BALI INFORMATION

Ubud

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:03:42 PDT

Ubud, a town in central Bali, is far removed from the drunken bikini scene in Kuta, and is regarded as the cultural centre of Bali. It is famous as an arts and crafts hub, and much of the town and nearby villages seems to consist of artists' workshops and galleries. There are some remarkable architectural sights, artistic gems to be found, and a general feeling of well being to be enjoyed, all thanks to the spirit, surroundings, and climate of the place.

Lovina Beach Bali

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:43:48 PST

Lovina is located in Kalibukbuk, Buleleng sub district in north Bali. The eastern countryside is called Pemaron about 5 Km west of Singaraja, and the western countryside is Temukus about 12 Km west of Singaraja.

It is well known as an excellent site for sunset watching, snorkeling, and diving. Darkly beautiful, Lovina offers quiet and calm, the sea with its dolphin and is popular Asian tourists and those avoiding the hustle and bustle of the southern beaches.

One of the interesting moment in Lovina is dolphin watching tour. Hundreds of dolphins can be seen in the morning time around 1 km offshore. We can see the dolphin attractions in this place like jumping.

Candi Dasa Bali

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:32:58 PST

Find other destinations with serenity in Bali outside renownspots like Sanur, Kuta and Nusa Dua. Come to the easternfrontier of Bali. There you will get to Candidasa, an activefishing village. Candidasa Beach is the most popular beacharea in the Karangasem regency. This area has adjacentdestinations that offer more choices during your visit in eastBali. Rich cultural heritage of the tribe origin of Bali atTenganan, the mother temple of Bali at Besakih, themagnificent ruins at Taman Ujung and many more. So Candi dasa can be a hub of your next tour here.

Candi dasa Beach is the eastern destination that is bestequipped with accommodation possibilities and restaurants. The resort has undergone fast growth since the 1980s when there was basically nothing at all except for a few local houses. Facilities were built to add multiple choices for the sake of guests' convenience. Many visitors made their time to visit this destination to see some unspoiled destination outside the main areas. Now also an increasing number of package tours are offered that also include this area.

Visitors who would like to have a round trip in Bali, theyusually include Candidasa in their itinerary. Candidasa withits laid back palm-fringed beaches make the atmosphere here sonatural. And its all still original. To enjoy the day, you can hire a jukung outrigger for snorkeling or fishing.
From here you can continue your visit to Tenganan village. Itis considered to be the origin of the Balinese tribe. Thevillage is strategically surrounded by hills. Unique traditionthey inherited differentiates them from other Balinese. Theyhave an annual tribe ritual with pandan war attraction.
The ancient tradition is maintained and adjusted with modernlife preserved and maintained to survive and grow. Tengananhas 2 unique handicrafts, double ikat fabrics and atagrassaccessories. There are some art shops inside the village thatare owned and managed by the local people. Beautiful ikathandwoven fabrics will be a nice giveaway for taking home.

In the eastern part there are the pleasure palaces calledTirtagangga. It is a complex that comprises of spring-fedbathing pools, fountain and decorative ponds. Tirtaganggaliterally means 'holy water of the Ganges'. It was built afterWorld War II by the king of Karangasem. In the past the mainfunction of this spring was for a resource of holy water forritual ceremonies. Nowadays it is also used as a recreationpark.For those who are interested in marine activities, easternBali offers complete 'menu' like diving sites at Amed andTulamben. The most favorite diving site is near the shipwreckof US transport ship that sunk by the attack of Japan troopsduring the World War II. Very popular among most divers thatinclude both Amed and Tulamben in their Candidasa holiday.

Bedugul bali

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:16:24 PST

The famous Tanah Lot sea temple which was built by Dang Hyang Nirartha is the first point to be visited in this bali tour package and then followed by visiting Alas Kedaton where the monkeys living here are considered sacred.
Afterwards drive to Bedugul to see the superb view of lake Beratan which is also very famous for its Ulun Danu Temple built on the shores of the lake and the spice / fruit market at Candikuning. Final stop will be made at Mengwi, was one of the main island kingdom, to see one of the grandest water garden temple on the island called Taman Ayun which was built around 1740 and symbolizing the cosmic union of sea and mountain

Pura luhur uluwatu

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:13:29 PST

Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of Bali's kayangan jagat (directional temples) and guards Bali from evil spirits from the SW, in which dwell major deities, in Uluwatu's case; Bhatara Rudra, God of the elements and of cosmic force majeures. Bali's most spectacular temples located high on a cliff top at the edge of a plateau 250 feet above the waves of the Indian Ocean. Uluwatu lies at the southern tip of Bali in Badung Regency. Dedicated to the spirits of the sea, the famous Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple is an architectural wonder in black coral rock, beautifully designed with spectacular views. This is a popular place to enjoy the sunset. Famous not only for its unique position, Uluwatu also boasts one of the oldest temples in Bali, Pura Uluwatu. Most of Bali's regencies have Pura Luhur (literally high temples or ascension temples) which become the focus for massive pilgrimages during three or five day odalan anniversaries. The photogenic Tanah Lot and the Bat Cave temple, Goa Lawah, is also Pura Luhur. Not all Pura Luhur are on the coast, however but all have inspiring locations, overlooking large bodies of water.

Dream land

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:11:30 PST

Forget in moment Kuta, Sanur, and or Nusa Dua. Enjoying Bali only by sand sunning in the coasts not be prestigious anymore. Nowadays, time for you enjoying more challenging eksotis and exclusive vacation. Because the coasts only known by a few/little turis. The information even also by mouth to mouth. You will not find in reference or travel. Even so maybe its not too much and can be calculated by finger.
All of beach/Coast like Pecatu and of Uluwatu enter to south kuta District Region. There’s no formal guide to go there. Easiest direction is roadway to Uluwatu temple, one of the biggest temple in Pecatu Village, south of Bali. All of the coast have same caracters, short coast land , limited by two bank, white sand, billow, and... hidden! cause, this coast near in Garuda Wisnu Kencana in Bukit Ungasan.
First Coast/beach is Balangan Beach. Behind Pecatu hill, in this moment still working Bali Pecatu Graha ( BPG) project. To go to the coast we through zigzag way, up down hill. This journey be my own experienced because through hill and we saw Kuta beach and Ngurah Rai air port so far away in front of there. It’s about two kilometers, there are branches ways and illegal guide with simply write board to Balangan Beach and other to Dreamland. Forget it the last beach, because we come to Balangan Beach. This moment to go there we must down steep way. After that white sand and wave sound welcome us ( our tired)
When I’m Visiting with my team from Jakarta months ago, there is one couple only is sand sunning. The other tourist still waiting wave white take hold on their board surfing, and others relax on the beach chair while reading novel. There is no one disturb them. It’s so really beach to hide, Tiar said local tourist from Indonesia.
Balangan view beach faced on north, so Ngurah Rai airport can be saw from here. East part limited by mountainside with the call abouts 3 meters and the west part limited by mountainside more high and full of plant. There are two corals smaller beside high white stone mountainside between them. There are white sand that have big granule than Kuta. The coach a little stones near of the beach part you must be carefull. There are about 5 cafes in here. In that evening there are some touris, sitting in that café with their beer in the table. Café’s function too as a placa to stay with the price about Rp. 50000/night. Local tourist or foreign tourist could walk to dreamland from Balangan Beach. They will trough some corals stone, swim to the beach and walk in the white sand to the west. Dream Land beach more crowded then Balangan. Mede Said “this Place known about 1996 ( she is from there ). Dreamland beach like dream beach. In the first time come to that place my friend feel so proud they shock when they trough as small gate about one meters between two corals and then becomed, white sand, blue beach, roll of waves and west point Bali island in Uluwatu. Some tourist enjoying solving swimming, surfing and sanding. Although more crowded than Balangan, amount of tourist in Dreamland smaller than Kuta and Sanur. It’s about 50 tourist. The Beach length about 1 kilometers to south. In the north limited by sharp stone Beach and high coral 15 meters. In this hill we ca see the beach ( Dreamland ) under there 20 meters. This beach side to west so we can see sunset. It’s really beautiful place. Silent and good place to take a rest from crowded place and bussy day. Coming and enjoy your life to Bali. You will feel satisfied.

