In Odisha, Bali Yatra is a ceremonial function held on Kartik Purnima (usually November). It is called Boita Bandana (ceremonially doing on Boita - sea-faring boats- puja) to commemorate the the glorious maritime history of Odisha.. At dawn on that day, people throng river-sides and other water-bodies and float make-shift boats made of banana stems, thormocol and other light materials, colourfully decorated. The day symbolises the period when traders from Kalinga (ancient name of Odisha) used to return from far off South East Asian islands of Bali, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. They used to set sail in the month of Ashadha (rainy season July-August) carrying in huge boats the merchandise including textiles, precious stones, gold ornaments and silver filigree work to these islands. The time of their onward and return journeys was selected according to the direction of wind. They used to return around Kartik Purnima, their boats laden with spices and other goods from these islands. These Sadhabas (traders) were ceremonially welcomed by their wives with lamps and flowers, vermilion and the ladies used to worship the boats on that day. This commemoration is done at Cuttack and now on a grand scale at Paradip Port. At Cuttack on the bank of Mahananadi, the annual week-long modern-day Bali Yatra is a carnival of commerce and cultur. It is a trade fare where traders from many parts of India come to sell their wares. Here, one gets unique items from different places.
Masakapan Ke Tukad festival of Bali is similar to Bali Yatra of Odisha.
The sea on the Eastern coast of India was known as Kalinga Sagar, signifying that traders from ancient Odisha (Kalinga) were taking this sea-route for trade with South-East Asia. When the British came to India, they set up their establishment first at Calcutta (now Kolkata). From there, they spread all over India and Bengal became an important province. Hence Kalinga Sagar, the adjacent sea was re-named as Bay of Bengal.
Odisha has another memorable link with Indonesia. Biju Pattanaik, a 2-term Chief Minister of Odisha and also a former Union Minister of India, helped Indonesia in its struggle for independence from the Dutch. In 1947, Prime Minister, Nehru of India organised the first Inter-Asia Conference. Sukarno asked Prime Minister Sultan Sjahrir, to attend it to arouse international public opinion against the Dutch, who were the colonial rulers. Sjahrir was unable to leave, as the Dutch controlled all sea and air routes. Nehru asked Biju Pattanaik, originally an expert and adventurous pilot, to rescue Sjahrir. Pattanaik flew to Java and brought Sjhrir on a Dakota via Singapore. For this act of bravery, Pattanaik was later given honourary citizenship of Indonesia and the title of 'Bhumi Putra', the highest Indonesian Award, rarely given to a foreigner. During the 50th Independence Celebrations of Indonesia in 1996, Biju Pattanaik was honoured with the Award of 'Bihtang Jasa Utama'.
Recently, we visited Daughter II, who works and lives with her family in Singapore. The wife was with them for a month and i was there for 11 days. They arranged a 5-day trip to Bali island at that time. We stayed in a well-laid out villa in Sanur near the island's capital Denpasar.
We were struck by the beauty and charm of the lush green fields, the crafts, the temples and the arts and culture of the island.
Bali is far above other tropical island-destinations by virtue of its culture, scenery and people. A religious procession brings streets of to a stop. A busy street suddenly closes and a paradise of extravagantly dressed people go zipping by,with elaborately woven baskets filled with offerings. Balinese are a deeply spiritual people. At every corner, there will be an exquisite little offering sitting serenely, a trail of smoke moving up from the incense. There will always be a ceremony.
"Where do you come from?" "Where do you live?" are two questions you will hear throughout your stay in Bali.
Bali always reminds one of India. Ganesha, Pura, Sari, Saraswati are commonly seen words in the sign boards in Bali. The sign at the ladies' toilet at Denpasar airport said "Wanita'. It reminded me of the Sanskrit word 'Vanita' for women. 'Garuda Indonesia' is national airline. Garuda is the name of the bird-vehicle of Lord Vishnu. 'Namaste' is the name of a store where one can buy a crystal to get one's spiritual house in order. Incense, yoga mats, moody instrumental music all remind an Indian about his/her homeland.
