The smallest unit of social organization in each village is the banjar or neighborhood. Each adult male on Bali joins the local banjar when he marries; his wife and children are also members but only the adult men attend the meetings.
The size of banjar varies enormously - the largest ones in Denpasar may have five hundred heads of household, while the small rural ones may have as few as fifty.
Typically the banjar meets every month in the village meeting house, the Bale Banjar, to discuss land issues, plans for future temple ceremonies, the local gamelan orchestra, latest government project and any problems relating to specific members. Although there is a head of the banjar ( Kliang ), all decisions are reached by consensus.
The Banjar has considerable authority, if residential land in the area is left vacant for a period of time, it will revert to the banjar for retribution to the members. If members neglect their duties they can be fined or even expelled from the village. This is a particularly powerful threat among people where communal life is at the heart of their existence. Expulsion also means the loss of the right to burial and cremation within the village.
THE SUBAK
Much of the daily life of a village revolves around the sawah, or Rice-fields, and numerous complex rituals accompany all the stages of rice cultivation encapsulated in the worship of Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice and prosperity.
The local organization in charge of each irrigation system is the subak; these are known to have existed on Bali since the nine century, and are made up of all the farmers who use the water in that system, along with detailed planning to ensure that every farmer gets the water he needs, is co-ordinate by the kliang Subak. Any subak with plans that may influence the irrigation system, such as changing dry field to wet, or causing conflict with another subak, has to consult the regional water temples and ultimately, the Jero Gede, Chief priest of Pura Ulun Danu Batur, whose decision at island level is final.
The Subak Museum, on the eastern outskirts of Tabanan, is well worth a visit for more information on this unique aspect of Balinese life.
On Bali, rituals and ceremonies are carried out at important points in an individual's life to purify them, and make sure they have sufficient spiritual energy to remain healthy and calm.
The first life-cycle ritual, megedong-gegongan, take places about six months after conception, when the fetus has a definite human form, and the ritual emphasizes the hope of a long healthy life for the child. Subsequent birth rituals focus on the placenta (ari -ari ), which is washed and buried inside a coconut wrapped in sacred white cloth near the gateway of the parents household. A rock is placed over the spot to protect it, and regular offerings are made there.
Following the birth of a baby, the parents and child are regarded as unclean ( Sebel ), and can not participate in religious practices. For the mother and baby this lasts 42 days, for the father it lasts until the baby's umbilical cord drop off, when the kepus pungsed ritual is carried out. The cord is wrapped in cloth, placed in an offering shaped like a dove and suspended over the baby's bed, along with small shrine dedicated to Sanghyang Panca Kumara, son of Siwa. Twelve days after birth, the ceremony of ngelepas hawon take place with offerings made for the baby in the kitchen, the well and the family temple, but this is less important than the tutug kambuhan, 42 days after the birth, which marks the end of the sebel period for the mother. After 105 days, telu bulan is large, often elaborate ceremony at which the child is named, and may be given an amulet to guard against evil spirits.
The child's firts birthday, oton, occurs after 210 days ( A Balinese year according to the wuku calendar), and is celebrated with much feasting. It may be accompanied by a ritual hair cutting ceremony. The next ceremony, meketus, takes place when the child's milk teeth fall out. Prayers are offered to the god to ensure that the adult teeth will be strong. Sanghyang Kumara is sent away as the child's protector, and the child is now guarded by the family ancestors.
The next life-cycle ceremonies occur at Puberty, with manggah daa rituals for a girl and manggah teruna for the boy, although the male ritual is often omitted. The tooth-filing ritual, mapandes, takes place between six and eighteen years of age, preferably before marriage, but after puberty for girls, and lavish offerings. It is considered to be an absolutely vital ritual, and the elderly, and even the dead, have been known to have their teeth filed. the aim of the ritual is to remove any hint of coarse, uncontrolled behaviour from the person by filing down the upper canine teeth or fangs - Caling, as the Balinese call them - and the four teeth in between; six in total. Ritual are also performed to rid the person of lust, greed, anger, drunken-ness, confusion and jealousy, in order that the person will lead a better life and be assured a more favourable reincarnation.
Marriage, pawiwahan or nganten, is final life-cycle ceremony for most Balinese. There are two options when getting married. The most correct is mamadik, when the marriage is agreed between the two sets of parents and a huge financial outlay for ceremonies is involved. Much more common is ngerorod or malaib, elopement. The man and woman run off and spend the night together, not so secretly that nobody knows, but with sufficient subterfuge that the girl's parents can pretend to be outraged. The following morning simple, private ceremony ( Makala-kalaan ) is carried out, and the couple are married. Frequently, rather more elaborate rituals and reception are hosted later the same day by the boy's parents. The girl's parents will not be invited as there is supposed to be bad feeling between the two sides. However, three days later the two sets of parents meet at the ketipat bantal ceremony and are reconciled.