Kintamani

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:07:31 PST

Batur Lake is the old crater of Mount Batur, a still active volcano next to it. It is located on the northern part of Bali. The largest lake overshadowed by the active volcano is located in Bangli Regency, at the northeast of Bali. Batur Lake is the widest lake in this island. It lies down in the feet of Mount Batur and Mount Abang. The lake is classified as a "neutral-dilute" lake because there is no known underlying hydrothermal activity, and the abundant rainfall more than quenches any such activity. There is a hot spring right by the lake. We can enjoy the spectacular scenery of Batur Lake from Kintamani. Across the lake, only reachable by boat, lies Trunyan village, where the Bali Aga people live. The surrounding of the lake is a favorite place for picks self up. At Batur Lake we can see the scenic view and feel cool atmosphere. Bangli's mountainous region center is around the spectacular volcanic crater (or caldera) of Batur. Mount Batur adjacent to the volcano is the large crescent-shaped Batur Lake, all surrounded by the high walls of the crater rim. The place is a great day trips, trekking or just to get away from the daily activity.

Tanah Lot

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:05:35 PST

Bali is true heaven of tourism. At least that existing fact and which I feel as part of Bali society which live and grow in Bali island. There are a lot of beautiful exotic place in this island. One of them is Tanah Lot. As tourism object, Tanah Lot is true famous. It’s called as icon of Bali Tourism beside GWK statue kuta, Sanur, Nusadua and Ubud Beach. As Icon, Tanah Lot is so enthused by all tourist, foreign or Domestic tourist.
Tanah Lot is True with fascination. This tourist object integrate consist of sunset moment that very beautifull with spiritual tourism marked by tanah lot temple. Even a number of tourist at the moment. Tourist can directly show activity of hindhu people ritual.
Tanah lot located in tabanan Regency. If you want to go there from Denpasar or Ngurah Rai Air Port just need 30-40 minutes but for local tourist from java island tanah Lot could reach from Kediri region located about 8 kilometers north of Tanah Lot and be important way (rush) Denpasar-Gilimanuk. The big……………..of Tanah Lot tourism object can not be let loose from Tanah Lot temple in the Midle of Beach for Praying, Hinduism come to Pura tanah Lot on foot across the beach. Just for five minutes, not too long. The beach water that must be accrosed undeep, just limit of knee.

Tanah lot temple established by Dang Hyang Dwijendra some one who has iron skill that live in majapahit kingdom in era 15. He comes to Bali for starting lofty Duty. Teach spiritual problems and social harmonization. By the Bali King that has power, Dalem Waturenggong Dang Hyang Dwijendra accepted and gived achance to spread Hindhu religion. In Bali, Dang Hyang Dwijendra establish some temples, one of them is Pura Tanah lot.
Beside Tanah Lot Temple and sunset view, there is another thing that proper enjoyed by tourist. That are sixs Pura the location in a row to the west from pura Tasnah lotwith walking for about 1 km, the tourist can find pura Pakendungan, Pura Penataran, Enjung Galuh, jro kandangBatu Bolong, Batu Mejan. All of that temple has unique, in Fact in the last Pura that’s Pura Batu Mejan be located in beach lips. There are 9 water sources out from under the beach and the water tasteless!. In order to enjoy all of interest places souronding Tanah lot tourism object, you must come early or before evening. After satisfied visit seven temples, in the evening you can enjoy sunset in the west part. Now, it’s time to leave from the beach (Tanah lot) But wait, have your hand bring the souvenir! Don’t worry because of that. In there, available art market that available some of crafts and Bali special food. The price, it’s cheap if you smart to bargain.

Elephant Cave Temple (Pura Goa Gajah)

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:19:58 PST

The temple of Goa Gajah is situated in the village of Bedulu, Blahbatuh district, in the regency of Gianyar. Only 26 Km from Denpasar, it is just a short drive from the beach resort of Sanur and Kuta. Beside the temple are art shop and restaurants to cater for the needs of visitor.
Around the temple beautiful rice field line the ravine through which flows the Petanu River. Nearby can be found the historic sites of Yeh Pulu, Samuan Tiga, Gedung Arca, Arjuna Bertapa, Kebo Edan, Pusering Jagat, the temple of Penataran Sasih, and others.

The history of Goa Gajah is not known definitely. In a literal translation "Goa" means cave and "Gajah" elephant. The name is a fusion of the name Pura Guwa (Temple Cave), as it is called by the local people, and the ancient name as it appears in the scriptures know as Ergajah and Lwa Gajah.

The names Antakujarapada and Ratnakunjarapada, also containing the meaning of elephant (Kunjara), can be found in the scriptures of Negara Kertagama, which date back to between the 10th and 14th centuries. This is validated by ancient relics found in the area.

In the courtyard at Goo Gajah Temple can be found and ancient source of holy water, 12 by 2'3 meters in size, devided into 3 compartment. The no them most compartment has '3 stonecarved fountains, and so does the southemmost. In the middle area all that remains is the base of the fountain. Approcimately 13 meters from here, on the northern side, is a cave like meditation niche in T shape, 2 meters in height and and about 2,75 meters wide. In the left and right conners of this niches can be found a fourther 15 meditation. In the easthem most corner are three linggums, and in the western most cotner a statue of Ganesa. With in the temple yard other fragments of the ancient ruinshave been found, which have not yet been reconstructed the surreunding walls on the western side still remain, forming a compartment around the steep drop beside the temple.

