The Balinese Harmony with Creation is visible everywhere on the island through the Hindu temples present everywhere, the daily colorful Canang (offerings dotting the streets) or the Penjor displayed for important celebrations. Bali is often named Island of the Gods, it is also sometimes referred to as the Island of a Thousand temples – in reality there are more than ten thousand! Temples come in all sizes, from the most sacred and large ones like Pura Sakenan or Pura Besakih to the private temples in all the homes and commerce of the island. All temples will be adorned with chess pattern or yellow fabrics, ceremonial umbrellas, offering flowers and surrounded by the intense scent of burning incense. Balinese temples are centers of daily worship. Each temple will celebrate Piodalan, or its creation date every 210 days equivalent to a Balinese year. This is the occasion for extensive celebrations with the preparation of large offerings, celebratory foods and the temple’s followers adorning magnificent traditional clothes to show respect to the divinities. In religious mythology Three is a sacred number. Temples are divided into three parts, an outer, middle and inner courtyard system called Tiga Mandala Suci. There are three types of temples in Bali. The first temple is Pura Desa dedicated to Brahma, the creator God. The second is Pura Puseh dedicated to Vishnu, the sustainer God. The third is Pura Dalem, dedicated to Shiva, the destroyer God. These three gods are known as the trinity of supreme divinity of Sang Hyang Widhi (Hindunese God). Combining the symbols of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva creates "OM" ( ॐ ), the most sacred and holy symbol. During Piodalan (the temple’s birthday following the Balinese calendar, every 210 days) or Galungan (the Balinese New Year marking the victory of good over evil), the temples will hold special celebrations marked by gamelan music and Kecak Dance performances. These celebrations are open to all wearing the appropriate outfit and are an unforgettable experience for any visitor to Bali.

Balinese Pura

Water is a source of life, but there is something special about water flowing from Tirta Empul Spring. It can cleanse spiritual impurities, fend off evil forces, and render the recipient immune to the attacks of negative or demonic influences Holy water is an agent of the power of god, a container of mysterious force. The uses and potency of holy water vary according to how it is made, its source, and who makes it. The more powerful the mantras used to make it, the more mystic energy it contains. The more sacred the place from which it is obtained, 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 so essential to Balinese life that it is impossible to list all its uses. Melukat, the water purification ceremony under a priest’s guidance is held in several temples and attracts a lot of visitors. More intimate Melukat can be organized as an individual or small group for a more authentic and powerful experience.

Holy Water in Balinese Culture

Offerings in Bali are always made of natural things, leaves, flowers, fruit, and holy water. Every piece is an arrangement selected for what it symbolizes&nbsp; or which specific Hindu god it represents. For example, the three major Hindu Gods known as the Trimurtri are often represented in the canang sari by a lime for Shiva, a red betel nut for Vishnu, and a green Gambier plant for Brahma. The color and placement of the flowers also bear significance; white petals to the east representing the god Iswara, red petals to the south for Brahma, yellow flowers to the west for Mahadeva, and blue or green ones to the north for Vishnu.