Each Balinese household consist of several structures all built within a confining wall, with variations depending on the caste and wealth of the family. When a son of the family marries, his wife will usually move into his compound, so there are frequently several generations living within the same area, each with their own sleeping quarters, but otherwise sharing the facilities. Given the climate, most domestic take place outside or in the partial shelter of Bale, raised platforms supported by wooden pillars, with a roof traditionally thatched with local grass ( alang - alang ). Outside the kelod ( South ) wall, families have their garbage tip and pig pens. The different structures of the compound are believed to reflect the human body _ the family shrine is the head, the bale are the arm, the courtyard is the navel, the kitchen and the rice barn are the legs and feet and the garbage tip is the anus.
When designing and building a compound, a set of rules laid down in ancient texts must be adhered to. The architect or the master builder ( Undagi ) take a series of Measurements from the body of the head of the household. For the walls of the compound he needs to measure the distance between the tips of the middle fingers with the arms stretched out sideways, the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, and the width of the fist with the thumb strectched out. All these measurements are added together to give a unit length, the depa asti musti, and the texts specify how many of these lengths are suitable for different types of compound, location for which caste. The Bale daja, the sleeping quarters of thehead of the household, are sited first, in relation to the kaja wall, and then the other structures positioned in relation to this.
Prior to calling the undagi, the prospective householder also consults an expert in the Balinese calendar, as an auspicious day must be chosen for buying land and beginning construction. Before building starts, a ceremony takes place in which an offering, usually a brick wrapped in white cloth sprinkled with holy water, is placed in the foundation of each buildingso that work will proceed smoothly. When the building waork is finished, a series of ceremonies must take place before the compound can be occupied. The final ceremony is the melaspas, an inauguration ritual which brings the building to life.
House Compound Parts
Tugu / Pengijeng : Small shrines
Bale Daja : Pavilion of the head of the household and storehouse for family heirlooms, often completely walled in without windows
Sanggah Kemulan : Family temple, always in the kaja kangin corner with the main shrine dedicated to the souls of the ancestors, several small god houses, shrines for Gunung Agung and Batur and a Bale for the offerings.
Natah : opencourtyard
Bale Dauh : Guest Pavilion, parallel to the kauh wall.
Bale Dangin : Used for ceremonies such as marriage and tooth filling
Apit lawang : Gate Shrines.
Lawang Entrance, ideally situated in the kauh wall towards the kelod end.
Aling -aling : Short wall inside the entrance to prevent evil spirits from entering.
Paon : Kitchen, usually towards the kelod kauh corner
The focus of every community’s spiritual activity is the temple or pura – a specially designed temporary abode for the gods to inhabit when ever they so desire, open and unroofed so as to invite easy access between heaven and earth. Major religious ceremonies take place inside the pura and members of the community spend a great deal of their time and income beautifying the sanctuary with carvings and consecrating offerings at its altars.
At first glance, however, visitors can find Balinese temples rather confusing and even unimpressive, in appearance. Many of them seem to be rather bland affairs: open-roofed compounds scattered with a host of shrines and altars, built mainly of limestone and red brick, and with no paintings or treasures to focus on. But many of Bali’s numerous temples – there are at least 20,000 on the island – do reward closer examination. Every structure within a temple complex is charged with great symbolic significance, often with entertaining legends attached and many of the walls and gateways are carved with an ebullience of mythical figures, demonic spirits and even secular scenes.
The reason there are so many temples in Bali is that every banjar or small village is obliged to build at least three, each one serving a specific role within the community. At the top of the village, the kaja or holiest end, stands the pura puseh, the temple of origin, which is dedicated to the founder of community. For everyday spiritual activities, villagers worship at the pura desa, the village temple, which always lies at the heart of the village, and often doubles as a convenient forum for community meetings and other secular activities. The essential triumvirate is completed by the Pura dalem, or temple of the dead, at the kelod ( unclean ) end of the village, which is usually dedicated either to Siwa, or to the widow-witch Rangda. Larger villages will often have a number of other temples as well, perhaps including a pura melanting for agricultural temple or shrine, a pura subak, dedicated to the rice goddess, Dewi Sri.
Bali also has nine directional temples, or kayangan jagat, which are regarded as extremely sacred by all islanders as they protect the island as a whole and all its people. The kayangan jagat are located at strategic points across the island, especially on high mountain slopes, rugged cliff faces and lakeside shores : Pura Ulun Danau Batur is on the shores of lake Batur ( North ), etc. The most important of these is Besakih – the mother temple – as it occupies the crucial position on Bali’s holiest, and highest, mountain, Gunung Agung; The others are all of equal status, and as a dutiful islander you are expected to attend the anniversary celebrations ( odalan ) of the one situated closest to your home.