Approximately 100 meters to the south of the holy spring can be found the remains of a candi walls. Part on the base of this shrine still remains, although much of it is in disrepair. Achatra with 13 umbrellas can be found beside this. The body of this candi is connected by attractive stone carved decorations. There also a catra with 3 branches. Two statues of Budda in the Dyanamudra style stand near a stone niche which looks ready to collapse at any time. Another meditation niche can be seen opposite this, with a resting house and pool. The archeological site of Goa Gajah dates back to the 11 th century, at time when Hinduism was relevantly new in Bali.

Bali Paradise Island

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:17:16 PST

The culture and the nature have a strong relation with Hindu, their religion. Everywhere you go, you may see many Hindu temples. And their life is also strongly related with and influenced by their religion. This is the reason why Bali is called the Island of God, the Island of Thousand Temples, and the Paradise Island.
Below some interesting places in Bali Island.

With a reputation as being one of the most beautiful and diverse tourist sports in Asia, Bali attracts almost 1,000,000 visitor a year, from all around the world.

Geographically, Bali lies between the islands of Java and Lombok and is one of more than 18,000 islands that makes up the Indonesian Archipelago. Bali is small, stretching approximately 140 km from east to west and 80 km from north to south. Sightly off centre and running east to west, are a string of volcanic mountains. The tallest is Gunung Agung, which last erupted in 2963, and is 3,142 m at its highest point.

Lying just 8' south of the equator, bali boasts a tropical climate with just two seasons, wet and dry, a year and an average annual temperature of around 28'C. The rich vulcanic soil and healthy monsoon season make this island extremely fertile and a range of crops are grown here. The wide and gently sloping southern regions play host to Bali's famed rice terraces, among some of the most spectacular in the world. In the hill, nothern coastal regions, the main produce is coffee, copra, spices, vegetables, cattle and rice.

The Balinese people have strong spritual roots and despite the large influx of tourists over the years, their culture is still very much alive. The main religion is Agama Hindu Dharma, which arrived in Bali with the spread of Hinduism through Sumatra and Java during the 11th century. Although originally from India, the Balinese religion is unique blend of Hindu, Buddhist, Javanese and ancient indigenous beliefts, with customs that are very different from the traditional from of Hinduism practiced in India today. With arrival of Islam in neighbouring Java during the 15th century.

Naturally creative, the Balinese have traditionally used their talents for religious purposes and most of the beautiful work to be seen here, has been inspired by stories from the Ramayana and other Hindu epics. The incredibly colourful creamtion pyres and the everyday offerings to the gods, placed inside every shop and business, are made with an eye for detail and beauty.

The mayoritiy of Bali's 3,000,000 people life, for the most part, in tight village communities with large extended families. The largest towns are the capital Denpasar, population approximatelay 250,000, and Singaraja in the morth. The main tourist area in Kuta, situated near the airport. This small sleepy village became the mojor attraction during the tourist boom of the 70's, because of its famed white-sand beaches, the surf and stunning sunsets.

Today, Kuta is major hustling and bustling resort town, with hundreds of hotels, bars, restaurants and shops. Those in search of a little peace and quiet tend to head for the more sedate resorts of Sanur and Candidasa, on the east coast or Lovina in the north. Nusa Dua, another tourist enclave on the southern-most penisula of the island, caters for the more upmarket crowd and is home to almost all bigger 5-star hotels. The central villa of Ubud, in the hilly region of Gianyar has also blossomed as a tourist attraction and is no considered to be the artistic and cultural centre of Bali.

THE PEOPLE

Life in Bali is very communal with organization of villages, farming and even the creative arts being decided by the community. The local government is responsible for schools, clinic, hospital and roads but all other aspects of life are placed in the handof two traditional comminittees, whose roots in Balinese culture stretch back centuries.

The first, "Subak", concerns the production of rice and organizes the complex irrigation system. Everyone who own a "sawah", or rice field must join their local "Subak", which the ensures that eveery member gets his fair distribution of irrigation water. Traditionally, the head of the "Subak" has his "sawah" at the very bottom of the hill, so that the water has to pass through every other "sawah" before reaching his own.

The other community organization is the "Banjar", which arranges all village festivals, marriage ceremonies and cremations, as well as a form of community service known as "Gotong - Royong". Most villages have at least one "Banjar" and all males have to join one when they marry. "Banjars", on average, have a membership of between 50 to 100 families and each "Banjar" has its own meeting place called "Bale Banjar". As well being used for regular meetings, the "Bale" is where the local gamelan or ochestras and drama groups practice.

RELIGION

The Balinese are Hindu yet their religion is very different from of the Indian veriety. They do have a caste system, but there are no untouchables and occupantion is not governed by caste. In fact, the only thing that reflects tha caste system is the language which has three tiers 95% of all the Balinese are Hindu Dharma and speak Low or everyday Balinese with each other; Middle Balinese is used for talking to strangers, at formal occasions or to people of the higher "Ksatriya" caste, High Balinese is used when talking to the highest class, the Brahmana, or to a "Pedanda" (priest). It may sound complicated, but most of the words at the low and midium levels are the same, whereas High Balinese is a mixture of Middle Balinese and "Kawi", the ancient Javanese language.

The Balinese worship the Hindu trinity Brahma, Shiva and Visnu, who are seen as manifestations of the Supreme God "Sanghyang Widhi". Other Indian gods like Ganesha (the elephant-headed god) also often appear, but more commonly, one will see shrines to the many gods and spirits that are uniquely Balinese. Balinese believe strongly in magic and the power of spirits, and much of their religion is based upon this. They believe that good spirits dwell in the mountains and that the seas are home to demos and ogres. Most villages have at least three main temple; one, the "Pura Puseh" or temple of origin, faces the mountains and is dedicated to the village founders, another, the "Pura Desa" or village temple, is normally found in the centre and is dedicated to the walfare of the village, the last, the "Pura Dalem", is aligned with the sea and is dedicated to the spirits of the dead. Aside from these village temple, almost every house has its own shrine and you can also find monuments dedicated to the spirits of agriculture, art and all other aspects of life. Some temples, "Pura Besakih" for example, on the slopes of Mount Agung, are considered especially important and people from all over Bali travel for workship there.

Offerings play a significant role in Balinese life as they appease the spirits and thus bring prosperity and good health to the family. Every day small offering trays "Canang Sari" containing symbolic food, flowers, cigarettes and money, are placed on the shrines, in the temples, outside houses and shops, and even at dangerous crossroads.

Festivals are another great occasion for appeasing the gods. The women bear huge, beautifully arranged, pyramids of food, fruit and flowers on their heads while the men might conduct a blood sacrifice through a cock-fight. There are tradtional dances and music and the gods are invited to come down to join in the festivities. The festivals are usually very exciting occasions and well worth observing, if you are in the area. A crucial thing to remember, if you wish to join in celebrations or enter a temple, is that three are a number of rules that have to be respected.

