Bali's Temples

In every village in Bali, there are several temples and at least one small one in each home. One can therefore safely say that there are more temples than homes in Bali. Most of these temples are shrines and might not be regarded as actual temples, but the number of walled compounds are believed to reach to a total of 10,000. The word for temple in Bali is pura, which in Sanskrit means 'space surrounded by a wall'. Simple shrines or thrones are found everywhere and at all sorts of unusual places.

Although many temples are quiet and uninhabited, they are transformed into colorful, active and ornately decorated places of worship when there is a festival. Offerings would be made, while performances of traditional dances and gamelan, cockfighting and gambling liven up the atmosphere.

All temples derive their orientation from the mountains and the sea. Kaja, which is the direction toward the mountains, is the most significant direction. The direction toward the sea is kelod. Sunrise, or kangin.

Bali is known as the Island of the Gods.  There are thousands of temples in Bali but none are precisely alike. The Balinese temples (pura) are an exposed areas encircled by walls. This is

Cinta Means Love and In Bali you will love to Eat here.

Cinta Grill

While walking along Ubud's Monkey Forest Road you will see the Cinta Grill owned by  Karen and Guski, long time friends of mine and have become very successful with 4 restaurants in Ubud, plus a catering service. There is a reason GOOD FOOD. Their other restaurants in Ubud are Terazo, Batan Waru and Siam Sally for great Thai Food. Tell them Bali advisor sent you!

Galungan

Bali is celebrating one of thier biggest Holidays! Hari Raya Galungan

Bali’s culture is based on a form of Hinduism called Hindu Darma, which is believed to have arrived on the island during the 11^th century from the ancient kingdom of Java, Majapahit.  This religion plays a heavy part in  family customs and community lifestyle but is a world away from that of India’s Hindu.  The cultural background explains usage of two calendar systems; Pawukon (from the word Wuku; means week) and Saka.  The Pawukon consists of 30 weeks and is a 210 day ritual calendar brought over from Java in the 14^th century.  While Saka, a 420 day system is a lunar calendar that originally came from South India and was brought to Indonesia around 465 a.d. One Saka year has 12 months and each month consists of 35 days.

Balinese celebrate Galungan every 210 days during Wuku Dungulan.  This festival is symbolizing the victory of dharma (virtue) upon adharma (the evil).  As the expression of victory, people will fit penjor – a tall bamboo splendidly decorated with woven young coconut leaves, fruit, cakes and flowers, as offerings to God.  This penjor is placed on the right side of every house entrance.  People are attired in their finest clothes and jewels on that day.  The Galungan, Bali’s major feast, is held throughout the island.  The whole festival lasts for ten days.  During this ten day period, all the Gods, including the supreme deity Sanghyang Widi, come down to earth for the festivities.  Barongs prance from temple to temple and all over every village.  The last and most important day of the ten day festival is called Kuningan.