rarely goes more than a mile inland and the culture seekers sometimes avoid the Kuta / Seminyak scene altogether. So its a pretty mixed bag. In my opinion the image is not the problem. The problem is getting the image in front of enough people and dealing with some of the nonsense that goes on in Bali.

Points to be dealt with for marketing:
Bali is the most unique island in the world physically (diving, surfing, massive mountain calderas with fresh water lakes) and culturally (Bali has experienced a cultural transition with influences from Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and a colonial period). Bali also has world class hotels, some great restaurants, spas and nightlife locations. Most people on their first visit to Bali are unaware of this. A friend of mine who has travelled extensively thought Bali was just another version of Phuket, palm trees, hotel and a beaches. The message needs to be put out there to make people realize their interests / needs / wants will be catered for.

Points to be dealt with locally:
If a tropical beach is part of your marketing plan then you had better take care of it. More villas mean more pollution and much of it goes straight into the ocean. Who wants to swim on Kuta / Legian / Seminyak beach if its a toilet?

Start working on an island wide garbage strategy. The 2 current strategies (chuck garbage everywhere or burn it) aren’t working. Chucking plastic garbage down every street and stream do nothing to help the tourist industry. Burning plastic garbage creates a really unpleasant situation, especially for the locals who have to breathe the air. On a recent trip to Gunung Batukaru, I rode through Tabanan after dark. For miles the air was a toxic fog of straw, plastic and other garbage. Locals burn small fires in the drainage gullies outside their houses to rid them of mosquitoes. They also pile on some garbage. When everyone is doing this tit creates a noxious atmosphere that is entirely unhealthy and unappealing. Heading up the mountain the air clears quickly, but you have to wonder what the people are thinking.

Local corruption:
This is an ongoing problem and is directly responsible for many of Bali’s problems. The roads deteriorate quickly because the materials used to make them are not sufficient. When a contract gets passed down for a new road, large chunks of funds get diverted, leaving only part of them money to finish the job. Road surfaces and the amount of tar used get slashed and so the road surface will no last. This mechanism is at play in the local education, with insufficient funds for materials. Without a decent education Balinese locals have to get in line for job behind the better educated Javanese who come to manage many of Bali’s hotels.

Seems like the tourist industry is a like a pack of headless chooks, but maybe this new branding is a start for something more constructive. (BaliBlog)

Villa Coraffan, Canggu

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:27:00 +0000

Villa Coraffan, is a newly completed holiday property in Bali’s Canggu district, conceived with a desire to create the most inspiring base from which to enjoy the area’s magnificent views.

Completely surrounded by rice paddies, Villa Coraffan was meticulously designed with an eye for modern, tropical elegance. White Palimanan stone walls and rich Merbau wooden floors were chosen for each room to fuse the dignified tranquility of a temple with earthy warmth.

Coraffan’s gardens feature an array of exotic trees and plants carefully selected and nurtured to honor the spirit of the island’s renowned beauty. Coraffan is as ideal for solitude and relaxation as it is for parties or other social functions.

Set around a five-by-17-meter infinity pool, each of Coraffan’s bedrooms has a spectacular view. The villa has an open-air living room with a sound system and equipped bar. Other common areas include a fitness room, a detached viewing platform ideal for morning meditation or yoga as well as late afternoon cocktails, and a detached dining area surrounded by balconies.

Coraffan’s air-conditioned TV room has a full bathroom so that it can be used as a fifth bedroom if needed. Coraffan also has a fully appointed kitchen with staff quarters and a parking area with a security post. (BaliWWW)

Pamurtian: The Raging God

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:33:00 +0000

Gods and goddesses in Balinese culture is not immune to the emotions, they can be happy sad or in rage, that is why Balinese strive in many ways to please them. Beautiful offerings, sacred ceremonies, delicate gamelan music, superb dances performance, and sweet singer voice when reciting ancient romances (kakawin) are just small parts of Balinese efforts to please the gods and goddesses.

When gods and goddesses are happy they will bestow prosperities and blessings to all inhabitants of the world. Balinese believe that when the gods and goddesses are happy they will appear in beautiful forms complete with all signs of good luck and protection, with sweet smiling faces and friendly gestures.