Attending Ceremonie:
Reme these are serious occasions and should be treated as such. Religious guidlines :
1. Always wear a sarong and sash.
2. Do not walk in front of people praying.
3. Do not use flash camera or push your camera into the priest's face!
4. Never sit higher than priest or the offerings
5. At cremation, do not get in the way of the attendees - however important that photographic opprtunity is!
6. Women are not allowed to enter temples during menstruation.

Bali Culture and History

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:13:52 PST

Bali is truly a unique isle; from its timeless traditions, colourful pageantry to rites of passage. The people possess a genuine sense inner happiness that is perhaps attributed to the strong Hindu faith. There is a fundamental belief in the spiritual world which should always be in balance and harmonize with the physical world to attain peace and prosperity.

HISTORY
Although there are no artifacts or records dating back to the Stone Age, it is believed that the first settlers on Bali migrated from China around 2500 BC. By the Bronze era, around 300 B.C. quite an evolved culture existed in Bali. The complex system of irrigation and rice production, still in use today, was established around this time.

History is vague for the first few centuries. A number of Hindu artifacts have been found dating back to the 1st century, yet it appears that the main religion, around 500 AD was predominantly Buddhist in influence. A Chinese scholar, Yi-Tsing, in 670 AD reported on a trip to India, that he had visited a Buddhist country called Bali.

It wasn't until the 11th century that Bali received the first strong influx of Hindu and Javanese cultures. With the death of his father around AD 1011, the Balinese Prince, Airlanggha, moved to East Java and set about uniting it under one principality. Having succeeded, he then appointed his brother, Anak Wungsu, as ruler of Bali. During the ensuing period there was a reciprocation of political and artistic ideas. The old Javanese language, Kawi, became the language used by the aristocracy, one of the many Javanese traits and customs adopted by the cause.

With the death of Airlanggha, in the middle of the 11th century, Bali enjoyed a period of autonomy. However, this proved to be short-lived as in 1284, the East Javanese king Kertanegara, conquered Bali and ruled over it from Java. In 1292, Kertanegara was murdered and Bali took the opportunity to liberate itself once again. However, in 1343, Bali was brought back under Javanese control by its defeat at the hands of Gajah Mada, a general in the last of the great Hindu-Javanese empires, the Majapahit. With the spread of Islam throughout Sumatra and Java during the 16th century, the Majapahit Empire began to collapse and a large exodus of aristocracy, priests, artists and artisans to Bali ensued. For a while Bali flourished and the following centuries were considered the Golden Age of Bali's cultural history. The principality of Gelgel, near Klungkung, became a major centre for the Arts, and Bali became the major power of the region, taking control of neighboring Lombok and parts of East Java.

The European Influence
The first Dutch seamen set foot on Bali in 1597, yet it wasn't until the 1800's that the Dutch showed an interest in colonizing the island. In 1846, having had large areas of Indonesia under their control since the 1700's, the Dutch government sent the troops into northern Bali. In 1894, Dutch forces sided with the Sasak people of Lombok to defeat their Balinese rulers. By 1911, all the Balinese principalities had either been defeated in battle, or had capitulated, leaving the whole island under Dutch control. After World War I, Indonesian Nationalist sentiment was rising and in 1928, Bahasa Indonesia was declared the official national language. During World War II, the Dutch were expelled by the Japanese, who occupied Indonesia from 1942 to 1945.

After the Japanese defeat, the Dutch tried to regain control of their former colonies, but on August 17, 1945, Indonesia was declared independent by its first President, Sukarno. After four years of fighting and strong criticism from the international community, the Dutch government finally ceded and, in 1949, Indonesia was recognized as an independent country.

THE PEOPLE
Life in Bali is very communal with the organization of villages, farming and even the creative arts being decided by the community. The local government is responsible for schools, clinics, hospitals and roads, but all other aspects of life are placed in the hands of two traditional committees, whose roots in Balinese culture stretch back centuries. The first, Subak, concerns the production of rice and organizes the complex irrigation system. Everyone who owns a sawah, or padi field, must join their local Subak, which then ensures that every member gets his fair distribution of irrigation water. Traditionally, the head of the Subak has his sawah at the very bottom of the hill, so that the water has to pass through every other sawah before reaching his own. The other community organization is the Banjar, which arranges all village festivals, marriage ceremonies and cremations, as well as a form of community service known as Gotong Royong. Most villages have at least one Banjar and all males have to join one when they marry. Banjars, on average, have a membership of between 50 to 100 families and each Banjar has its own meeting place called the Bale Banjar. As well as being used for regular meetings, the Bale (pavilion) is where the local gamelan orchestras and drama groups practice.

Each stage of Balinese life is marked by a series of ceremonies and rituals known as Manusa Yadnya. They contribute to the rich, varied and active life the average Balinese leads.

Birth
The first ceremony of Balinese life takes place even before birth. Another ceremony takes place soon after the birth, during which the afterbirth is buried with appropriate offerings. The first major ceremony takes place halfway through the baby's first Balinese year of 210 days.

Names
Basically the Balinese only have four first names. The first child is Wayan or Putu, the second child is Made or Kadek, the third is Nyoman or Komang and the fourth is Ketut. The fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth will be another Wayan, Made, Nyoman, Ketut and Wayan again.

Childhood
The Balinese certainly love children and they have plenty of them to prove it. Coping with a large family is made much easier by the policy of putting younger children in the care of older ones. After the ceremonies of babyhood come ceremonies marking the stages of childhood and puberty, including the important tooth-filing ceremony.

Marriage
Every Balinese expects to marry and raise a family, and marriage takes places at a comparatively young age. Marriages are not, in general, arranged as they are in many other Asian communities although strict rules apply to marriages between the castes. There are two basic forms of marriage in Bali - mapadik and ngorod. The respectable form, in which the family of the man visit the family of the woman and politely propose that the marriage take place, is mapadik. The Balinese, however, like their fun and often prefer marriage by elopement (ngorod) as the most exciting option. Of course, the Balinese are also a practical people so nobody is too surprised when the young man spirits away his bride-to-be, even if she loudly protests about being kidnapped. The couple go into hiding and somehow the girl's parents, no matter how assiduously they search, never manage to find her. Eventually the couple re-emerge, announce that it is too late to stop them now, the marriage is officially recognized and everybody has had a lot of fun and games. Marriage by elopement has another advantage apart from being exciting and mildly heroic it's cheaper.

The Household
There are many modern Balinese houses, but there are still a great number of traditional Balinese homes. The streets of Ubud; nearly every house will follow the same traditional walled design.

Men & Women
There are certain tasks clearly to be handled by women, and others reserved for men. Social life in Bali is relatively free and easy. In Balinese leisure activities the roles are also sex differentiated. Both men and women dance but only men play the gamelan. Today you do see some women painters, sculptors, and woodcarvers.

