Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
BALI ITINERARY
Bedugul Green Tour
- Start At 9 am
- Taman Ayun Royal Family Temple
- Pacung Hills
- Bedugul, Ulun Danu Temple and lake beratan
- Strawberry Farm
- Twin Lake, Buyan and Tamblingan Lake
- Monkey Forest
- Tanah Lot Temple
- Back To Hotel
BESAKIH MOTHER TEMPLE TOUR
- Start at 8.30 am
- Batu bulan hand made Batik
- Kerta Gosa
- Bukit Jambul
- Besakih Mother Temple
- Candi Dasa Beach
- Tenganan Village
- Bat Cave Temple
- Back To Hotel
LOVINA TOUR
- Start at 8.30 am
- Pupuan Terraces rice field
- monkey forest
- hot spring at Banjar
- Lovina Beach
- Old city in the north and buleleng harbour
- Gitgit waterfall
- Twin lake, lake buyan and tamblingan
- Back to hotel
LOVINA MORNING DOLPHIN
- Start at 3.00 am
- Lovina Beach For Dolphin Watching
- Buleleng Harbour and the oldest chinese Temple
- Gitgit waterfall
- Bedugul, Ulun Danu Temple
- Taman Ayun Royal Family Temple
- Back To Hotel
KINTAMANI VOLCANO TOUR
- Start at 8.30 am
- Barong and kris dance
- Celuk Village,the centre of gold and silver smith
- Goa Gajah
- Tirta empul temple
- coffee farm
- kintamani,lake and mount batur
- Tegallalang Terraces Rice field
- Ubud Palace and Market
- Back to hotel
ULUWATU TOUR
- Start at 9 am
- Tanjung Benoa watersport centre
- Nusa dua beach
- GWK cultural park
- Padang-padang beach
- Uluwatu temple
- kecak fire dance
- Jimbaran beach for seafood dinner
- Back to hotel
Sunday, February 13, 2011
ABOUT BALI ISLAND
The first evidences of human appearance in Bali date back to the Stone Age, tens of thousands years ago, with the founding of few artifacts that are believed to be reminiscent of small bands of hunter-gatherers. These prehistoric bands lived and foraged in Bali’s jungle and scavenged the tidal pools of the island. Many Paleolithic implements have been found near Sembiran in northen Bali, and there is also evidence in the form of rectangular stone adzes, axes, blades, hoes and picks used by a Neolithic people of Bali.
The most spectacular remains of Neolithic civilization in Bali are remain of Neolithic settlement and a burial site of 100 mongoloid adults and children which were found in Cekik, south of Gilimanuk, West Bali. These are the mortal remains of coastal people who swam the strait and walked across to Bali via land bridge from East Java to Bali in their migration east through the islands from Indochina. Bali was already well populated by the time of Bronze Age began around 300 B.C.
The remains of Bronze Age include clay utensils, stone mounds and bells shaped like two bowls. The people who used these items buried their dead in pottery jars or stone sarcophagi, complete with such funeral gifts as arm and foot rings, beads, highly polished stone tools, bronze and iron implements. The metal objects of Bronze Age are deeply related to the Dongson culture of Indochina. The magnum opus of this civilization is the moon of Pejeng, a glass-shaped-kettle drum made of bronze which is one of the most remarkable archeological artifacts discovered in Bali.By the Broze Age, Bali population already practiced both wet-and dry-rice cultivation, worked the fields with stone tools and water buffalo, raised pigs and poultry, and developed a sophisticated megalithic culture which made use of menhirs, stone chairs, and stepped pyramids.
The prehistoric period came to an end when Bali established early contact with far more advanced culture of India and China, the leading powers in Far Eastern trade during first centuries A.D. the evidences of this contacts are the Bali Yatra Festival which is celebrated in Kalingga, India, to commemorate the voyage of India’s Hindu priests to Bali and the Chinese annals of the 5th and 6th centuries mentioned a Hinduized state called P’o Li which might have referred to Bali. The remnants of contacts with India can be seen today on the remains of hermitages and monasteries at Gunung Kawi and Goa Gajah, both in Gianyar. Balinese script is derived from the Palava script of South India.
