Bali - Indonesia Travel Articles

Next month, on 20 August 2008, the Balinese Hindu will be celebrating Galungan Day.
Galungan Day is one of the Hinduism biggest ceremony in Bali which is celebrated in every six month according to the Balinese calendar. At the Galungan Day the Balinese celebrate the victory of the good conquered the bad.

In every villages in Bali, we can easily find line of decorated bamboo pool called “Penjor” which plated and stand beautifully in front of each houses.

In the morning at that day, there are women, men and children all in Balinese traditional dress walk on the street to go to their temple. The women bring offering called “Pajegan” contains of different and colorful fruits, cakes, coconut leaf and flowers which is arranged in a stack about 1 meter high and  put on  their head. When they arrived in the temple, they will pray together lead by the Hindu’s Priest called “Pemangku”.

After finishing they will go back to their own home and to gather with all members of extended family. The members of family and friends who are Moslem, Buddhist and Christian will pay a visit to their Hindus family and together will enjoy Balinese cookies.

Balinese employee will have holidays today. Most of business offices will close their offices. However, Hotels, Restaurants, Travel Agencies will still operate. They have their customers to serve.

Travelers will be going around to take pictures or travel as normal as the other days. But they will be informed that the Hinduism are celebrating their Thanks Giving Day.

Message from Tanah Lot Bali…

Playing kite is very popular in younger generation, because of the power and sense of friendship in which be formed kite player group (sekaa layangan).  Now days, playing kite is expending, children and younger boy played this kite as hobbies, besides as culture preservation.

The meaning of playing kite full of religious valve and society life of Balinese people, and this can we see from the symbol of “Sang Hyang Rare Angon” as the god of wind.

It made a special interesting for the tourist, as an attraction to Tanah Lot especially and Bali generally.

Regarding of the “Tanah Lot Kites Festival 2008” we are honored to invite you to visit this event and spend memorable three days to enjoy the festival with Tanah Lot Temple backgrounds one of famous destination in the islands of paradise, Bali.

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Today, I am very glad to inform you one of interesting place to visit in Bali called traditional village of Penglipuran. This village can be reached throught roads connecting district of Bangli with Kintamani. Penglipuran villlage is well-known for its 75 hectare bamboo forest located in the northern part of the village. From Bangli town to the north up to Kubu Village about 5 kilometers, then have a left turn, one will arrive at Penglipuran and will be received with warm welcome by the villagers. The air is fresh because it is located at 700 meters above sea level. From  historical point of view, according to the village elders,

Penglipuran village is well-known for its tidy row of traditional Balinese entrance gates and its unique architectural traditions. The words Penglipuran’ is drived from the words “Pengeling Pura” means a holy place for remembering their ancestors. It is reasonable since their ancestors came from Bayung Gede village, still In Kintamani district. Since from Bayung Gede to Penglipuran is quite along distance there fore the people of Penglipuran, established the same temple as the temple In Bayung Gede.

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Bali is renowned for having maintained its traditional culture against the sweeping tides of the Bali calendar event modern world. In many parts of the Island, Life goes on as it has for centuries, with rhythms of ritual, creativity and culture still serving as a community compass, here the arts are woven into everyday, making Bali a World Center of music, dance and visual arts.

The great annual Bali Art Festival 2008 will be on 14th June –12th July 2008 and take places in Art Centre at Denpasar the capital city of Bali province. The Bali Arts Festival is more then a month of daily performances, handicraft exhibitions and other related cultural and commercial activities during which literally the whole of Bali comes to the city to present its offerings of dance, music and beauty.

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There were and are many authors who wrote numbers of books about Bali and million of people believe that Bali is a Hindu island. YES it is, but NOT 100%.  So far I did not find a single book, or may be there is who wrote about the Christian of Bali, about the Buddhist of Bali and or Moslem of Bali, though numbers are not comparable with Hinduism.

Today, I come to you with a story of religions and each believers who are all Balinese leave in harmony in a community or some of them are in a family. There are about 90% Hindus, 5% are Christian, 3% are Moslem and another 2% are Buddhist. Most of them are originally Balinese, some are Javanese, Flores, Timor, Sumba, Sumatra, Celebes, Irian Jaya who were born in BALI or leave in this Island for years.

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I believe you have known this, and I also think we all agree that Bali is a magic name.  Bali is the magnet itself.

I have witnessed myself when I was in Flagstaff-Arizona, USA in 1980 to enjoy the magnificent beauty of one of the world wonder The Grand Canyon.  I met too many people there but one of them an American tourist, a Russian born who approached me, probably because I was wearing a batik jacket (special design fabric that produced in Java-Indonesia) and asked me where I am from.
I explained that I am from Indonesia. He looked at me and said: “I know, it is in the Philippine“. I replied, no, I told him that it is between the Philippine and Australia. I tried to make a map on the ground to make him know where my Indonesia is. But, again He wanted to show me that He knew it. He said: “Ok Paul, I remember now, it is in Thailand“. When he knew that He was wrong, He asked me: “Where Indonesia is from BALI?“. I answered: “BALI is in Indonesia“.

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A new story from BALI about “SUBAK” an organization of farmers in Bali.
The word “subak” was originally found in Kediri-East Java a Hindu Kingdom in 14th century and then brought to Bali by the Hinduism when this Kingdom was conquered by the Moslem and kept until nowadays.

Subak is an organization of farmers in an area where rice fields are located to manage water to irrigate their rice fields, includes water supply, and to build a temple.

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The Full-moon in Bali…..what’s diffrent?
“…..Full-moon is a full-moon……But, full-moon in Bali is unique in which different than other parts of the world. Now, I would like to share information of the Balinese activities during full-moon……”Every 30 days, we have full-moon. All people in the world could see it. Full-moon is a full-moon. It just the same everywhere, a beautiful and shining moon among the darkness. People usually take this moment to watch the moon, go to the beach or just sit at verandah while having whisky or wine or conversation.

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Kamandalu Resort and Spa is a five star luxury boutique resort, nestled in the cool and lush green mountains of Ubud, Bali, Kamandalu Resort & Spa comes to life like an enchanting Balinese village. Tranquility and serenity, intimacy and bliss, all flow together here like the quiet waters of gentle stream. So come to the village.

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