However, when gods and goddess are in rage, they will appear in “pamurtian” forms. The word “pemurtian” is derived from the word “murti” means “form”. The pemurtian is a terrifying forms of gods and goddesses, they will appear with demon faces, usually has more than five heads, twelve hands each caries a celestial weapon ready to strike the wrong-doers.

Pemurtian form of gods and goddesses has a special place in shadow puppet performance. In the shadow puppet performance, pamurtian form is associated with divine appearance of gods and goddesses to protect the universe from the evil force of raksasa (demon or giant). In the shadow puppet story, when the force of virtue appears in the verge of defeat, a god or goddesses will appear in his or her pemurtian form to help the force of virtue and conquer the force of evil.

The double role of gods and goddesses in pamurtian forms, as punishers and saviors makes the pemurtian is highly revered by Balinese, not just give them a sense of justice is always enforced but also the sense of security. The Pemurtian form though sometimes appear very frightening but it is not something that is out of control but an almighty force that is need to restore the balance between the positive and negative force. (BaliWWW)

Sendratari Tantri

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:36:00 +0000

Tantri can be classified as an individual genre in Balinese literature, deals mainly with fables; Tantri is similar to Aesop’s fables in Western literature. In its story, the Tantri usually gives moral teaching, promoting good deeds and wise judgement.

On Saturday, 6/23/07, a theatrical performance based on Tantri story entitled Sadhu Kerti was performed in Bali Art Festival by Semara Kusuma Troupe from Payangan, Ubud, Gianyar Regency. This performance was led by I Nyoman Dharma, S.Ag, musical accompaniment was composed by Dewa Putu Berata, S.S.Kar, and the choreographer was Ni Wayan Serini, S.Sn.

Here is the synopsis of the story: Deep in a peaceful forest, on the slope of Mount Kawi lived a hermit, Dukuh Suladri and his daughter Ni Kusuma Sari, side by side with animal and plants in harmony. Dukuh Suladri and his daughter were befriended with all animal in the jungle.

Meanwhile, in a village lived a hunter named I Wayan Buyar, he killed many animals and destroy the forest. He went to the forest and killed animal for food and fun.

One day, I Wayan Buyar met Ni Kusuma Sari in the forest. He wanted to rape her but a tiger, friend of Dukuh Suladri and Ni Kusuma Sari appeared, saved her and attacked I Wayan Buyar.

I Wayan Buyar was almost killed by the tiger, but the wise Dukuh Suladri saved him and forgave all his wrongdoings. I Wayan Buyar promised to stop hunting; this made the forest on the slope of Mount Kawi peaceful once again. (BaliWWW)

Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka: Founder of Gandhian Ashrams in Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:37:00 +0000

“Let us live simply so that others may simply live”
M.K. Gandhi

The lifetime achievements of Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka (1921-2002) are impressive and bear testimony to her unfailing faith in the teaching of Mahatma Gandhi. Mother of six boys, in her early married life she became a high school principal then a university lecturer in English. She served as an Member of Parliament in 1968 in the New Order parliament of Indonesia’s President Soeharto and again in 1999, at the age 0f 78, in the Reformation Parliament of President Abdurahman Wahid as the Hindu regional representative. She was a founding member and , eventually, honorary president of the World Council for Religion and Peace and a board member of several international and domestic social organizations. In 1994 her tireless work earned her Gandhi Peace Award of the Jamnal Bajaj Foundation in India for her ‘dedication to peace and promoting Gandhian ideals outside India’.

Gedong Gandhi Ashram, Candidasa
On an idyllic site next to Candidasa beach on Bali’s east coast, where a spring-fed lake runs into Indian Ocean, a piece of sacred land was purchased by Oka couple as a family retreat. Soon the true potential of this land became apparent when, becoming disillusioned with the lack of achievements in parliament, Ibu Gedong resolved to work at ‘grass root’ level and, to this end, established her own ashram. In 1976 she thus began to bring her Gandhian beliefs into practice.