Community Life
Balinese have an amazingly active and organized village life. You simply cannot be a faceless nonentity in Bali. You can't help but get to know your neighbors as your life is so entwined and interrelated with theirs.

Death & Cremation
There are ceremonies for every stage of Balinese life but often the last ceremony-cremation-is the biggest. A Balinese cremation can be an amazing, spectacular, colorful, noisy and exciting event. In fact it often takes so long to organize a cremation that years have passed since the death. During that time the body is temporarily buried. Of course an auspicious day must be chosen for the cremation and since a big cremation can be very expensive business many less wealthy people may take the opportunity of joining in at a larger cremation and sending their own dead on their way at the same time. Brahmans, however, must be cremated immediately. Apart from being yet another occasion for Balinese noise and confusion it's a fine opportunity to observe the incredible energy the Balinese put into creating real works of art which are totally ephemeral. A lot more than a body gets burnt at the cremation. The body is carried from the burial ground (or from the deceased's home if it's an 'immediate' cremation) to the cremation ground in a high, multi-tiered tower made of bamboo, paper, string, tinsel, silk, cloth, mirrors, flowers and anything else bright and colorful you can think of. The tower is carried on the shoulders of a group of men, the size of the group depending on the importance of the deceased and hence the size of the tower. The funeral of a former rajah high priest may require hundreds of men to tote the tower.

A long the way to the cremation ground certain precautions must be taken to ensure that the deceased's spirit does not find its way back home. Loose spirits around the house can be a real nuisance. To ensure this doesn't happen requires getting the spirits confused as to their whereabouts, which you do by shaking the tower, running it around in circles, spinning it around, throwing water at it, generally making the trip to the cremation ground anything but a stately funeral crawl. Meanwhile, there's likely to be a priest halfway up to tower, hanging on grimly as it sways back and forth, and doing his best to soak bystanders with holy water. A gamelan sprints along behind, providing a suitably exciting musical accompaniment. Camera-toting tourists get all but run down and once again the Balinese prove that ceremonies and religion are there to be enjoyed. At the cremation ground the body is transferred to a funeral sarcophagus, this should be in the shape of a bull for a Brahmana, a winged lion for a Satria and a sort of elephant-fish for a Sudra. These days, however, almost anybody from the higher castes will use a bull. Finally up it all goes in flames funeral tower, sarcophagus, body, the lot. The eldest son does his duty by poking through the ashes to ensure that there are no bits of body left unburned. And where does your soul go after your cremation? Why, to a heaven which is just like Bali!

RELIGION
The Balinese are Hindu yet their religion is very different from that of the Indian variety. They do have a caste system, but there are no untouchables and occupation is not governed by caste. In fact, the only thing that reflects the caste system is the language which has three tiers; 95% of all the Balinese are Hindu Dharma, and speak Low or Everyday Balinese with each other; Middle Balinese is used for talking to strangers, at formal occasions or to people of the higher Ksatriya caste; High Balinese is used when talking to the highest class, the Brahmana, or to a pedanda (priest). It may sound complicated, but most of the words at the low and medium levels are the same, whereas High Balinese is a mixture of Middle Balinese and Kawi, the ancient Javanese language.

The Balinese worship the Hindu trinity Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, who are seen as manifestations of the Supreme God Sanghyang Widhi. Other Indian gods like Ganesha (the elephant-headed god) also often appear, but more commonly, one will see shrines to the many gods and spirits that are uniquely Balinese. Balinese believe strongly in magic and the power of spirits and much of their religion is based upon this. They believe that good spirits dwell in the mountains and that the seas are home to demons and ogres. Most villages have at least three main temples; one, the Pura Puseh or 'temple of origin', faces the mountains and is dedicated to the village founders, another, the Pura Desa or village temple, is normally found in the centre and is dedicated to the welfare of the village, the last, the Pura Dalem, is aligned with the sea and is dedicated to the spirits of the dead. Aside from these 'village' temples, almost every house has its own shrine and you can also find monuments dedicated to the spirits of agriculture, art and all other aspects of life. Some temples, Pura Besakih for example, on the slopes of Mount Agung, are considered especially important and people from all over Bali travel to worship there.

Offerings play a significant role in Balinese life as they appease the spirits and thus bring prosperity and good health to the family. Every day small offering trays (canang sari) containing symbolic food, flowers, cigarettes and money, are placed on shrines, in temples, outside houses and shops, and even at dangerous crossroads.

Festivals are another great occasion for appeasing the gods. The women bear huge, beautifully arranged, pyramids of food, fruit and flowers on their heads while the men might conduct a blood sacrifice through a cockfight. There are traditional dances and music and the gods are invited to come down to join in the festivities. The festivals are usually very exciting occasions and well worth observing, if you are in the area. A crucial thing to remember, if you wish to join in celebrations or enter a temple, is that there are a number of rules that have to be respected. Please see back page "A Word of Advice" for Rules.

Saraswati Day - a day to honor the Goddess of Knowledge and Wisdom

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:08:46 PST

Balinese Hindu believes that knowledge is an essential medium to achieve the goal of life as a human being. Saraswati Day is celebrated to honor God as source of the knowledge. God, in this particular celebration, is manifested as Saraswati Dewi, Goddess Saraswati

She is depicted as a beautiful lady with four hands holding a musical instrument, meditation bead chain, as well as palm leaf manuscript. Many times the Saraswati is depicted to be standing on the swan. The beautiful lady is a symbol that the knowledge is attractive by many people. The musical instrument symbolized the knowledge is entertaining, the more you are into it the more beautiful and interesting it can be. The manuscript (or book) is where the knowledge is kept. The chain is a symbol that knowledge is never finish to learn, there is no beginning and ending.

Similar to other religious rites in Bali, Saraswati day also has various religious steps before and after the actual day. Six days before Saraswati is Pemelastali , a day to free our selves from worldly desire. Four days and the following days before Saraswati are called Paid Paidan, Urip and Patetegan which mean days to control desire, constantly do introspection by holding the purity of the knowledge. On day before Saraswati is called Pengeredanaan, a day to prepare Saraswati Day both spiritually and physically. Book are collected, cleaned and placed in properly places. Special offerings are made to be used for the following celebration.

Saraswati Day is celebrated every 210-days on Saniscara Umanis Wuku Watugunung based on Balinese Pawukon (cycles) calender. On the actual day of Saraswati , offering are placed on the books and shrines. Worships are held at the temples in family compound, villages, businesses and others from morning to noon. Prime worships are held in school's temples attended by its student and teachers. In the afternoon and evening is a good time to held religious discussion.

The following day of Saraswati is called Banyupinaruh, a day to have spiritual and physical cleansing. Normally Balinese will go to nearby beaches or water spring or river to have the special bathing. Worship will also be held in the village temples or other respective temples afterward.