We visited Pura Luhur Ulu Watu temple, one of the several important temples to the spirit of the sea along the south coast of Bali. It was built in the 11th Century. The temple is perched precariously on tip of the peninsula, on the top of cliffs. To enter it, one has to pass through an unusual arched gateway flanked by statues of Ganesha. Only Hindu worshipers can enter the small inner temple. The area is home to scores of grey greedy monkeys, who, when a visitor is not alert, snatch sunglasses, handbags, hats and anything else within reach.
We watched Kecak (pronounced as 'kechak') Dance at Pura Luhur Ulu Watu. The time was sunset. The gorgeous setting and the view out to the sea was as inspiring as the dance. Kecak dance tells the tale of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The dance depicted the abduction of Sita by Ravana and her rescue. The actors, brilliantly dressed, played the roles of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Maricha in the form of the golden deer, Ravana, Jatayu, Hanuman and Ravana's niece Trijata who gave company to Sitaduring her internment.
At the end of the show, the actors posed with members of audience who were eager to take photos with them. The wife and i took photo with Rama and Sita. However, the most in demand was the monkey-god Hanuman dressed in white, with a long tail.
We also visited Pura Tanah Lot temple which is located on a hillock separated from the temple complex and protruding into the sea.
We entered a cave at Gajah Goa temple. I found that eggs were a part of the offerings at this temple.
Pura Jaganatha temple in Denpasar is dedicated to the supreme god, Sanghyang Widi.
Bali has splendid beaches. While having dinner in a beach-restaurant at Sanur, we came across an interesting sign.
Little is known of Bali during the period when Indian traders (Were they from the ancient Odisha?) brought Hinduism to the Indonesian archipelago. At present, 90% of the people of Bali are Hindus.The Balinese know the Gayatri Mantra by heart.
Java began to spread its influence into Bali during the reign of King Airlangga (1019-42), or perhaps even earlier. After Airlangga's death, Bali remained mostly semi-independent.Meanwhile, as several Hindu kingdoms fell and Islam spread across the archipelago, many intelligentsia fled to Bali. Notable among them was the 15th Century priest Nirartha, who introduced many practices of Balinese religion. He established a chain of 'sea temples' including Pura Luhur Ulu Wtu and Pura Tanah Lot.
The first Europeans to set foot in Bali were Dutch seamen in 1597. At that time, Balinese prosperity and artistic activity was at peak. By 1908, Dutch forces had landed in Bali and had taken complete control. The Japanese occupied Bali in 1942 during World War II. Just after the Japanese surrendered in August, 1945, Soekarno, a prominent nationalist, proclaimed independence of Indonesia. There were fierce battles in Bali and elsewhere. In 1949, the Dutch gave up and recognised Indonesia's independence. with President Sukarno as the head.
The Balinese by nature reaches out to other people.This extends to the tourists. To make you feel welcome, Balinese go out of their way to chat with you. A formal introduction with the owner of the villa where we stayed was followed by this rather longish conversation:
"Are you from Singapore?"
Me: "No, I am from India. My daughter and son-in-law live in Singapore."
"Oh, India! Do you know Bollywood?"
"Yes, many Hindi films are made there."
Are you a Hindu?"
"Yes, I am a Hindu."
His face brightens. "Do you pray?"
"Yes."
"How many times a day?"
"Twice, once in the morning and once in the evening." I lied instantly, concealing a confession that although i do believe that there is some supernatural power like God who has ordained such an orderly world, i cannot bring myself to formally pray.
"Can you recite mantra?"
Me, defensively: "No, i can't recite any mantra. But many people in India can do that."
Then he proceeds to recite a mantra and i feel a little small.
"Do you know Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu?"
"Yes, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are our gods.There are many temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva in India but only one temple to Brahma, the one at Puskar in Rajasthan."
"Only one temple for Brahma?"
"Yes."
"We have temples for Krishna also."
"There are many temples for Krishna in India."
"Do you know Ramayan and Mahabrat?" (Mahabharat)
"Yes.'
"Did these really happen? Or are these stories written by someone?"
Me: "Even now there is a place in called Ayodhya in India. And Lanka is now called Sri Lanka."
"Is the bridge built by Rama still there?'
"Yes, there are still remnants of the bridge under the sea between India and Sri Lanka."
"And Mahabharata?"
"There is a place called Kurukshetra where the battle of Mahabharat was fought."