The ashram aims to translate Gandhian Hindu priciples of living into action and promotes a life of simplicity, self sufficiency and service to the local community. With ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth) and karuna (compassion) as guidelines, swadeshi (self-sufficiency) can determine our social and economical strengths. Consistent with these ideals the ashram is home for all faiths.

Most of the ashram members come from disadvantaged families from nearby villages but there are also those from other island such as Java, Lombok, and Sumba. All are provided with board and lodging, schooling and pocket money for which they, in turn, maintain the ashram and its gardens and look after the guests.

Guests provide a large part of ashram income. There are currently two bungalows ready to serve the guests. Guests are encouraged to take part in the ashram life and , for those who wish, there is a volunteer scheme whereby visitors can contribute useful skills, such as English teaching, computing, gardening, etc and pay less for their keep. In all cases, advance notice is required for arrangements to be made for visitors needs.

Some of the ashram’s current activities are
• A kindergarten for local children which also provides them with a free lunch as a way of promoting healthy nutrition.
• An acupuncture clinic for both local people and visitors.
• Rice and vegetable growing.
• A modest kitchen garden using organic growing techniques.
• A computer room with internet access
• Traditional weaving which has recently been revived to make cloth and scarves.

Since its inceptions the ashram has gained reputation as a place where people from all walks of life cross paths – holidaying guests, backpackers, seminar participants, visiting academics, scientists, artists, etc. many lasting friendships have developed from these chance meetings, all touched by the experience of Ibu Gedong’s ashram. It is hard to describe the atmosphere the ashram engenders – the puja chant, agni hotra fire purification ceremony, the morning yoga, the interactions between members, and visitors, the pervasive meditative feeling, the delicious vegetarian meals, the sound of the sea with the lake alongside – one simply has to experience it.

For further information, please contact:
Post: Gedong Gandhi Ashram, Candidasa, Karangasem 80851, Bali, Indonesia
Phone & fax: +62 363 41108
Email: gandhiashram@yahoo.com
Web: www.alphalink.com.au/-oka/ashram/

Gedong Gandhi Ashram Educational Fund, GGAEF.
This trust has been set up by a group of international ashram friends to fund the educational needs of deserving ashram members. It is based in New Zealand and further inquires, or donations, can be made as follow:
GGAEF c/o Terry Cox
4 Kamahi Street
Stokes Valley
Wellington
New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 563 8989
Email: terrycox@globe.net.nz (BaliWWW)

Galungan in Bali: June 27th 2007

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:40:00 +0000

Here in Bali we are on the eve of an important day. Today (June 27th) is Galungan and most local people will be heading back to their villages for a day to participate in ceremonies with their families. Galungan is a Balinese holiday that occurs every 210 days and lasts for 10 days. Kuningan is the last day of the holiday. Galungan means “When the Dharma is winning.” During this holiday the Balinese gods visit the Earth and leave on Kuningan.

Occurring once in every 210 days in the pawukon (Balinese cycle of days), Galungan marks the beginning of the most important recurring religious ceremony that is celebrated by all Balinese. During the Galungan period the deified ancestors of the family descend to their former homes. They must be suitably entertained and welcomed, and prayers and offerings must be made for them. Those families who have ancestors that have not yet been cremated, but are still buried in the village cemetery, must make offerings at the graves.

Although Galungan falls on a Wednesday, most Balinese will begin their Galungan ‘holiday’ the day before, where the family is seen to be busily preparing offerings and cooking for the next day. While the women of the household have been busy for days before creating beautifully woven ‘banten‘ (offerings made from young coconut fronds), the men of our village usually wake up well before dawn to join with their neighbours to slaughter a pig unlucky enough to be chosen to help celebrate this occasion.

Then the finely diced pork is mashed to a pulp with a grinding stone, and molded onto sate sticks that have been already prepared by whittling small sticks of bamboo. Chickens may also be chosen from the collection of free-range chickens that roam around the house compound. Delicate combinations of various vegetables, herbs and spices are also prepared by the men to make up a selection of ‘lawar‘ dishes. While much of this cooking is for use in the offerings to be made at the family temple, by mid-morning, once all the cooking is done, it is time for the first of a series of satisfying feasts from what has been prepared.