The Indic influences had a significant influence on Bali but they did not come directly from India but through Java. This created a unique Indic-Javanese influence on the history of Bali. The first recorded significant evidence of Indic-Javanese influence was the establishment of the first kingdom in Bali. Singamandawa was the first kingdom in Bali which drew its line from Sanjaya dynasty in Java, established in the area around Mount Batur. Another kingdom with quite similar was Singadwala, which was situated near Besakih with its powerful king Sri Kesari Warmadewa which conquered the former kingdom in 966 A.D.Sri Kesari Warmadewa was considered to be founder of the Warmadewa dynasty which ruled Bali for more than 350 years. The most well known ruler from this dynasty was the King Udayana Warmadewa who married the great-granddaughter of the king of East Java. Her name, Gunapriya Dharmapatni comes before that of her husband in documents. This may be because she had a higher status than him and may have been more powerful, she.brought about a Javanization of the Balinese court. After 989 AD royal decrees were written in Old Javanese. It is thought that she introduced Tantric rites and sorcery to Bali, beliefs which are still evident in witches and witchcraft.
Udayana had two sons, Erlangga (sometimes spelt Airlangga) and Anak Wungsu inherited the right to rule. Airlangga was sent to Java and worked for his grandfather in East Java. He succeeded in uniting East Java, ruling it from 1037 to 1049, while Anak Wungsu ruled Bali. The last king of this dynasty was King Adidewa Lancana who was conquered by King Kertanegara from the Kingdom of Singasari in East Java in 1286. Kertanegara was murdered in 1292 and Bali was independent again for another 50 years.
The fall of Singosari Empire after Kertanegara assaination was followed by the rise of the new dynasty of Majapahit. Gajah Mada, the grand vizier of majapahit was sent to Bali in 1343 to subjugate the King Astasura Ratna Bumi Banten of Balinese Pejeng Dynasty. after Gajah Mada conquered Bali, a young Brahman nobleman, Sri Aji Kresna Kepakisan was appointed King of Bali and a colony of Javanese settlers was dispatched. He founded a dynasty that would last until the 20th century. Kepakisan was born a Brahman, but had to change his status to a Satria, in order to rule. It is noteworthy that caste can be changed. He had the full support of Javanese administrators, who were located strategically throughout the island. Kapakisan subdued most of Bali but there were a few areas that were difficult. He asked Gajah Mada for help. He sent his powerful, magical kris, Ki Lobar, and at the sight of it, the last two areas of opposition, Pejeng and Bedulu, were defeated.
When Sri Aji Kresna Kapakisan died, his eldest son became the king, but he was weak and was replaced by his younger brother, I Dewa Ketut Tegal Besung, who moved the court to Gelgel, near Klungkung, on the southeast coast in 1383 and founded the Gelgel dynasty. Gelgel became an artistic centre. He died in 1460 and was succeeded by his son, Waturenggong, and the court flourished.
Over in Java, in the late 15th century, disputes sparked off civil wars and the Majapahit Empire was declining. Islam had entered through Sumatra in the 13th century and at the beginning of the 16th century was making headway in the coasts of Java. They pressed inland and dealt the Empire a fatal blow between 1515 and 1528. The aristocracy, priests, jurists, artists, artisans and those unwilling to be islamised moved to the easternmost parts of Java and Bali. The descendants of the former vassal Balinese kings stayed in power and eased the process.
King Waturenggong succeeded in integrating the aristocracy and the people. The empire extended beyond Bali to include parts of East Java, Lombok and Sumbawa and there was peace and prosperity.