Foreigners can enter most of the temples in Bali if properly dressed . In most cases, an acceptable show of respect for the gods, is clean, tidy clothing and a selandong (traditional scarf) or sash to tie around one's waist. Wrapping a selandong around the waist is a symbolic gesture of 'containing the appetites' while one prays. Some temples hire out these. We hired selandangs at Pura Luhur Ulu Watu temple. Menstruating and pregnant women and women who have recently given birth or have recently been bereaved are usually advised not to enter the temples in Bali.
Traditional Balinese society is based on the unique Balinese Hindu religion, based on Majapahit interpretation of Hinduism. It permeates every aspect of Balinese life. There are temples in every village and shrines in every field. Offerings are made at every place, every corner. We saw these at every spot. Balinese worship the trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, three aspects of one god, Sanghyang Widi. The basic threesome is always alluded to but never seen. A vacant shrine or empty throne tells all.
Indonesia has the largest population of Muslims in the world but Islam is a minority religion in Bali. Some Muslims are descendants of seafaring people from Sulawesi and some are of Javanese origin.
The richness of Bali's arts and crafts has its origin in the fertility of the land. The purest forms are the depiction of Dewi Sri, the rice goddess, intricately made from dried and folded strips of young palm leaves to ensure that the fertility of rice fields continues. We saw these offerings on the top of intricately built pillar-like structures and also on wooden bases closed on all sides except the front and the top, fixed to trees.
While traveling, we saw rows and rows of craft shops stocked with intricately designed wooden artefacts. There were many units of sculpted stone statues including those of Lord Ganesha.
A few years ago, the economy of Indonesia had become very slippery. Policy makers of its economy, after a lot of thought, introduced a new currency note of the denomination of Rp. 20,000 with an image of Hindu god Lord Ganesha on it. And the economic condition of the country bounced back to strength! This note is still in circulation.
Tourism is mainstream of Bali's economy. What struck me was that the Indonesian currency Rupiah is always expressed in thousands. There are no decimals in Indonesian Rupiah (Rp). The prices of dishes in the Menu List at restaurants have always 3 zeros at the end. Money Changers are available everywhere. From the display board at one such establishment, I found that one US Dollar is equivalent to Indonesian Rupiah 12,450. One Singapore Dollar is equivalent to Rp. 9,250.
This trip was a unique Bali Yatra for me.
Here is a link to the blog post of Daughter II on our Bali trip.
Masakapan Ke Tukad festival of Bali is similar to Bali Yatra of Odisha.
The sea on the Eastern coast of India was known as Kalinga Sagar, signifying that traders from ancient Odisha (Kalinga) were taking this sea-route for trade with South-East Asia. When the British came to India, they set up their establishment first at Calcutta (now Kolkata). From there, they spread all over India and Bengal became an important province. Hence Kalinga Sagar, the adjacent sea was re-named as Bay of Bengal.
Cuttack Bali Yatra entrance gate
Image source: Wikipedia
Odisha has another memorable link with Indonesia. Biju Pattanaik, a 2-term Chief Minister of Odisha and also a former Union Minister of India, helped Indonesia in its struggle for independence from the Dutch. In 1947, Prime Minister, Nehru of India organised the first Inter-Asia Conference. Sukarno asked Prime Minister Sultan Sjahrir, to attend it to arouse international public opinion against the Dutch, who were the colonial rulers. Sjahrir was unable to leave, as the Dutch controlled all sea and air routes. Nehru asked Biju Pattanaik, originally an expert and adventurous pilot, to rescue Sjahrir. Pattanaik flew to Java and brought Sjhrir on a Dakota via Singapore. For this act of bravery, Pattanaik was later given honourary citizenship of Indonesia and the title of 'Bhumi Putra', the highest Indonesian Award, rarely given to a foreigner. During the 50th Independence Celebrations of Indonesia in 1996, Biju Pattanaik was honoured with the Award of 'Bihtang Jasa Utama'.
Recently, we visited Daughter II, who works and lives with her family in Singapore. The wife was with them for a month and i was there for 11 days. They arranged a 5-day trip to Bali island at that time. We stayed in a well-laid out villa in Sanur near the island's capital Denpasar.
Our villa in Sanur
Enjoying a swim in the pool outside the villa
We were struck by the beauty and charm of the lush green fields, the crafts, the temples and the arts and culture of the island.