While the women continue to be kept busy with the preparations of the many offerings to be made at the family temple on the day of Galungan, the men also have another job to do this day, once the cooking is finished. A long bamboo pole, or ‘penjor‘, is made to decorate the entrance to the family compound. By late Tuesday afternoon all over Bali the visitor can see these decorative poles creating a very festive atmosphere in the street.

On Wednesday, the day of Galungan, one will find that most Balinese will try to return to their own ancestral home at some stage during the day, even if they work in another part of the island. This is a very special day for families, where offerings are made to God and to the family ancestors who have come back to rest at this time in their family temple. As well as the family temple, visits are made to the village temple with offerings as well, and to the homes of other families who may have helped the family in some way over the past six months.

The day after Galungan is a time for a holiday, visiting friends, maybe taking the opportunity to head for the mountains for a picnic. Everyone is still seen to be in their ‘Sunday best’ as they take to the streets to enjoy the festive spirit that Galungan brings to Bali.

Tourists visiting Bali might spend a little extra time admiring the temples and penjors that line every street. Pura Sakenan, the temple on the island of Serangan, is the site of one of the big ceremonies for Kuningan. Tourists may visit as long as they were a sarong and sash. (BaliBlog)

Rejang Dance at Tenganan

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:22:00 +0000

On Thursday, 6/28/2007, my boss and I had the rare opportunity to witness the Rejang dance at Banjar temple in ancient Tenganan village. Pak Mangku, the community leader of Tenganan, told us that the Rejang performance will start at 4 P.M so at 3.30 we went to the Banjar temple, but as any other areas in Bali, the concept of “punctuality” was definitely unknown here.

The dancers arrived in the temple at 5 P.M, dozens of girls in their finest attires walked slowly to the temple. The procession of these beautiful maidens was an attraction by itself; dressed in sacred gringsing clothes with gold flower crowns, and other gold accessories, bright colored sashes wrapped around their hips; these young girls walked majestically in the soft light of sunset guarded by their parents or brothers. They gathered in the middle courtyard of the Banjar temple, waited for the village’s musicians. The musicians appeared one by one in their Sunday-best clothes and took their position in the gamelan pavilion.

As soon as the musician began to play the Rejang melody; the dancers take their position in the center of middle courtyard of the temple. They stood in three lines, the younger dancers stood in the front while the older one lined up behind them. My boss and I waited patiently for the dance to begin but after 10 minutes of waiting, the dancers still did not show any sign of dancing movement, the dancers just stood still in the center of courtyard; some are playing idly with their sashes.

First, we thought that the musicians played the introducing melody but after another 10 minutes of waiting with no indications of dance movement from the dancers; we were sure that the melody was not introducing melody, it was too long for an introduction. We were puzzled, fortunately, Pak Mangku, the community leader, was around, so we asked him, ‘Pak Mangku when will the rejang begin?’ his answer was very surprising, ‘the dance is on, it’s about to finish in no time.’ The dance was finished right after Pak Mangku finished answering our question.

We were surprised; we have seen Rejang dance before in other areas of Bali, we expected to see the slow and elegance movement of Rejang, smooth movements of the feet combine with hands movements as soft as caressing breeze. But this Rejang was an exception; the dancers just stood in lines and played idly with their sashes. Pak Mangku told us that the movements of this Rejang consist of holding, lifting and dropping the sash that is wrapped around the dancer hips with the left hand. So there were movements but the moved sporadically, it was looked like the dancers were playing with their sashes. My boss told me that we always have to expect the unexpected in Tenganan, even for a Balinese.

The Rejang was finished but Pak Mangku told us to stay, a trance dance was scheduled after the Rejang dance. Five minutes later, the musicians played another melody, the Rejang dancers gathered once again in the center of the middle courtyard of the temple. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a priestess with her attendance appeared among the Rejang dancers, the entranced priestess dance hand in hand with her attendance while the Rejang dancers shouted to them. The attendant handed a tray of offering to the priestess and retreated behind the onlookers. With her eye closed and hand clutched tightly on the tray of offering the priestess danced madly in the center of the courtyard.