King Waturenggong succeeded in integrating the aristocracy and the people. The empire extended beyond Bali to include parts of East Java, Lombok and Sumbawa and there was peace and prosperity.
Government, caste and religion were reformed under King Waturenggong’s priestly teacher and poet, Nirartha, who came from East Bali in 1537. He travelled throughout Bali and went to Lombok and Sumbawa and established many temples. He concentrated on rituals connected with death, soul purification, weddings, pregnancy, birth and maturity and is responsible for the supremacy of the Siwa cult and the Brahman priests. Nirartha is regarded as the father of all Brahmans.
With King Waturenggong’s death around 1558, the Golden Age went into rapid decline. There were tremendous rivalries, much scheming and inevitable decay. This state of affairs continued for about 100 years until eventually a new king, Dewa Agung Jambe came to power.
Gelgel seemed to have lost its power and was polluted spiritually, so the capital was moved to neighbouring Klungkung. The Gelgel period is therefore roughly 1400 – 1700 and the time of its dissolution was about the same time that the Dutch were becoming solidly established in the rest of the country.
Dewa Agung Jambe became the first king of Klungkung in 1686 and was known as Dewa Agung, a title inherited since then by all kings of Klungkung. For the next 200 years the Dewa Agung was the nominal, supreme king of Bali.
Dewa Agung Jambe became the first king of Klungkung in 1686 and was known as Dewa Agung, a title inherited since then by all kings of Klungkung. For the next 200 years the Dewa Agung was the nominal, supreme king of Bali.
Allegiances were withdrawn from Gelgel and a number of tiny autonomous states grew up, ruled by powerful aristocrats, who claimed to be descendants of the nobles who accompanied Kapakisan from Java in 1343. They ruled as kings or princes. In the end Bali became nine small kingdoms: Karangasem, Badung, Mengwi, Gianyar, Tabanan, Buleleng, Bangli, Negara and Klungkung. Yet they all regarded Klungkung as the highest spiritual authority. These nine small kingdoms were constantly at war throughout 18th and 19th centuries and ended only when various kingdoms were forced to integrate into Netherlands East Indies in the early 20th century in bloody suicidal battles of Puputan.
In contrast to the violent and bloody campaigns to subdue the island, the Dutch colonial administration after Bali conquest can only be described as benign, even enlightened. Governance of the island was reorganized along the same hierarchical lines employed by the kings. In 1929, the former kingdoms of Bali were restored to their hereditary ruler as self governing territories in a grandiose ceremony at Besakih.
The People and Every Day Life:
The population of about over 3 million people mainly live on agriculture with rice as the staple food.The other crops, among others,are: coconut,maize,soybean,cassava,coffee,clove,vanilla,etc
Bali is also known for its wide variety of tropical fruit,such as: mango,banana,jackfruit,watermelon,salak,the thornyskinned,durian,grape and many others.
Everyday life in Bali merges with social duties and religious obligations while the art reflects an unnoticed integration of environment, religion and community in which individual is a part. The organization of the villages, land cultivations up to the creations of art are of communal efforts. A village in Bali is the central place for its people while a family is the basic unit of the balinese society which is grouped into "Banjar", the group unit of several families.
Religion and Customs :
Hindu religion or Hindu Dharma is held by almost 97% of the population. Its teaching is to reach peace and harmony of life guided by the Wedas as Holy Scriptures. Hindu Dharma is a special blend of hinduism, Budhism and ancestor worship that has been flourishing over centuries. They believe in One Supreme God called Ida Sanghyang Widhi wasa, with his three manifestations known as: Tti Sakti ,that is : Brahma,the creator, Wisnu, the preserver, and Siwa,the transformer.Religion is inseparable from the everyday life, from the simple daily rituals to the lavishly semi annualy temple festivals. No opportunity is lost to worship God in an unending series of ceremonies that stretches from birth up to after death of the people.