The
Real Bali Discovered by Foot and Wheel at Belimbing Villages
Belimbing Village is
perfectly suited to cater to all your outdoor adventure needs, being situated
in the stunning scenery of the highlands of Bali surrounded by unspoiled
nature. The temperature here is cooler for sports whether you choose to explore
the jungle, rice terraces or quiet picturesque village roads by foot or
mountain bike – all with your own guide.
You may even decided to
explore the untouched coastal scenery down at Soka Beach, where our mountain
bike tour concludes, and where an impressive temple is found as well as a huge
bat cave.
Whichever tour you choose,
you will not be disappointed. Bring along your camera, provisions and smiles
for an outing you will never forget.
Hindu
Priest Blessings, a Monkey Forrest, a Sacred Temple and Two Waterfalls
A Unique Tour
6
hours – Fit, Healthy & Adventurous
Start: Belimbing Village
Provided:
Water and light snacks. Sarong and sash.
A refreshing walk from Belimbing Village starts in the cool of the morning. You will be brought
through the rice terraces and into the jungle, by your personal, experienced
guide who will fill you with the knowledge and wonder of the area by pointing
out fruits, trees, spices, plants and even butterflies, birds and insects along
the way to the first point of interest that is soothing First Water falls. You will cross streams on bamboo bridges, or by stepping stones,
have a few steep inclines and descents and take in mother nature at her finest.
You may call into some very
traditional cottage industry businesses en route, still in extremely simple
conditions, such as basket weaving, palm sugar production, and cacao or other
spice preparation for sale, on your way. These farmers are simple, charming
folk who will not hesitate in making you feel welcome and of sharing their very
humble abodes with you. Dogs, chickens, pigs and other domestic animals are
also very much part of the traditional way of life. Although the dogs bark a
lot, they are not aggressive, just sounding the warning to their owners and the
village that you are there.
Once at first Water falls, you
will take a rest and take in the scenery. This waterfall tumbles about
30-metres from above, into a carved out cave of natural rock. The sunlight
breaks through the trees and overhanging large bamboo creating a stunning light
canopy. Reposing, this is the perfect place to gather thoughts and be at peace.
Your guide will then lead you
to a little bale (open wooden but roofed rest spot) up on the next hill that
overlooks the most amazing views. Here you will have some refreshments and
light snacks and take in the breathtaking surrounds, in preparation for the
next leg of the journey onward to the second water falls. This is where your camera
will definitely come in to use - all to the gushing sounds of the first waterfalls
not far.
Continuing to the next
waterfall your guide will lead you through charming local villages, with people
going about their daily life, through jungle, rice terraces and quiet lanes,
once again informing you of all the nature around you.
You will arrive at the second waterfalls through a
rice terrace with amazing views and onto a small piece of secret forest. This
waterfall is considered very Holy, and many ceremonies are held here. To the
right of the waterfall, on a plateau further up you can see a temple – it is
here that many purification and blessing ceremonies are conducted. This
waterfall is higher and perhaps more impressive than the first at about
40-metres, and around it you will notice placed bamboo pipes, that are actually
makeshift showers for the local villagers to bathe, as well as some other
naturally flowing water sources. Again, this is the time for refreshment and
quiet contemplation at one with the nature around you. From the waterfall you
will climb the gentle slopes of the forest to a shaded meditation hut made from
antique Javanese wood, and if you like, your guide can once again offer you a
light snack.
Moving on, a shorter hike
will take you once again through the jungle, quiet lanes and villages where you
will arrive at Pura Mekori (Mekori Monkey Forest and Temple). Your guide will
dress you appropriately in a traditional sarong and sash to then receive
blessings from the Hindu Priest before entering into the Monkey Forest. The
monkeys are harmless, but nonetheless are wild animals, so please respect them
and their environment and keep a courteous distance.
Your guide will lead you
through to the very impressive Mekori Temple in the middle of the forest, of
which some trees are over 1,000 years old and are enormous. The temple is used
for major ceremonies drawing the surrounding villagers on auspicious days.
After your temple and forest
visit, your guide will lead you back to the chauffer driven car where you will
be brought back on a 1.5 hours journey to Sanur, Kuta, Ubud, Jimbaran or you can stay at Cempaka Belimbing Villas ( 085100451178 / 79 ) just 10 menutes from Mekori Temple.
Lunch:
A delicious and freshly made
lunch will be served, consisting of all natural ingredients from the
surrounding area when fitting as a:
Starter
Main Course
Dessert
From the Tepi Sawah with a stunning panorama overlooking paddy terraces, with the sound
of bird song.