Tumpek Uduh or Tumpek Wariga or Tumpek Pengatag

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:06:33 PST

TUMPEK UDUH ceremony will be on Saturday, 10th September 2005 of this year and fails every 210 days or every six months on Balinese Calender.
Tumpek Uduh also known as Tumpek Wariga or Tumpek Pengatag devoted to Sanghyang Sangkara, Lord of all food - plants when blessing ceremony is given to them for good crops and products, held at every plantation and farm throughout the island.

Nothing is more comfortable and peaceful than taking a rest under a dense tree especially in a hot sun-shining day. Some desert-caravans might be enthusiastically thankful if some dense tress grew along the way in the desert. Trees or plants are the breath of earth, and people should be grateful of their oxygen, fruits, leaves, food and their cool breeze. They are friends and food source of ours. Their life is our survival.They deserve to gain our attention, and should be right by our side in the sense of harmony. Ritually, Balinese have a special ceremony to beg any prosperity for vegetations so they can always provide their crops for mankind. A ceremony to say gratitude to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (God) for His honor in providing food source in the form of vegetation.Such ceremony will be held on October 26th.

Tumpek Wariga is a ritual ceremony dedicated to the vegetations. It’s also known as Tumpek Pengarah or Tumpek Uduh or Tumpek Bubuh. It’s called as Tumpek Pengarah since it’s a day to give instruction/suggestion for the vegetation to provide a lot of food (fruits, leaves, etc). It enables the Balinese to make any preparation to hail Galungan Day that will come in a few weeks ahead. Pengarah means instruction. It comes once in every six months or every 210 days, suggesting the Balinese to worship God Sangkara the God of Vegetation. It’s a right time to beg the God to give His grace so the vegetation can provide a lot of crops.

Tumpek Bubuh is also its name since there is bubuh included in the offerings that’s dedicated to God Sangkara, the God of vegetation. Bubuh means porridge made from rice flour. In committing the ceremony, the bubuh is smeared on the tree bark as a symbol of fertilizers (the proper food for vegetation).

In Pangider-ider Bhuana (eight direction), Balinese worship the honor of God Sangkara at the SouthWest with His sacred color is green symbolizing the fertility. God Sangkara is also worshipped as Dewan Pa-nunggun Karang, the god who protects Balinese in houses. He will turn out into Sang Hyang Kala who will disturb the owner of house if the owner ignores His existence. Such character is quite similar to the characteristic of vegetation. Any effort of people to dam

age or to ignore the conservation of vegetation is only a kind of suicide. On the other hand, prosperity and comfort will come around whenever the vegetation is protected and conserved.

Concerning the deep meaning hidden behind this ceremony, Tumpek Wariga contains external and internal meaning for the Balinese. Wariga is the name of seventh wuku in Balinese calendar. Besides, it’s also a term to determine the appropriate or inappropriate day to have a ceremony or activity in Hinduism.

Ida Pandita Mpu Nabe Yoga Maha Bhirudhaksa said that Tumpek Wariga is a good day to beg any patronage for the sake of vegetation or plantation. It’s really forbidden to cut the trees or gathering any crop from the vegetation.

Vegetations that usually become the objects of consecration in this ceremony are coconut trees, durian trees, rambutan, etc. The offering consists of tumpeng agung, sesayut, pengambeyan, peras penyeneng, dapetan, porridge, pangresikan, sasap, candiga,gantung-gantungan, segehan cacahan putih, segehan panca warna (offering in five kind of color) and tetabuhan.

The process of ceremony firstly begins by installing sasap and candiga on the tree trunks, which previously covered in a white band. Beneath the trees there is a asapan(a kind of shrine) to place the offerings. "All of the offerings are placed on the asapan except segehan. It’s placed on the ground cause it’s dedicated to Bhutas (invisible creatures)," says Pandita Mpu (Holy Priest) of Griya Asitasari, Banjar Lebah Pangkung, Mengwi-Badung. As the preparation is done, the offerings then are ritually offered to the honor of God Sangkara by firstly sprinkling the holy water, continued by pangresikan (sanctification), panyeneng and sesajen. Finally, the ceremony is lasted by offering the segehan, and smearing the porridge to tree trunks while saying such as follows: "Kaki kaki, tiang mapengarah, malih 25 dina Galungan, mabuah apang nged nged nged". (Provide us a lot of crop cause Galungan is coming within 25 days).

The History of Bali

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:01:14 PST

More than four thousand years ago, Bali was an emerald green, tropical rain forest covered island. The first wave of human arrivals from across the seas brought with them techniques for rice cultivation, new languages and new customs. These early immigrants and others who followed over the years helped to create a haven, providing today's visitors with a wealth of sights and sounds, dances, music, arts and crafts.
The Island of the Gods is situated approximately on latitude 8o South and longitude 115o East. Bali and the neighboring island of Lombok are the most westerly of the Little Sunda Islands, and part of the 13,700 islands that make up Indonesia, the largest archipelago in the world.

The so-called Wallace Line that runs between the island and Lombok serves as the boundary between Asia and Australia, thus naturally separating the flora and fauna between the Sunda Shelf from the Sahul Shelf (to which Australia belongs). To the east lies the island of Java, which once was joined to Bali.

While little is known about the stone age people who first settled on the island, the bronze age people left a more lasting legacy. The Dong Son culture with its highly developed techniques of casting bronze objects flourished in Bali. The largest of the mysterious bronze rain drums, found in several Southeast Asian countries as well, was cast in Bali. Considered a sacred object, it is worshipped by the Balinese in the Pura Penataran Sasih Temple in Pejeng. It is said to be wheel that fell off the chariot of the goddess of the moon.

The bronze age people, who had a highly sophisticated art of casting bronze objects, also knew the techniques of dry rice cultivation and the art of weaving. Later waves of migrants, Malays mainly, brought with them the secret of wet rice cultivation that increase yields several fold. It began the transformation of Bali into a complex system of irrigation that would provide the water for the rice terraces. Rice then became the stuff of life and the measure of wealth.

Kingdoms began to flourish based on this wealth, with all playing homage to the pre-Hindu form of Dewi Sri, the beloved goddess of rice, represented in the ancient form of the chili motif found to this day in offerings.

Hinduism was introduced into Bali by the Brahmin priests in the 1st Century AD. These priests traveled along with the Indian merchants who were seeking the fabulous wealth of islands in this region. Hinduism caught on in Bali because it received the patronage of the kings. Buddhism to was accepted and both religions would be blended with elements of the old animistic faith. Throughout Bali, remains of these early independent kingdoms have been found attesting to their early practices and beliefs.
Of the many tales of old, one tells of a legendary evil king with a pig's head name Beda Ulu, the same name given to the present-day village of Bedulu, the site of his capital. Another relates to a giant Kebo Iwa, who is said to have carve many caves with his finger nails. These tales continue to be told to this day by the older folk.