There are three things guiding the spiritual life of the hindu Balinese people which are :
Tatwa (philosophy )
Susila ( etiquette/moral codes )
Upacara ( rituals )
Tattwa tells about the panca crada, the five principle beliefs or cradas which are belief in existance of :
Brahma : the God head
Atman : the soul
Samsara : reicarnation
Karma : the law of cause and effect
Moksha : unity with God / nirwana.
Susila, moral codes, put emphasis on three things e.g.:
Positive thinking
Positive talking
Positive action
known as " tri kayaparisuda" related to those moral codes also can be mentioned "Tat Wam Asi" freely translated into " I am you" you are me" which controls and prevents somebody from commiting (intentional) wrong doings.
Upacara, are those religious ceremonies classified into five classification e.g. :
Dewa Yadnya : Ceremonies related to the worship of God
Rsi Yadnya : Related to the prophet,priests or priest hood
Pitra Yadnya : Related to the dead
Manusia Yadnya : Ceremonies of human being
Bhuta Yadnya : Sacrifices to placate the negative (bhutas)
As the out-come of the Tatwa among others you can see a lot of temples dedicated to Barhma,God the almighty,and temples dedicated to ancestors, the soul of the dead relatives. The belief in Samsara creates the opinion that having children is important to give possibility for the soul to reincarnate. Family planning is successful in Bali because there is also a set of rules spiritually controlling the birth of too many children. That is in the " duties of parents" which includes the necessity to look after children well which parents can not do if they have too many children.
Karma law prevents people from doing bad deeds because such things will result in negative effect to the doer. While belief in Moksha suggests positive attitude that eventually everybody or every soul, after series of reincarnations will be able to join the origin, the God head.
Susila prescribes good behaviors and attitudes which are vital in social life, unless one is able to control himself and manage to place himself in the right position he will certainly suffer in his life specially in Balinese society where "mental torture " is one of most feared, a kind of social punishment, like being declared socially dead and ignored. Upacara manifests it self in innumerable ceremonies, such as the semi annual or annual temple festivals, ordination ceremony, cremation,tooth filling and wedding ceremonies and sacrifices. And example of such sacrifices is done yearly the day before " Nyepi " the balinese new year.
Festivals and Special Events :
Festival as an important feature of the Balinese life occurs on fixed dates according to the Balinese calender. instead of temple festivals take place mostly in every 210 days or every six months.
There are annual cycle and every six months celebrations of holidays, life-cycle ceremonies of the Balinese person since the time inside the mother's womb followed in stages up until marriage and the most important of the Balinese ritual is that includes funeral rites and cremation.
To maintain and preserve every aspect of the Balinese's cultural life,annual festivals have been held by the provincial government. such as : the annual art festival usually takes place in every saturday middle of june to saturday middle of july with exhibitions and performances of various kinds of artworks and cultural achievements, kite festivals.
Some of the holydays are as follows:
- GALUNGAN : This is the most important holiday symbolizing the victory of virtue (dharma) upon evil(adharma). the holiday is specialized by the fitting of "penjor" a tall bamboo pole splendidly decorated with woven young coconut leaves,fruits,cakes and flowers, on the right side of every house entrance. people are attired in their finest cloths and jewels on this day.
- KUNINGAN : This holiday takes place ten days after the Galungan, bringing the holiday period to a closing time. On this day, special ritual ceremony held for the ancestral spirits.
- NYEPI : This holiday is the Balinese's new year called Icaka new year, the day of total silence throughout the island. no activity is done,no traffic at all on the roads, no fire may be lit and no amusement held for the day long. Great purification and sacrificial rites were held the day before so as to exorcise evil spirits from every corner of the compound.
- SARASWATI : This day is devoted to God's manifestation as Dewi saraswati, the beautiful Goddesses of knowledge,Art and literature. On this day, books of knowledges, manuscripts and wedas are blessed and special offerings are made for them.
