Bali: Paradise extreme
Destination Abroad/ Indonasia/ Bali
Bali is a green island beautified by magnetic coasts and legong dance. A journey cherishing this charming island with meru temples, echoing the beauty of stone art and vedic culture.
After Kerala, there is only one land in the world which can be described as `God's own Country'. That is Bali , the Bali Islands in Indonesia.
All the beauty concepts of Kerala with groves of coconut trees, are applciable to Bali too. Here is everything which would satisfy the crave of each traveler. A wide canvass of greenery which also have surrealistic figures drawn in dark shades.
Bali can be drawn on a canvass like this. The lasya bhava of enchanting sea, the green hills and valleys, poetic village beauty, the stone wonders, meru structure, the beautiful women street vendors wearing silk dresses, the legong dancers dancing ito the tunes of gamalin, the shadow puppetry Wayam Kuilt, which plays the story of pandavas, in darkness.
Bali is something more then these, a distinct beautiful island, standing in solitude in the Indonesian islands .Our journey, above over enjoying the sceneries, was an investigation into the cultural marvel of Bali. Journey touching its temples, religious cultures, festivals, celebrations. Our accommodation was arranged at Nyuh Kuning village near Ubud in mid Bali. An isolated place. Deva Puttu Ahdyana with whom we made acquaintance through internet, was the friend and guide.
At the time we reached Bali, it was the time of their most important festival Galungan. It is a feast and festival which is held throughout the whole island and occurs every 210 days as per pawukon (Balinese cycle of days). It is believed that during this 10-day period all Balinese gods will descend on earth for the festivities. Every door of the house would be decorated with Penjor, which is made from a long bamboo pole about eight meter high with curved end, and decorated with palm leaves, rice paddys, corn on the cob, coconut, cakes, a piece of white or yellow cloth, etc.
They will welcome the Gods by lifting the penjor accompanied by dance and music. Galungan will last for 10 days. Kuningan is the last day of the holiday. Kuningan is a day for prayer, and a special ritual ceremony is held for the spirits of the Balinese's ancestors .On that day the Gods will ascent to their place in Anugnu hills.
Our Bali days can be divided into four parts . First is the visit to Ubud and its sorrouning places. It was in the places adjacent to Ubud that we visited each nook and cranny of villages in mid Bali, participated in the Galungan festival in temples, and enjoyed Jauk, Barong and Lagong dances accompanied by Gamalin.
The shadow puppetry Wayam kuilt was a memorable experience. During that time we also attended a funeral ceremony. When we reached the rural village of Bali, Deva said about the funeral ceremony on that day. We shared the wish to see the same. When we reached there, I was wholeheartedly welcomed by Pemnagku priest and villagers. No one among them understood English. After their customary rituals, they kept me to one side and showed a hand symbol. I was shocked. That was the same symbol shown by Vasuvettan in my native place, asking for having a drink. I smiled and when I shook my head the Tuak (palm toddy) appeared magically. During that drinking festival , all the barriers of language and nations were diluted and I became a native of Bali.
Our next journey was for attaining bliss (moksha). Here the temples are called `Pura'. We worshipped at the main temples of Bali.
The journey which began from Goa Gajah temple after covering Gunung kawi, Pura Tirtha Empul , ended at Bali's biggest and famous temple –Besaikh.
Only when the temple voyage reached the second phase , we saw two other maha temples Taman Ayun in Mengwi and Ulun danu on the shores of Beratan Lake.
In the third phase of the journey, we rounded the cities. The palaces in the old provinces of Bali, Klungkung alias Semarapura, Karangaasam , its capital Amalpura, the Tenganan village which is claimed to be the village of successors of Bali's pioneers, Singaraja ,an ex-Dutch colonial town were distinct views.
During the last phase of our journey we visited the world famous beaches in Bali. Lovina is famous for dolphin watch while Amed beach is famous for surfing. The other beaches like Candidasa, Sanur and Kuta are too beautiful. Other two scenes which attracted the most were Bedugal botanical garden and Gitgit waterfalls. Europeans call Bali `Paradise Island'. If one visits Bali for atleast once, he would surely say, if there's a paradise on earth, it's here, it's here, it's here.