Suddenly, a cry was heard among the onlookers, a priest came out brandishing a kris, stepped into the center of the courtyard and danced side by side with the priestess. The entranced priest sometimes with all his strength stabbed his chest with the kris or tried to cut his hand, but no wound inflicted. The Rejang dancers shouted louder when the priest stabbed himself, the priestess kept on dancing with the tray of offering in her hand.

After stabbing himself for the third times, the priest retreated to the inner courtyard of the temple. His place was taken by another entranced priestess; the second priestess was given a tray of offering and danced side by side with the first one. After dancing for a while both of them were ushered to the inner courtyard. Unfortunately we had no opportunity to witness the performance of the entranced priest and priestesses in the inner courtyard. Soon after the priestesses were escorted to the inner courtyard the musicians played a closing melody and the “unexpected” Rejang of Tenganan was over.(BaliWWW)

Muran Teruna Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:25:00 +0000

In accordance with Usaba Sambah series of ceremony (a month-long series of ceremonies which is held in the fifth month of Tenganan calendar) that is held in the ancient village of Tenganan, a special ceremony for the youth known as Muran Teruna is held. This ceremony is held once every three years which includes several of activities conduct by the youths of three sub-villages in Tenganan.

The word “muran teruna” consists of the word “muran” which derived from the word “uran” means “participant of activity” and the word “teruna” which means “youth.” In the Muran Teruna ceremony, each sub-village sends its maidens to be chosen by its own bachelors as a partner to participate in the series of the ceremonies which will last until late at night.

The ceremony usually begins late in the afternoon with gifts exchange between the three sub-village of Tenganan (Patemu Kaja, Patemu Tengah, and Patemu Kelod). The main gift is called “Bungan Base” or “flower of Base plant.” It is a kind of decoration made of beautifully cut young coconut leaves with flower and butterfly-shaped gold decoration on the top. The additional gift is a kind traditional food placed on banana leaf. After give exchange ceremony is over, the bungan base is placed in front of the sub-village meeting hall with other additional decoration such as mirror or lion statue.

The ceremony is continued with “matabuh” activity in which two bachelor spill a small amount of liquor to the ground accompanied by Selonding orchestra. After the patabuhan ceremony is over, the bachelors and the maidens gather in their respective sub-village meeting hall, two representations of the bachelor party give a present of small amount of liquor to the representations of the maiden party who seated on the swing which is erected near the meeting hall, the maiden representations receive the gift and drink it ceremoniously and spill the rest of the liquor to the ground.

After this, the bachelors sit in a row on the ground in front of the meeting hall. The bachelors are given a small amount of liquor to be drunk, after drinking the liquor the bachelors unsheathe their respective Kris and hold it in front of their chests still in cross-legged sitting position. The maidens are also given a small amount of liquor to be drunk ceremoniously and a small offering is put on each maidens crown then the maidens go up inside the meeting hall and stand there.

One by one, after giving a present of offering to an official the maidens step down to the ground and dance the abuang dance in turn accompanied by selonding orchestra. They dance in front of the decorations which are placed in front of the meeting hall, when the dance is over the maiden retreat to left side of the decoration, watching their friend performance. When the abuang dance session is over, the bachelor sheathe their kris and stand up, then the maidens stand in a row on the left side of the decoration and the bachelor stand on the right side.

Two representations of the maidens go to the swings and sit there and two representations of the bachelors stand on the either side of the swings. They perform a symbolic swinging activity three times, and then they retreat to their respective line. Then the maidens and the bachelors walk circling the grand swing and the decoration in opposite direction. After circling the swing and the decorations three times they move to another meeting hall to perform exactly the same series of ritual except the exchange of the gifts.

Since there are three meeting halls, there will be three groups of youth (each group consist of a band of maidens and a band of bachelors). Each group perform the first series of ceremonies in its respective meeting hall for example the patemu kaja group hold the first series of ceremonies in its own meeting hall and the second series of the ceremonies in the patemu tengah meeting hall, and the third series in the patemu kelod; the patemu tengah group also hold the first ceremony in its own meeting hall and the second and the third series of ceremonies in other groups meeting halls. The groups swap the place so each group will perform the series of the ceremonies in three meeting hall.