Yet it was Hinduism and its off-shoot Buddhism that attained the dominant position in the Balinese way of life. Even the inscriptions left by the early kingdoms, were in the form and language of ancient India. Later monuments used a combination of the Indian and the Balinese languages.

Close to Bedulu stands the Goa Gajah (Elephant Caves), a religious complex that blends both the practices of Hinduism and Buddhism. Inside this complex there is a cave for meditation with three sets of lingga (phalluses) of Siva, a holy bathing pool and a sculpture of Hariti, the Buddhist deity.
Several other monuments still stand as testimony to a glorious past in Bali's history. Gunung Kawi or Poet's Mountain houses several 11th century royal tombs. The list would seem endless for the student of early Balinese history and just as fascinating for the modern day traveler.

But by the 12th century, this glorious period would come to an end with the invading armies of the Majapahit Empire and their brilliant General Gadjah Mada. Bali would become an important province of this East Java kingdom that became one of the most powerful empires in this part of the world.
It is said that Hindu Majapahit Empire gave Bali the form and structure that stands to this day. The caste system, rules and rituals, art and temple architecture were all passed on from this powerful empire. But Islam began to gain a foothold in the region in the 15th century, much of the strong links with India were broken. Even the mighty Majapahit would crumble by the 16th century and many Javanese nobility moved to Bali, the last stronghold of Hinduism, taking with them their courtly rituals and practices.

Left on its own, Bali would return to its animistic past. But this was the period when gamelan, dance, drama and the shadow puppet theatre would develop and flourish. It was also a time of profound change, for not only would there be the rise of Islam but the first westerners were beginning to appear.

The Dutch admiral, Cornelious Houtman arrived off the coast of Bali in 1598 to a friendly welcome by Watu Renggong who was king of a united Bali. Encouraged by this gesture, the Dutch named the island New Holland and their influence grew over the archipelago. But with the death of Watu Renggong, the other rulers would rule independently while still paying homage to the Dewa Agung - the honorary title of the Raja of Klungkung. The rulers would often engage in bloody warfare, and a period of conflict took hold.

This would change in the 19th century when the Dutch began to consolidate their hold on the various regions of their domination. The Balinese were a thorn in Dutch ambitions, as they seemed to enjoy a measure of independence and prosperity. In the 1840s, the Dutch mounted three wars to gain control over northern Bali. They succeeded only because other rulers in Bali sought Dutch aid for their own gains.

There were local heroes like Gusti Djelantik, who managed defeat the Westerners on one occasion in a brilliant move by feigning retreat, only to lead his army now brimming with over confidence, over the hills of Jagaraga in the north where they were ambushed. The ill equipped local forces were often easily outgunned by the Dutch with their modern weaponry.

The Dutch launched several ruthless campaigns in the archipelago, and it seemed the brunt of it were aimed at the Balinese. This response in Bali was typical. Local kings led their followers in puputan ("ending") in which all were given the rites of the dead and then marched out to be mowed down by Dutch gunfire. Those who were still standing were cut down by their own followers, thus ensuring their heavenly path to the glorious paradise of their illustrious ancestors.

The puputan happened between 1906 and 1908 when the kings of Denpasar and Klungkung chose this path rather than surrender. Thus the Dutch gained complete control over the island and imposed their brand of colonialism, which even included slavery and forced labour. But with the colonial power in firm control, the first waves of tourist began to "discover" the island.

Soon the world would hear of Bali, the islands of Gods, dance and drama. Thousands would descend on the island in search of the bronze drums and bare breasted beauties, and several would make their homes here, or take back with them some exotic object to adorn their own homes in the west. Even the local royalty would get into the act, competing among themselves to hire out automobiles and even their princely homes. Home stay was here to stay.

Of the many westerners who fell to the charms of Bali, perhaps the most famous was Walter Spies, the German painter who left legacy for all to see. Art and crafts were given new life catering to the needs of the tourists. This was a Golden Era in Bali's annals. Movie makers would immortalize the isle, while books would capture forever the charms and life style of the Balinese.

But in the 20th century Bali would also suffer the ravages of disasters; an earthquake and the eruption of Mount Batur in 1917 caused the loss of human life and untold suffering, then the island was hit by the Great Depression. Yet Bali remained in the minds of the most as the holiday island and almost every tourist fell in love with it.

Even the Japanese occupation was only a temporary obstacle, for slowly after the end of the Second World War, Soekarno, who was part Balinese, would declare Indonesia an independent nation and with it Bali gained its freedom forever.

The early days after the 1945 Declaration of Independence was tough of the islanders as with the rest of the nation. But independent Indonesia was a reality and the fledgling nation set its own course. Tougher times lay ahead when in the 1960s the island would suffer a famine, and first known eruption of the holy mountain, Mount Agung. Then as Balinese society itself was deeply divided between political ideologies and patronage, thousands suffered on the island, until the New Order Government, led by President Soeharto restored peace and gave the nation a new direction.

Tourist hotels, in the meantime, had sprung up in several parts of the island. The tourism industry was flourishing soon to gain the status of being among the top foreign exchange earners for the country. Almost every major hotel chain in the world is now represented in the island. The dream or turning Bali into a tourist haven has now become a reality. While the early attractions were mostly around Sanur and Ubud, the planned Nusa Dua complex and even Kuta Beach, which was unplanned, have become the major centers of tourist interest.

In Kuta, the hippies and the backpackers led to its rapid growth, and even to this day remains the place where you will find the true holiday-maker. But Bali offers much more for those who really want to spend time savouring a lifestyle, tradition, friendliness and inspiration. Head out to Ubud to immerse in the arts and crafts, to Batubulan for stone carvings, to Mas for silver and gold, to Tenganan for the geringsing cloth. You could spend a lifetime here and yet discover some place new, something that you missed. This is the charm and beauty of Bali. Arrive on its shores and be prepared to be swept off your feet.

Bali Dances and Performances

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:57:36 PST

There are several other dances that could excite you. Dance and drama have historically played an important role in Balinese society. Balinese dances are famous all over the world and the Balinese themselves take them very seriously

Birthdays, weddings, and temples festivals are all occasions for dramatic performances and dance is inextricably linked with the Balinese religion. Through this medium, people learnt about the tales of the Ramayana, Mahabrata and other epic stories from Balinese history.