Text and Photos: Dr. Natarajan
Translation: Shamila KY
Bali is a green island beautified by magnetic coasts and legong dance. A journey cherishing this charming island with meru temples, echoing the beauty of stone art and vedic culture.
After Kerala, there is only one land in the world which can be described as `God's own Country'. That is Bali , the Bali Islands in Indonesia. All the beauty concepts of Kerala with groves of coconut trees, are applciable to Bali too. Here is everything which would satisfy the crave of each traveler. A wide canvass of greenery which also have surrealistic figures drawn in dark shades.
Bali can be drawn on a canvass like this. The lasya bhava of enchanting sea, the green hills and valleys, poetic village beauty, the stone wonders, meru structure, the beautiful women street vendors wearing silk dresses, the legong dancers dancing ito the tunes of gamalin, the shadow puppetry Wayam Kuilt, which plays the story of pandavas, in darkness.
Bali is something more then these, a distinct beautiful island, standing in solitude in the Indonesian islands .Our journey, above over enjoying the sceneries, was an investigation into the cultural marvel of Bali. Journey touching its temples, religious cultures, festivals, celebrations. Our accommodation was arranged at Nyuh Kuning village near Ubud in mid Bali. An isolated place. Deva Puttu Ahdyana with whom we made acquaintance through internet, was the friend and guide. At the time we reached Bali, it was the time of their most important festival Galungan. It is a feast and festival which is held throughout the whole island and occurs every 210 days as per pawukon (Balinese cycle of days). It is believed that during this 10-day period all Balinese gods will descend on earth for the festivities. Every door of the house would be decorated with Penjor, which is made from a long bamboo pole about eight meter high with curved end, and decorated with palm leaves, rice paddys, corn on the cob, coconut, cakes, a piece of white or yellow cloth, etc.
They will welcome the Gods by lifting the penjor accompanied by dance and music. Galungan will last for 10 days. Kuningan is the last day of the holiday. Kuningan is a day for prayer, and a special ritual ceremony is held for the spirits of the Balinese's ancestors .On that day the Gods will ascent to their place in Anugnu hills.
Our Bali days can be divided into four parts . First is the visit to Ubud and its sorrouning places. It was in the places adjacent to Ubud that we visited each nook and cranny of villages in mid Bali, participated in the Galungan festival in temples, and enjoyed Jauk, Barong and Lagong dances accompanied by Gamalin.The shadow puppetry Wayam kuilt was a memorable experience. During that time we also attended a funeral ceremony. When we reached the rural village of Bali, Deva said about the funeral ceremony on that day. We shared the wish to see the same. When we reached there, I was wholeheartedly welcomed by Pemnagku priest and villagers. No one among them understood English. After their customary rituals, they kept me to one side and showed a hand symbol. I was shocked. That was the same symbol shown by Vasuvettan in my native place, asking for having a drink. I smiled and when I shook my head the Tuak (palm toddy) appeared magically. During that drinking festival , all the barriers of language and nations were diluted and I became a native of Bali.
Our next journey was for attaining bliss (moksha). Here the temples are called `Pura'. We worshipped at the main temples of Bali.
The journey which began from Goa Gajah temple after covering Gunung kawi, Pura Tirtha Empul , ended at Bali's biggest and famous temple –Besaikh. Only when the temple voyage reached the second phase , we saw two other maha temples Taman Ayun in Mengwi and Ulun danu on the shores of Beratan Lake.
In the third phase of the journey, we rounded the cities. The palaces in the old provinces of Bali, Klungkung alias Semarapura, Karangaasam , its capital Amalpura, the Tenganan village which is claimed to be the village of successors of Bali's pioneers, Singaraja ,an ex-Dutch colonial town were distinct views.
During the last phase of our journey we visited the world famous beaches in Bali. Lovina is famous for dolphin watch while Amed beach is famous for surfing. The other beaches like Candidasa, Sanur and Kuta are too beautiful. Other two scenes which attracted the most were Bedugal botanical garden and Gitgit waterfalls. Europeans call Bali `Paradise Island'. If one visits Bali for atleast once, he would surely say, if there's a paradise on earth, it's here, it's here, it's here.
Text and Photos: Dr. Natarajan
Translation: Shamila KY
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