There are also several branches of various fruit plants complete with their fruits called “tetubuhan” planted in each meeting hall as a gift for the group of maidens and bachelors from other meeting halls to be picked.

After the groups of maidens and bachelors finish their performance in other meeting halls, the come back to their respective meeting hall and hold a meeting (pesangkepan) there as the conclusion of the Muran Teruna series of ceremony. (BaliWWW)

A Balinese Folktale: Kaki Tua

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:28:00 +0000

Kaki Tua (old man) had a fine fat cow which he was very proud of. He refused to lend her when the village wanted to borrow her for the work in the rice fields. One day, the cow strayed into the garden of Bedag, and began eating up his plants. He tried to kill her but he only succeeded in wounding her. The villagers heard of it, and again asked Kaki tua to lend his cow, just to tease him. This time he consented and went to look for her, but she was nowhere to be found. The people said they heard a great thud in Bedag garden; perhaps it was the cow falling down. And sure enough, Kaki Tua did find the cow lying there wounded. He asked the people to help him, and after three tries they managed to get her on her feet. Then they said a charm over her, and this was the song they sand as the charm:

Tinkle-tinkle goes Samplangan’s bell, all set with rubies.
Here comes Ida Bagus Nyoman and sits cross-legged.
The white horse goes trot-trot along the beach.

After that the cow was able to stand up properly. They took her to bathe in the river, and the cow drank to much water, swelled and died. Kaki Tua was furious and beat the villagers till they cried for mercy. ‘I will forgive you, if you find the man who wounded my cow.’ So they promised.

They met Bedag on the road and bound his hands and brought him along. The kris with which the cow was wounded was given to Kaki Tua, but just as he was about to strike they let Bedag loosed. Kaki Tua was frightened, and ran away, and Bedag was after him. Kaki Tua called the people to catch his enemy, and promised to spare his life if the cow is brought to life again, Bedag promised, and brought a balian (witch doctor). Suitable offering are made: fruit, rice cakes and spitted mosquitoes. In the middle of his prayer the balian became possessed and said that the offering was not enough. ‘What more must there be?’ ‘baris tumbak’, said the possessed witch doctor, baris is danced, and he resumed his prayer. Again he became possessed. ‘there must be a Rejang’, rejang is danced. More prayer, more trance. This time Gandrung performance was ordered. After this the prayer went off smoothly and the cow is brought to life. (BaliWWW)

Nusa Lembongan Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:31:00 +0000

Thinking of going to Nusa Lembongan this weekend. Seems reasonable seeing as I haven’t been there before. Nusa Lembongan is one of the places in Bali I can’t ride my bike to.

Nusa Lembongan in the smallest of the 3 islands situated across the Badung Strait to the SE. It is a center for surfing with 3 breaks (Shipwrecks, Playgrounds and Lacerations) and is also a diving spot.

Items needed when staying in local guest houses in Bali. Having stayed in local guest houses in East and West Bali in the last couple of weeks, my memories of backpack travel have been restored. Cold water showers, bamboo walls, flimsy doors and mosquitoes are all part of the experience. Added to the usual stuff in my bag (spare clothes, map, penknife, moneybelt etc.) I take a packet of mosquiotes coils, a lighter and a couple of candles. Many of the cheaper bamboo style losmans (guest houses) give you a small lock for the door to your room. There is a Master lock under my motorbike seat, which is chunkier than those locks.

Dealing with the shortcomings of local guest houses isn’t a big deal, but remembering to take a few extra bits and pieces can make life easier. A flashlight is always handy, as is a sink stopper. Towels are sometimes provided, sometime not. Mosquito net are usually aprt of the deal, but in my opinion its also good to smoke out your room with a coil and use a fan, as just one mozzie can make life unpleasant. Bring your own soap too, as some of the older guest houses still have shared bathrooms.