Barong and Rangda dance
This is basically a story about the struggle between good and evil. Good is personified by the Barong Keket, a strange, fun-loving creature in the shape of a shaggy semi-lion. Evil is represented by Rangda, a witch. Ultimately, the two characters engage in battle, at which point the Barong's keris-bearing follower rush in to attack Rangda. The witch, however, uses her magical powers to turn the keris knives in upon their owners, who fall into a trance and start trying to stab themselves. The Barong uses magic to protect his followers from the knives. In the end, the Barong triumphs and Rangda retreats to recuperate her strength for the next encounter. All that remains is for a priest to help the keris dancers out of their trance, with the help of a little holy water. The Barong and Rangda dance is a very powerful performance and is not taken lightly by those involved

Kecak Dance
The Kecak is an unusual Balinese dance for a couple of reasons. First, there is no musical accompaniment. The gamelan is not there. Rhythm is provided by a chanting 'monkey' chorus. The polyrhythmic sound of the chanting provides the name, 'Kecak'. The story line for the Kecak is taken from the Ramayana. Prince Rama goes hunting for a golden deer and his beautiful wife is kidnapped by the evil Rawana. Story is secondary in this performance, though. If you want to see the story of the Ramayana, you should see a Ramayana performance. The Kecak is a triumph of style and mood, rather than story. Watch the faces of audience members. More than any other Balinese dance, the Kecak turns every viewer into a child, wide-eyed and transfixed.

Legong Dance
The story derives from the history of East Java in the 1 2th and 1 3th centuries: when on a journey the King of Lasem finds the maiden Rangkesari lost in the forest. Rangkesari's brother. Prince Daha, gathers an army together to rescue his sister. Princess Rangkesari then tries to persuade Laksmi to let her go to avoid a war, but he denies her her freedom. On his way to battle, Daha is attacked by a raven, a bad omen, and is later killed in battle. The dance only takes the story up to the point where the king departs for battle, and it is performed by three people, two Legongs and their attendant, the "Condong". The Legong is a very classical and graceful dance, and is always performed by pre-pubescent girls, often as young as eight or nine years old.

Baris Dance
A warrior dance for a group of a dozen or middle age men, its purpose is to protect the visiting gods at temple festival from evil spirits. The dancers wear headdresses with a triangle of white clothe at the back. This dance requires great skill, with the artist having to display the whole range of inner emotions, mainly through facial expression

Shanghyang Trance Dance
The Sanghyang is a divine force that enters the bodies of the entranced dancers. There are a number of dances, but the most common are the Sanghyang Dedari and the Snghyang Jaran. The Sanghyang Dedari is performed by two girls, and is very similar in style to the Legong; the main difference is that the Sanghyang Dedari girls are supposedly untrained and can keep in perfect time with each other, even though their eyes are firmly shut. The accompanying music is provided by a female choir and a male Kecak choir.
In the Sanghyang Jaran, a boy dances around and through a fire, riding a coconut palm hobbyhorse. This is a frequently called the "Fire Dance", for the sake of tourists. In both dances, a priest is always on hand to help bring the dancers out of their trance-state at the end of the performance.

Calon Arang
An exorcism drama aimed at the local village witches (leyak, celuluk) and performed when a new temple is dedicated.The part of rangda is taken by an experienced older aktor becouse the performance involves the witch going into an entrance rage, possessed so Balinese believe by the spirit of the actual Rangda. The end of this even id unpredictable and a Rangda can occasion run amok. The purpose of the performance is to placate the rangda by demonstrating her power, and thus gain her co-operation against the lesser witches in the village

Mask Dance
In Bali, masks are considered sacred objects, and are revered as such. The best ones are traditionally carved on auspicious days, and the dancers who wear them are believed to be possessed by the spirits of the masks. Characters can be identified from the shape of the features; noble characters always wear full, refined masks; while evil is represented by bulging eyes and garish colours. The characters are silent, but communicate using complex gestures of the hand, head and body. The story lines usually follow popular myths, or episodes from history

Nusa lembongan island

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:50:14 PST

Nusa Lembongan is one of three neighbouring islands of Bali, approximately 12 miles from south eastern coast of Bali and 20 miles from Lombok. The other two (2) islands are Nusa Penida being the bigger and Nusa Ceningan being the smaller.

This tropical island is 4.5 kilometers long, 2.5 kilometers wide and 50 meters above sea level. The majority of the population, circa 7000 practices the religion of Hinduism; a combination of Hindu, Buddhism and Indigenous religious customs.

Bahasa Indonesian is the national language, however most inhabitants on the island speak a local dialect.The locals on the island make their living from farming seaweed between the beach at the villages of Jungut Batu and the offshore reef.

The seaweed is exported around the world and used as an emulsifying agent in the manufacture of products such as ice cream, cheese and cosmetics.The island is well known for its superb surfing breaks like Playgrounds, Lacerations and Shipwrecks; snorkeling and scuba diving in crystal clear water; fishing and a very relaxed lifestyle. Nusa Lembongan is a pristine tropical island, its highest point is 50 meters above sea level.

Lembongan has an average rainfall of approximately 1000 mm per year. Little temperature variation from 30 degrees Celsius occurs between the only two seasons this island experiences being the wet and the dry. The wet season is from December to February and the dry is from March to November. As it has only three months of rainfall, this island is dry for the remainder of the year. Little cultivation occurs, as almost 2/3 of the island is infertile. Seeding is normally done on the wet season and only corn, cassava and peanuts are farmed. Also found on the island are cashew nuts, mangoes and coconut. Fresh water is limited and most of the supply is derived from wells up to 60 meters deep.How to get there?There are several ways to get the Lembongan island.

In order of style, comfort and price, the numerous ways you can travel to the island are listed below.

Bali Hai CruisesCost: 25 USD one way or 45 USD returnOffers two options:

Bali Hai II departs Benoa Harbour at 9:15am - returns 4:15pm and takes 45 minutes to reach Lembongan Island.

Aristocat, the luxury sailing catamaran departs Benoa Harbour at 9:00am - returns 6:00pm and takes 2 hours sailing time.Please note there will be a cost of 50,000 Rupiah for a small boat to pick you up from the Bali Hai pontoon at Lembongan Island which will take you to the beach at Jungut Batu village.

For more information http://www.balihaicruises.com/

Bounty CruisesCost: 15 USD each way transfer onlyDaily scheduleDeparts Benoa Harbour 9:30 Arrives Lembongan 10:15Departs Lembongan 3:30 pm Arrives Benoa Harbour 4:15Please note there will be a cost of 50,000 Rupiah for a small boat to pick you up from Bounty pontoon at Lembongan Island which will take you to the beach at Jungut Batu village.

For more information www.balibountycruises.com

Scoot Lembongan Island Fast CruisesCost: 15 USD each way or 25 USD returnDaily scheduleDeparts Lembongan 8:30 am Arrives Sanur 9:00 amDeparts Sanur 9:30am Arrives Lembongan 10.00amDeparts Lembongan 3:00 pm Arrives Sanur 3.30 pmDeparts Sanur 4:00 pm Arrives Lembongan 4:30pmLeaves from the parking area at Sanur beach just north of The Grand Bali Beach Hotel.

For more information www.scootcruise.com

Map of Bali

juniasa153@gmail.com (nakayoshi) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:43:47 PST

clik picture to see the large size