The wife and i at Tegalallang rice terrace
"Where do you come from?" "Where do you live?" are two questions you will hear throughout your stay in Bali.
Bali always reminds one of India. Ganesha, Pura, Sari, Saraswati are commonly seen words in the sign boards in Bali. The sign at the ladies' toilet at Denpasar airport said "Wanita'. It reminded me of the Sanskrit word 'Vanita' for women. 'Garuda Indonesia' is national airline. Garuda is the name of the bird-vehicle of Lord Vishnu. 'Namaste' is the name of a store where one can buy a crystal to get one's spiritual house in order. Incense, yoga mats, moody instrumental music all remind an Indian about his/her homeland.
We visited Pura Luhur Ulu Watu temple, one of the several important temples to the spirit of the sea along the south coast of Bali. It was built in the 11th Century. The temple is perched precariously on tip of the peninsula, on the top of cliffs. To enter it, one has to pass through an unusual arched gateway flanked by statues of Ganesha. Only Hindu worshipers can enter the small inner temple. The area is home to scores of grey greedy monkeys, who, when a visitor is not alert, snatch sunglasses, handbags, hats and anything else within reach.
We watched Kecak (pronounced as 'kechak') Dance at Pura Luhur Ulu Watu. The time was sunset. The gorgeous setting and the view out to the sea was as inspiring as the dance. Kecak dance tells the tale of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The dance depicted the abduction of Sita by Ravana and her rescue. The actors, brilliantly dressed, played the roles of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Maricha in the form of the golden deer, Ravana, Jatayu, Hanuman and Ravana's niece Trijata who gave company to Sitaduring her internment.
Rama and Sita performing the kecak dance
I had the opportunity to take a photo with the actress who played Rama.
We also took a photo with Sita.
We also visited Pura Tanah Lot temple which is located on a hillock separated from the temple complex and protruding into the sea.
Pura Tanah Lot
We entered a cave at Gajah Goa temple. I found that eggs were a part of the offerings at this temple.
Eggs in the temple offerings
The wife and i at the entrance of the Goa Gajah temple
Pura Jaganatha temple in Denpasar is dedicated to the supreme god, Sanghyang Widi.
One of our lunches was against the backdrop of Mount Batur, an active volcano in Kintamani
Bali has splendid beaches. While having dinner in a beach-restaurant at Sanur, we came across an interesting sign.
A husband day care centre!
Little is known of Bali during the period when Indian traders (Were they from the ancient Odisha?) brought Hinduism to the Indonesian archipelago. At present, 90% of the people of Bali are Hindus.The Balinese know the Gayatri Mantra by heart.
Java began to spread its influence into Bali during the reign of King Airlangga (1019-42), or perhaps even earlier. After Airlangga's death, Bali remained mostly semi-independent.Meanwhile, as several Hindu kingdoms fell and Islam spread across the archipelago, many intelligentsia fled to Bali. Notable among them was the 15th Century priest Nirartha, who introduced many practices of Balinese religion. He established a chain of 'sea temples' including Pura Luhur Ulu Wtu and Pura Tanah Lot.
The first Europeans to set foot in Bali were Dutch seamen in 1597. At that time, Balinese prosperity and artistic activity was at peak. By 1908, Dutch forces had landed in Bali and had taken complete control. The Japanese occupied Bali in 1942 during World War II. Just after the Japanese surrendered in August, 1945, Soekarno, a prominent nationalist, proclaimed independence of Indonesia. There were fierce battles in Bali and elsewhere. In 1949, the Dutch gave up and recognised Indonesia's independence. with President Sukarno as the head.
The Balinese by nature reaches out to other people.This extends to the tourists. To make you feel welcome, Balinese go out of their way to chat with you. A formal introduction with the owner of the villa where we stayed was followed by this rather longish conversation:
"Are you from Singapore?"
Me: "No, I am from India. My daughter and son-in-law live in Singapore."
"Oh, India! Do you know Bollywood?"
"Yes, many Hindi films are made there."
Are you a Hindu?"
"Yes, I am a Hindu."
His face brightens. "Do you pray?"
"Yes."
"How many times a day?"
"Twice, once in the morning and once in the evening." I lied instantly, concealing a confession that although i do believe that there is some supernatural power like God who has ordained such an orderly world, i cannot bring myself to formally pray.