Nusa Lembongan has 20 or so places to stay, ranging from budget guest houses to the Waka Nusa Resort in Mushroom Bay, probably the best place on the island. According to Rough Guides, Linda Bungalows (0812/360 0867) and Nusa Indah (0366)24480, both budget guest houses, are good value.

Getting to Nusa Lembongan is easy with a range of boat options. Local boats sail from Sanur, Kusamba and the port of Benoa (Bounty Cruise). Luxury boat operators will get you out to Nusa Lembongan on one of package deals that includes lunch, snorkeling and maybe an overnight stay. Prices vary wildy, with the local boats from Sanur charging 40,000-50,000rp and the luxury outfits charging $50-$90. Charter boats are aslo available but they tend to be small and not super safety oriented.

Perama also does a boat to Nusa Lembongan, which must be booke the day before. The boat leaves from Sanur (end of Jl. Hang Tuah) at 10.30am each day and arrives at Jungutbatu at 12-12.30pm. ()

Road Map for Exploring Bali

noreply@blogger.com (atoel) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:34:00 +0000

Bali is a criss crossed with roads of varying quality. Many tourists as well as expats stick to the main roads and sometimes miss out on some spectacular scenery. It can be tempting to get off of the main road and go exploring, but also worrying for someone not familiar with Bali and on a short time frame. The thing you have to figure out is what roads will lead to great things, but are also navigable and suitable for cars. Fear not, help is at hand in the form of a widely sold map.

The Periplus map of Bali is one of the most common maps used here, easily identifiable by its yellow and red cover. With a single map covering the whole of Bali, Area Maps of South Bali, Kuta Area & Legian Area, Sanur, Ubud Area, Nusa Dua & Tanjung Benoa, Lovina, and City Plans of Denpasar, Klungkung, Candidasa, Singaraja and Gianyar, the map covers a lot.

Roads are detailed using different colors on the main map (thick orange for the Bypass Ngurah Rai, light orange for main roads connecting towns, white for secondary roads and grey for the tiny local backroads. Looking at the white colored roads one thing stands out to me, they are all great routes with lovely scenery, not heavily touristy and driveable with good road surfaces. Some of these white roads are my favourite routes in Bali. They include:

•Klungkung to Selat via Sideman
•Kintamani to Rendang via Suter
•Candi Kuning to Kintamani (Pura Tegeh Koripan) via Petang and Catur.
•Ubud to Kintamani via Sayan and Payangan.
•Rendang to Bangli via Bangbang and Tembuku
•Kintamini to Bondalem via Dausa
•Lake Buyan to Mayong via Munduk

All these routes are awesome, easy to find and to drive. There are others too marked in white and they are all winners. You can pick up a Periplus map at Bintang supermarket in Seminyak and bookstores including Periplus at Made’s Warung Seminyak, Carrefour and Discovery Shopping Mall.

One of the most pleasant rides I did recently was a trip to Kintamani via Ubud, Sayan, Payangan. This fairly straight route is a 40km shot up to the crater. Stopping on the way to get my fleece on, the blue skies and cold mountian feeling refreshing, I passed rice fields, fmaily temples and an array of village life in action. At the crater rim a right turn circled the SW edge, with magnificent views of Lake Batur, Gunung Batur and the sweeping scenery outside the crater.

Following the route around led to Penelokan, site of the highest density of tourist restaurants. Bright sunny weather meant this Sunday was busy with Balinese locals, the scene at Penelokan obviously the place to be seen if you are from that area. Looking at a map of the area one will see many main roads leading south from the Batur crater, but by passing Penelokan and hooking a sharp left, one will immediately be on a lovely narrow, forested route affording views of the inside of the crater overlooking the southern part of Lake Batur.

This route leaves the crater rim after 4 kms and heads south to Rendang. The whole way is forested with views of Gunung Agung, clear this last weekend, off to the left. Several kms south of the village of Rendang, there is a right hand (westward) turnoff for Bangli. This little route is super cool, with twists and turns, hairpin brends and unspoilt landscapes. You will reach Bangli after another 12kms. Road conditions on this entire rooute are good and an SUV will have no trouble making it, although my preferred mode of transport would be a slow cruise on motorbike. ()