Bali,
was one of my dream destinations since the day I saw few pics on the internet!
There was something different every time I gazed at those pics. Something which
I couldn’t express through words. The day came when I just booked my flights 6
months prior to my travel. Was happy to leave India carrying all my pics on my
mind to make them true through my eyes in real. Just 15 days left , ok , just
googled and got to know that there was a volcanic threat in Mt Agung. Travellers
were warned and were informed to check the flight status as few airlines
stopped working too. Thanks to scoot air for the updates they put up every day
on all these. After n number of talks with my travel agent there, I was asked
not to worry and just pack up and leave. Super excitement began as soon I got
into my cab for BIA.Smooth touch down Bali after spending few hours of lay over
in Changi airport, Singapore.
Day 1 :
8.30 AM and I reached a small auditorium where
the very famous Balinese Barong dance was showcased. Barong is
a lion-like creature and character in
the mythology of Bali, Indonesia. He is
the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and
enemy of Rangda, the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders in
the mythological traditions of Bali.
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| Instrumentalists with traditional Balinese instruments supporting the dance |
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| Barong dance |
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| Barong Dance |
The battle between Barong and Rangda
is featured in the Barong dance to represent the eternal battle between good
and evil.That beautiful dance was a good start to my trip.
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| Barong dance |
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| Myself posing |
From there I was
taken to Ubud market area and I did a hell lot of shopping and also been to a tiny painting home where artists displayed their work in detail.Must say , Balinese are damn good artists.There were around 1000 paint work describing every tradition and culture about the country.
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| Paintings |
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| Paintings displayed |
It was time to
head towards Goa Gajah, also known as the Elephant cave. Various theories suggest the origin of the
name, such as back in time the Petanu River was originally called ‘Lwa Gajah’,
meaning the ‘River Gajah’, before it came to be called Petanu River. Other
sources state that the ‘Gajah’ or elephant aspect came from the stone figure
inside the cave depicting the Hindu lord Ganesh, who is characterised by an elephant’s
head. Ancient inscriptions also allude to the name Antakunjarapada, which
roughly translates to ‘elephant’s border’. The cave’s entrance shows a menacing
giant face with its wide open mouth as the door. Various motifs depicting the
forest and animals are carved out of the outer rock face. The giant face was
considered to be that of an elephant’s. s with any temple in Bali, women during their periods
are forbidden entrance and wearing a sarong and waist sash is a must. These are
available for rent at the entrance.
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| Goa Gajah temple area |
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| Goa Gajah temple area |
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| Goa Gajah temple entrance |
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| Goa Gajah temple area |
Upon reaching the base you will come across
a large ‘wantilan’ meeting hall and an assortment of large old stone carvings,
some restored to their former full glory. The pool, excavated in 1954, features
five out of supposedly seven statues depicting Hindu angels holding vases that
act as waterspouts. Various structures reveal Hindu influences dating back to
the 10th century, and some relics feature elements of Buddhism dating even
earlier to the 8th century. The cave is shallow; inside are three stone idols
each wrapped in red, yellow and black cloths. Black soot lines the cave’s walls
as result from the current-day incense burning. Several indentations show where
meditating priests once sat. The northern side of
the complex is dominantly Buddhist while south across the river it’s mostly
Shivaite. The complex contains both Hindu
and Buddhist imagery, as the cave contains lingam and yoni, symbol of Shiva,
and the image of Ganesha, while by the river there are carved images of stupas
and chattra, imagery of Buddhism. The complex also contains 7 statues of women
(out of which 1 is destroyed due to earthquake) holding water pitchers that
depicts seven holy rivers of India; Ganga, Saraswathi, Yamuna, Godavari,
Sindhu, Kaveri and Narmada.
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| Offerings |
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| Lord Ganesha |
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| Trimurti Idols |
I had to rent the sarong and after visiting this
marvellous temple,we moved to Tirtha Empul temple.