- PAGERWESI : The name literally means 'iron fence' on which day ceremonies and prayers are held for strong mental and spiritual defence in welcoming the Galungan holiday.
Kuta : famous for the shopping and night life
Nusa dua : nice beach and five star hotels
canggu : beach for avid surfers
Air sanih : tranquil beach with fresh spring pools and accommodation
Alas kedaton : a temple surrounded by monkey forest
Amlapura : principal city of karang asem district with raja's palace
Bangli : the capital town of bangli district with beautiful kehen temple nearby
Banjar : hot spring bathing place with pool on the north coast
Batubulan : known for stone carving and traditional batik maker
Batur : well known for the active Mt.Batur and the lake
Bedugul : beautiful lake temple beratan with harmonious mountain panorama
Batu karu : temple on the highland with lush vegetation surroundings
Besakih : the biggest temple in indonesia, and the mother temple of Bali which is located on the slope of the highest mount,Mt Agung.
Bona : the centre of palm-leaf and bamboo handicrafts.
Bukit jambul : marvelous scene of rice-terraces.
Candi dasa : peaceful white-sandy beach complete with accommodation.
Celuk : centre of gold and silver works with art shops.
Delod berawah : peaceful beach on the west coast.
Denpasar : the capital city of the bali province
Gianyar : the capital-town of Gianyar district with old residence of the former king of gianyar
Gilimanuk : west seaport for Bali-java ferry service.
Gitgit : breathtaking waterfall with natural beauty surroundings.
Goa gajah : an 11th century ancient hermitage temple with a ganesha statue inside,often called the elephant cave temple.
Goa lawah : a cave with thousands of bats inhabitants situated on a temple courtyard.
Gunung kawi : ancient memorial of the Balinese rulers,carved on a solid rock with beautiful surroundings.
Jatiluwih : the most fantastic viewing spot of terraces-rice field.
Jungut batu : white-sandy beach for surfers and divers on lembongan island with simple accommodation.
Kamasan : famous for typical traditional paintings,gold,silver and brass works.
Kintamani : a magnificent volcano and mountain views with nice restaurants.
kusamba : fishermen village with salting ground.
Lovina beach : restful tourist resort and dolphin watching in the north coast.
Mas : well-known for special quality of wood carving and other handicrafts.
Medewi : pleasant beach for surfing lovers.
Mengwi : known for royal temple taman ayun surrounded by moat with 'manusia yadnya' museum nearby.
Padang bai : ferry to lombok.
Pancasari : known for the best golf course'bali handara'
Pejeng : famous for penataran sasih temple with big bronze kettle drum inside.
semarapura : capital-town of klungkung district known for the old court of justice 'kerta gosa'
Sanur : exciting white-sandy beach known as one of the main tourist resort with international hotels.
Serangan island : known as turtle island, with diving area and sakenan temple.
Singaraja : the principal town of buleleng district for merly the old capital of Bali known for 'Gedong kirtya museum' (old manuscripts on palm-leafed )
Suluban : excellent surfing beach.
Tampak siring : well known for the holy spring temple with state palace on the hill.
Tanah lot : scenic temple set on a rocky isle known as the best place for watching sunset.
Tenganan : ancient village of the original Balinese, known for 'ikat' handwoven cloth cloth called'geringsing'.
Tirta gangga : old royal bathing place of the former king of karang asem with pools.
Toya bungkah : known for hot spring bathing-place by the lake batur.
Terunyan : ancient village of the original balinese with specific tradition and custom, accessible by boat over the lake of batur.
Tulamben : fascinating diving area with beautiful under water scenery and the wreck of S.S liberty.
Ubud : famous among visitors from various countries for museum of painting and country side living.
Uluwatu : amazing temple perching on the edge of stiff cliff on the south coast.
West Bali
national park : covers about 70,000 hectares and famous for white starling (leucopsar rothchildii ) and wild bull (boss javanicus )
Yeh pulu : ancient reliefs on the rock wall.
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