Flowers and Canang

The unique aesthetics of the Balinese people can be seen in the paintings, carvings, jewellery, and stonework found everywhere on the island. Different villages and regions of Bali are famous for various crafts, and while Ubud is now seen as the centre of Balinese art, other styles can be found around Bali. Balinese Painting Balinese artists traditionally produced only religious art for depicting myths.At the beginning of 1930, Ubud, Batuan and Sanur began to emerge and be recognized as regions with excellent quality works of art, blending western influences with traditional art forms. In the 50s and 70s, the Balinese arts communities were also increasingly being formed in several areas, and the art school started to produce Balinese artists with more abilities. International artists began moving to Bali in the early 1900s, spreading their art style to the people, especially Balinese artists in Ubud and neighbouring Batuan village. This influenced the local artists to move from a traditional black and white approach to more colourful and detailed paintings. The contemporary artists experiment with more modern forms of art, and a wide range of artistic approaches can be seen in the art galleries across Bali. Wood and Stone Carving Balinese wood carving is an ancient art form but has also changed and developed over the years. Mas village is famous for its woodcarvings, and some of its master artisans have become famous across Indonesia and abroad. Wooden statues of human and animal figures are common, but even furniture, fixtures, and door frames are often adorned with flowers, landscapes, and traditional themes by skilled craftsmen. For Balinese people, the natural world is a part of daily life, and gardens and outdoor areas are designed according to traditional principles and carefully maintained. For this reason, the stonework is also considered important in Bali. The village of Batubulan is famous for its stone carvings, but there are enclaves of stonemasons in downtown areas such as Kerobokan and Denpasar as well. Balinese Textiles Endek is a Balinese weft ikat cloth that preserved its sustainability and is still used as a material for ritual and ceremonies clothing, school and office uniforms.Endek motifs are very diverse; some are even considered sacred and only can be used for religious activities in temples.There is also a particular motif that can only be used by certain people, such as kings and noble descendants. Patra and encak motifs are considered sacred, commonly used for religious ceremonies to symbolize respect for the Creator.In contrast, nature motifs like flowers, leaves, and animals are widely used for daily activities. Nowadays, Sidemen Village in Karangasem Regency is known as a famous fabric craftsman village. Weaving cloth is a daily activity that is mostly done by the residents of Sidemen village.Almost all female residents in this village can weave at least simple patterns. The surrounding environment, which is full of natural beauty, is a source of inspiration for the residents to continue producing natural patterned sophisticated woven fabric. Sidemen village has two types of woven fabrics, the first – Ikat weaving, commonly called endek, is to be used in everyday activities. The second type is songket woven fabrics which are only used for religious activities or essential ceremonies such as tooth-filing ceremony (metatah / mepandes), marriage, religious holidays, cremation (ngaben), and other traditional ceremonies.

Arts and Handicraft

Balinese dance is a dynamic form of art with a strong connection to religion. It plays an important role in the Balinese life and is a way of connecting with the gods, either as a welcome for visiting gods or even as a communication channel in certain trance dances. Every performance will start with an offering, and dancers will pray on the day of performance to receive Taksu, a form of Divine Inspiration. The dances are most often performed during temple festivals and important ceremonies on a weekly basis at some places dedicated to tourist performances. Most Balinese dances are inspired by the Hindu epic Ramayana and Mahabarata.Traditional Balinese dance forms are usually passed on to girls and boys since a very young age, under precise rules and disciplined schedule. Most dances will require vivacious and gracious movement of all body parts, including expressive facial, eyes, and hand gestures. Dance is essential to life in Bali, and each village usually has some highly skilled dancers and teachers that they are proud of. Discover during your stay the variety of dances : Kecak Fire Dance, Barong Dance, Legong Dance, Baris Dance, Sanghyang Dance, Janger Dance, Topeng Dance and Pendet Dance.

Balinese Dance

Rice is a staple food for most Balinese and Indonesian, will accompany almost every dish. It is also seen as the gift from God through the&nbsp; Goddess of Rice, Ida Bhatari Sri. Every Wednesday that falls on the twenty-eighth week of the Balinese calendar is a special devotion day for Dewi Sri. Bali is considered as one of the most productive rice growers in the country. The farming practice is the result of cultural exchange between various ethnies of the area. Another secret for the excellence of Bali in producing high quality rice is the ancient irrigation system to water the rice fields, called Subak. <span style="font-family: &quot;Source Sans Pro&quot;, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;; font-size: 1rem;">The Subak system, an UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape, is. guided by religious and cultural values combined with complex engineering and social principles.&nbsp;

Rice: the Lifeblood of Balinese

The towering volcanic mountains hold a significant place in Balinese mythology as it is where the Gods live Mount Agung, the highest in Bali (3142 meters) is where lies Pura Besakih, the biggest temple where all activities of all temples are centralized. Mount Agung is also considered one of the world's sacred mountains. Balinese people believe that the eruption of Mount Agung is a warning from the Gods to all humankind. Being truly sacred, Mount Agung has become the main pillar of human life in Bali. The second sacred mountain in Bali is Mount Batur, loved by hikers for its beautiful scenery. Mount Batur has erupted twenty times in the last two centuries. Mount Batukaru is the next sacred mountain for Pura Luhur Batukaru stands there. The last sacred mountain is Mount Abang which has beginner-friendly hiking tracks in the nature scenery and around the lake. At the top of this mountain, stands Pura Puncak Tulukbiyu where Hindus come to pray every full moon night.