For over a thousand years, Balinese Hindu worshipers have been drawn to Pura Tirta Empul (Holy Water
Temple), whose sacred springs are said to have been created by The God Indra
and possess curative properties. This tradition still continues almost
unchanged, and today, aside from worshipers, tourists from all over the world
also come to this place to marvel at its beauty, and bathe in its refreshing
blessed water. The Tirta Empul Holy Water Temple is located in the village of
Manukaya, near the town ofTampaksiring,
not far from Ubud, in the Gianyar Regency, the cultural heart of Bali. Tirta Empul is dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu God of
water. An inscription dates the founding of a temple at the site to 926 AD. In
the Balinese language, Tirta Empul loosely translated means water gushing from
the earth, which for this reason Tirta Empul is regarded as a holy spring.
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| Tirtha Empul |
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| Tirtha Empul |
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| Tirtha Empul |
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| Tirtha Empul pond |
The
Tirta Empul Temple includes shrines to Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, as well as one
for Indra and Mount Batur. It is considered one of the five or six most holy
temples in all of Bali and is considered one of the most holy water source in
Bali. The Jaba Tengah is the most famous part of Tirta Empul temple. This
section contains the two purification pools. The water in the pools is believed
to have magical powers and local Balinese come here to purify themselves under
the 30 water spouts that feed the pools. Behind the purification pools is the
final section of Tirta Empul holy water temple, the Jeroan. The Jeroan, or
‘inner courtyard’ is overlooked by most of the tourists who visit Tirta Empul.
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| Tirtha Empul holy water complex |
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| Holy Spring |
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| Temple Complex |
It’s a nice place to visit and relax after the hustle and bustle of the
purification pools. I liked visiting Tirta Empul water temple. This is
definitely one of the busiest temples that I have visited in Bali. As you exit
Tirta Empul water temple you pass through the final section, the large
koi pool. This section of the temple is walled off on all four sides from
the rest of the complex, which gives it a calm and relaxing atmosphere. Fat koi
swim lazily in the pond waiting for their next meal from the tourists.It was
interesting to see what an active temple is like, to see people praying and
bathing under the waterspouts.It was 2.30 PM and it was time to say bye to this
beautiful temple and head out to Kintamani tour by 2.30 PM. Kintamani is a highland area in
the north of East Bali. Kintamani volcano is a popular tourist attraction
in the central highlands of Bali. Located in Banli, Kintamani Volcano is the
island’s only district that doesn’t have a shoreline. Surrounded by the
captivating Batur range, the volcano and range are known collectively as Mount
Batur. An active volcano, Kintamani’s main attraction (aside from the volcano
itself) is its magnificent views of the 13m² caldera lake. A visit to Kintamani
Volcano is a rare opportunity to experience one of Bali’s last remaining active
volcanos up close.That was a spectacular view , rather a very close vies to the
gigantic volcano remains.I was too hungry and thirsty too ! There was just one
hotel where I didn’t find exciting to try food .So, managed with few local
oranges which were sold on the road side.
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| Mt Batur |
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| Kintamani tour |
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| Volcano dried up. |
It was 2.30 PM and from there I
reached a small coffee plantation area where the Balinese traditional coffee
varieties were available with the locals literally showing tourists the way
they were processed from the scratch.
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| Luwak |
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| Coffee making process |
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| Coffee beans from Luwak poop ! |
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| Tasting time |
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| Shopped |
Yes, I have to mention about the
world’s costliest coffee, the Luwak coffee or civet
coffee, is coffee that includes partially digested coffee
cherries, eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. Fermentation
occurs as the cherries pass through a civet's intestines, and after being
defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected. Producers of the coffee beans argue that the process may improve coffee
through two mechanisms, selection and digestion. Selection occurs as the civets
choose which cherries to eat – i.e. those that are most ripe and flawless.