"Can you recite mantra?"
Me, defensively: "No, i can't recite any mantra. But many people in India can do that."
Then he proceeds to recite a mantra and i feel a little small.
"Do you know Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu?"
"Yes, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are our gods.There are many temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva in India but only one temple to Brahma, the one at Puskar in Rajasthan."
"Only one temple for Brahma?"
"Yes."
"We have temples for Krishna also."
"There are many temples for Krishna in India."
"Do you know Ramayan and Mahabrat?" (Mahabharat)
"Yes.'
"Did these really happen? Or are these stories written by someone?"
Me: "Even now there is a place in called Ayodhya in India. And Lanka is now called Sri Lanka."
"Is the bridge built by Rama still there?'
"Yes, there are still remnants of the bridge under the sea between India and Sri Lanka."
"And Mahabharata?"
"There is a place called Kurukshetra where the battle of Mahabharat was fought."
Foreigners can enter most of the temples in Bali if properly dressed . In most cases, an acceptable show of respect for the gods, is clean, tidy clothing and a selandong (traditional scarf) or sash to tie around one's waist. Wrapping a selandong around the waist is a symbolic gesture of 'containing the appetites' while one prays. Some temples hire out these. We hired selandangs at Pura Luhur Ulu Watu temple. Menstruating and pregnant women and women who have recently given birth or have recently been bereaved are usually advised not to enter the temples in Bali.
Traditional Balinese society is based on the unique Balinese Hindu religion, based on Majapahit interpretation of Hinduism. It permeates every aspect of Balinese life. There are temples in every village and shrines in every field. Offerings are made at every place, every corner. We saw these at every spot. Balinese worship the trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, three aspects of one god, Sanghyang Widi. The basic threesome is always alluded to but never seen. A vacant shrine or empty throne tells all.
Indonesia has the largest population of Muslims in the world but Islam is a minority religion in Bali. Some Muslims are descendants of seafaring people from Sulawesi and some are of Javanese origin.
The richness of Bali's arts and crafts has its origin in the fertility of the land. The purest forms are the depiction of Dewi Sri, the rice goddess, intricately made from dried and folded strips of young palm leaves to ensure that the fertility of rice fields continues. We saw these offerings on the top of intricately built pillar-like structures and also on wooden bases closed on all sides except the front and the top, fixed to trees.
We found such offerings everywhere including the compound of the villa we stayed in.
While traveling, we saw rows and rows of craft shops stocked with intricately designed wooden artefacts. There were many units of sculpted stone statues including those of Lord Ganesha.
A few years ago, the economy of Indonesia had become very slippery. Policy makers of its economy, after a lot of thought, introduced a new currency note of the denomination of Rp. 20,000 with an image of Hindu god Lord Ganesha on it. And the economic condition of the country bounced back to strength! This note is still in circulation.
Tourism is mainstream of Bali's economy. What struck me was that the Indonesian currency Rupiah is always expressed in thousands. There are no decimals in Indonesian Rupiah (Rp). The prices of dishes in the Menu List at restaurants have always 3 zeros at the end. Money Changers are available everywhere. From the display board at one such establishment, I found that one US Dollar is equivalent to Indonesian Rupiah 12,450. One Singapore Dollar is equivalent to Rp. 9,250.
This wooden statue of a dancing Balinese danseuse cost me Rp. 2,50,000 bargained downed from Rp. 4,00,0000 originally asked for.
And this wooden statue of dancing Rama and Sita cost Rp. 4,20,000 bargained down from original Rp. 6,00,000 originally asked for.
Here is a link to the blog post of Daughter II on our Bali trip.
The fist time I read about this tiny island was in the book 'eat, love , pray'. There, the protagonist stays in Bali for a few months and fall in love eventually. She also says the same about those temples, tradition and culture. Nice to read all about it. Though long yet I got a lucid idea about the island. Would love to visit there someday. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, while writing it, I also felt that it had become a little too long but it would have become still longer had I included all my heavenly experiences there. The blog post of Daughter II fills up some of the gaps.
DeleteIt took the protagonist of the book a few months to fall in love with Bali but I fell in love with the scenic island on the first day itself. I was Love at First Sight!
Do visit it.
It was love at First Sight!
Deletelovely..
ReplyDelete