Gunung and the Manifestation of the Gods

Now recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage, the subak system of irrigation really needs to be understood to appreciate how hard the Balinese people have toiled to perfect its operation. The subak system is based on Tri Hita Karana establishing harmonious relations with the gods, with subak members and with the environment. A typically Balinese socio-religious approach to agriculture, the subak system began its development during the pre-Majapahit period through an association of farmers and priests that guaranteed the distribution of water where and whenever it was required.After a catastrophic result of cultivating changes suggested by the Asian Development Bank in the 70’s leading to smaller crops and pest proliferation, it was finally understood how ecologically sound the subak irrigation system is.Significant efforts are required to maintain the complex ecologically engineered network of tunnels and channels to maintain the system’s efficiency. Under the priests leadership and with the blessing of Dewi Sri, the rice goddess and Dewi Danu the water goddess the farmers continue using traditional techniques to maximise rice production, vital part of Bali’s economy.

The Subak Irrigation System

Gates are considered to be sacred in Balinese culture. They act as portals that connect the physical world and the spiritual realm (gods and spirits); the living and the dead (ancestors). There are two common types of gates: candi bentar. split-gate traditionally built as a formal entrance to a pura (temple) or puri (palace). Paduraksa: intricately carved gate (with a tiled or thatched roof) which serves as entryway to a family compound. Historically, Balinese gates are built for protection - from wild animals (tigers were once abundant in Bali), intruders, and most importantly, from evil spirits. Balinese Hinduism (a unique combination of Hindu, Buddhist, Animist beliefs) is widely practiced and applied to every aspects of life on the island, including architecture. Religious characters and symbols are incorporated into the intricate carvings appear on the gate's façade. Traditionally, gates are also regarded as a "status symbol" indicating a family's wealth or social rank (noble or common) judging on their sizes, building materials, and the complexity of the carvings.

The Gates of Heaven

Bali is a unique Island in the world where all religions and agnostics co-exist in harmony, each respecting the celebrations of the other. It is reflected in the Public holidays celebrated here which are a combination of Hindu, Muslim and Christian celebrations.In addition to these celebrations, Bali hosts a variety of festivals and cultural events. Are you planning a visit to the island? Check out the calendar, maybe you will be here to partake in one of these spiritual, cultural or entertaining events!

Calendar of Festivals

All traditional buildings in Bali are designed based on the principles of Balinese Hindu traditions and belief systems. Balinese houses, palaces and temples are entail several structures within a walled enclosure, where each serves a unique function. The cultural and religious influence on the architecture goes back many centuries. A Balinese architect will aim to create a sacred place which is in line with what they believe spirits and cosmos require for a harmonious and balanced energy. Therefore priests, the intermediaries between the spirit realms and the real world for the Balinese, also preserve the knowledge and guidelines for Balinese architectures. The Balinese culture originated in Java centuries ago, and Bali has remained the only place in Indonesia, where those Hindu traditions are still followed. Today Indonesia is dominantly a Muslim society, which makes Bali very unique and different.

Balinese Architecture

A traditional Balinese orchestra is generally called gamelan.Since a pretty young age, Balinese are encouraged to join a gamelan band in the village called sekaa gong or beleganjur. Most of the villages in Bali have specific groups who train regularly. Each group is classified based on age and gender. These traditional music bands will be especially sought after for Balinese “good days” such as ceremonies in temples, personal events at home like wedding, tooth filling and the blessing of new business or houses. A group of ten to twenty people playing this traditional orchestra is called gamelan gong. Gamelan ensemble consists of dozens of instruments which appear to be xylophone-like, hanging gongs, cymbals, flute, drums and many more.

Balinese Traditional Music

Blissful Bali, where all senses are stimulated and exacerbated. Immerse yourself and be mesmerized by the breathtaking sceneries, the intense dances, the intricate handicraft and vibrant art scene, the truly unique architectural style or the succulent culinary scene.

Bali, A Cultural Heaven

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