Digestive mechanisms may improve the flavor profile of the coffee beans that
have been eaten. The civet eats the cherries for the fleshy pulp, then in the
digestive tract, fermentation occurs. The civet's protease enzymes seep
into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino
acids. Coffee berries are eaten by a civet for their fruit pulp. After
spending about a day and a half in the civet's digestive tract the
beans are then defecated in clumps, having kept their shape and still
covered with some of the fleshy berry's inner layers.Despite being in contact
with feces and pathogenic organisms, the beans contain negligible amounts of
the enteric (pathogenic) organisms associated with feces. Moreover, the
"cherry" or endocarp surrounding the bean is not completely digested
by the luwak, and after being collected, the farmer performs thorough washing
and removes the endocarp.The final roasting of the beans would, additionally,
eliminate any remaining bacteria.Sumatra is the world's largest regional
producer of kopi luwak. The price of farmed
(considered low-grade by connoisseurs) kopi luwak in large Indonesian
supermarkets is from US$100 per kilogram (five times the price of a high
quality local arabica coffee).I had the privilege to taste Luwak coffee and
various other coffee and tea varieties ! It was tiring but a day filled with
excitement and fun.Nasi Goreng was up for the dinner and good night day 1.
Day 2 :
Fresh morning and a 2 hr drive to
Ulundanu temple . The weather was too
cold almost foggy and the view of the temple was a dream come true.My mind was
dancing with joy ! Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, or Pura Bratan, is a major Shaivite water
temple on Bali, Indonesia. The temple complex is located on the
shores of Lake Bratan in the
mountains near Bedugul. Water temples serve the entire region in the
outflow area; downstream there are many smaller water temples that are specific
to each irrigation association.Built in 1633, this temple is used for offerings
ceremony to the Balinese water, lake and river goddess Devi Danu, due to
the importance of Lake Bratan as a main source of irrigation in central Bali.
The 11-storey pelinggih meru in
the complex is dedicated to Shiva and his consort Parvathi. Buddha's
statue is also enshrined in this temple. This temple is also called as Bali
temple on the lake because it looks like floating when the Bratan river water
rises. Lake Bratan is known as the Lake
of Holy Mountain due to the fertility of this area. Located 1200 m
above sea level, it has a cold tropical climate. I spent just over an hour and took my time
walking around the grounds, took some photos and enjoyed a couple of peaceful
areas i found. I could have been quicker than that too but the complex was so
gorgeous that made me ramble around a few extra minutes.
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| Ulundanu |
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| Ulundanu |
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| Ulundanu |
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| Ulundanu |
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| Ulundanu |
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| This structure symbolizes a mountain |
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| Ulundanu |
Another one and a half
hour drive and I was near git git water fall, one of the best water fall in
Bali. From the main carpark, a
one kilometre well-signposted cement path passes a ticket booth, and meanders
though picturesque jungle, clove plantations and a plethora of stalls with
somewhat insistent traders selling mass produced handicrafts. The path is relatively
easy to navigate, but includes a large number of stairs which could be
difficult for the less mobile. The 35-metre single cascade impressively pounds
into a small icy, but rocky pool in which it’s possible to swim. A cooling mist
of water spray engulfing the entire area is refreshing on a hot day. Change
rooms and toilets are nearby and can be used for 2,000 rupiah per person.As
with many natural sites in Bali, this area is considered sacred to local
Hindus, and a small temple and holy rock wrapped in poleng cloth and covered in
offerings flank the path near the falls.
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| Git Git Waterfall |
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| Git Git Waterfall |
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| Git Git Waterfall |
One hour drive from there and we reached Banjar hot water spring.Entrance had many stalls and after a 5 minute walk, spotted a small pool with hot water showers . Did not dip in but enjoyed the view and surrounding while strolling around the area.
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| Banjar hot water spring |
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| Banjar hot water spring |
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| Banjar hot water spring |
After spending around 45 minutes there,
came back to room by 6 PM for an early dinner and also purchased some yummy
snacks on the way back ! Must say crackers or chips in Bali is a must try !
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| Cracker shop |
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| Corn |
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| Crackers |
Day 3 :
It
was time to enjoy the water sports for half a day ! hurray ! Spent almost 3 hrs
with variety of water sports like banana boat, jet skiing, para
sailing,kayaking etc.Had a lip smacking noodles soup in a near by restaurant
and rested for a while.
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| Water sport |
By 2.30 PM we left to Tanah Lot. Tanah Lot is located in Tabanan, only around 30 km
away from Denpasar. The temple is located some 300 meters offshore. The history
of Tanah Lot temple was believed to date back to the 16th century, by Dang
Hyang Nirartha, a respected religious figure in Bali.Dang Hyang Nirartha was
said to be the one who created a three-temple system in Balinese villages.
Setting the site plan that the temple built in the northern area of the village
would be for Brahma, middle area for Vishnu and the southern side for Shiva.
While traveling along the southern coast of Bali, he saw the little rock-island
and decided to spend the night. The rock was known as Gili Beo, which means a
bird-shaped rock, located in Beraban village. He then felt an enlightenment,
that this was a holy place to build a shrine. The leader of Beraban was angry
and order people to banish Nirartha from Gili Beo.
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| Tanah Lot |
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| Tanah Lot |
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| Tanah Lot |
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| Tanah Lot |
In Balinese mythology, Dang Hyang Nirartha was known as a man of mighty
supernatural power. So he move the whole rock island to the sea, build a temple
and named it Tanah Lot. The whole Beraban village were astounded and later join
to follow his believes. Tanah Lot temple was built to worship Bhatara Segara,
or the sea God. To protect the temple, with his mighty power, he created
poisonous snake from his sash. The sea snake is believed to be living at the
base of this rocky island, to guard the temple from evil intruders.Today,
as one of the most photographed sea temple in Bali, you will find many art
shops offering local handicrafts besides other signature local products at the
entrance to get to Tanah Lot.
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| Sun set |
Inside the temple area, you can just walk
around and explore its photogenic surrounding. Although famous for its sunset
view, you may also want to try coming at really early in the morning, so that
there will be less crowd and higher chance to have a serene image of the temple.Spent
almost 3 hrs and the the sunset view was just amazing. Reached room by 6 PM and
shopped tons of clothes till 8.30 PM.
Day 4 :
Half of
day 4 was full of leisure and so I decided to see some temples near my
hotel.After visiting two of those just walked around the streets and shopped
again.Yes again ! Things are so cheap in Indonesia.It was time to leave Bali
with happy memories and thanks to my guide KT who helped me learn so much about
the culture and tradition there.I have mentioned them below . You may find them
exciting too ! Promised myself to visit Indonesia again.
Some interesting
facts as said by my guide . I have also tried to include images for few.
1.Most of
the Balinese worship lord Ganapati. They also worship lord Shiva, goddess
Lakshmi and few Buddhists worship lord Buddha.
2.Combination
of white and clothes can be found in may places which represents Surya or Sun
god.
3.Offerings
are made to evil spirits outside every house.Not only that the entire house surroundings
are cleaned by the residents itself.
4.Fruits,vegetable
and meat markets open up at 4.30 AM to 9.00 AM every morning.You cannot find
shops anywhere in the road side.These markets are located area wise and women
wake up early to buy the same.All purchases are done in that time span only.
5.Every home
in the country mainly have temples.The golden designs in the temple are done by
the rich people.
6.Balinese
are true artists.Pottery,painting,carpentry,stone carving,bamboo art are some
of the major forms of art practised.
7.They do
not work on Sundays just like India and they work half days on Saturdays.
8.Government
buses are almost rare.People use bikes,Petrol prices was 6000 Rp for 1 ltr in
stations and in few other places where to get to refill in bottles coseted more
than 8000 Rp.
9.Durian,
the king of fruit costs 50k for 1.
10.The
entrance design in the temples symbolises mountains when they are joined as Balinese
worship mountains and believe that gods do reside in mountain.
11.Priests
wear white tops and pants with white cap.
12.Beisakh
is the mother temple and biggest temple in Bali.
13.Balinese
language is totally different from Indonesian language.
14.People
mainly consume rice with vegetables.Non vegetarians eat more chicken amd
sometimes fish too.
15.Balinese
do have domestic dogs too.Rich people have cocks at home which they train for
cock fighting for gambling.
16.black
and white cloth on trees represent good and bad evil. Every day offerings are
made to auspicious trees so that the bad evils remain inside the tree and so
not disturb people or city.
17.Balinese
majorly prefer love marriages.
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| Mei Goreng |
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| Happy times |
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| Some rice ! |
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| Bali pizza |
