Shopping

Bali has crafts galore and is a paradise for collectors of works of modern art. From hand-carved wooden screens and statues, silverware, fabrics and hand-painted cotton and silk, embroidery, shell ornaments, basketry, sandstone statues and painted wooden or bamboo furniture can be found in every tourist area.

In Legian, Kuta, enjoy a wide variety of shops temptations, whether traveler's laptop teak desks, resort wear, soft furnishings, books, travel gear, or even creations of gold jewelry, you can find somewhere in Legian.

In Sukawati Art Market, you can find a wide range of Balinese products in one market. In Jimbaran, finding a wide range of ceramics and accessories from home with exclusive designs used by major hotels, restaurants and decorators from around the world.

The island of growing reputation as a paradise for shoppers in the outcome of happy marriage of modern merchandising and innate talent and ingenuity of Balinese artists and craftsmen.

One of the main attractions of Bali handicrafts. A variety of such intelligent and lovingly made crafts and art objects such as carved banana trees and Garuda bird, glazed ceramic and terracotta, bamboo baskets and furniture, an impressive home accessories and gifts of fine linen to Bric-a gaudy - brac, everyone can find attractive displayed in literally thousands of stores. Literally, taking one piece home just will not suffice.

Coming from over a hundred regencies that make up this vast archipelago, Bali modern shops find old books omen batak North Sumatra, rare double woven 'called' gringsing material, the mother of pearl southeast of the islands, Asmat bisj poles away from New Guinea, and teak wood furniture of the court cities of Central Java.

Balinese Art

Ubud is the center of Balinese paintings. Ubud museum, 'Puri Lukisan ' houses the permanent collection of modern Balinese art works dating from the beginning of the century. There are several art galleries and homes of famous artists, such as the Ducth born Hans Snel and Spanish Antonio Blanco.

Located between Mas and Ubud, Peliatan is known as the center of traditional music and dances.

In Werdhi Budaya Art Center, you can find a tertiary level Conservatorium, and a dance and theatre school traditional Balinese performing arts. While at the Museum of Le Mayeur Kelandis, 200 yards north of the Grand Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur, you can find the painting Ni Polok, a local Balinese woman. Ni Polok, wife of Le Mayeur, was a famous traditional Bali dancer.

More is the village of wood carvers, where many of Bali's old masters still alive. Art galleries display some of his best works. Visitors can go through the Balinese style houses to see the carved wooden pillars and the artist instruct their apprentices.

Batuan is known for dance, carved wooden panels and paintings. Northeast of Denpasar, stone figures on the road marks the people of Batubulan, famous for its stone sculptures and antiques. Here, divinities and demons are sandstone carved decorations for the houses and temples. You can visit the workshops to observe the work of artists.

There is also the people of Celuk noted for its gold and silver works, jewelry made with ancient techniques. Those in search of batik, clothing or material should not miss Gianyar which has at least 40 textile factories.

Temples

The Hindu-Balinese faith touches every aspect of people's lives. That's why every community has at least one temple or pura. The largest and most sacred temple in Bali is Besakih, located on the slopes of Mount Agung, more than a thousand years. steps ascend through doors to divide Besakih the main courtyard, where the Trinity shrines are wrapped in cloth and decorated with offerings of flowers.

For the Balinese, a visit to the shrines of the temple is a special pilgrimage. The old temple Tirta Empul revolves around the sacred spring Tampaksiring. Tanah Lot is an important sea temple dedicated to the spirits guardians of the sea. A lakeside Beratan, Ulun Danu is often shrouded in fog and hauntingly beautiful.

Uluwatu temple of the real attraction is its location, where sheer cliffs drop precipitiously in the clear blue sea. Beware of monkeys neighborhood, which like to snatch the glasses and sunglasses and handbags, and everything they can get.

Not for the faint-hearted, GoaLawah Temple is located in a cave filled with thousands of bats and is said to lead all the way to Besakih.

In Mengwi, Taman Ayun Temple has its own distinctive pagodas, which symbolize the sacred mountain Mahameru, the residence of the Supreme God surrounded by a moat in this beautiful temple.

The Balinese also believe that spirits dwell in each of the elements of nature and many places are considered sacred, such as nutmeg ten hectares of forest Sangeh that abounds in monkeys.

Balinese Dance (Part 3 - end)

The most grateful of Balinese dances, Legong is the epitome of classical Balinese dance female. A Legong, as the dancer is known, is often a girl, eight or nine years old, rarely at younger age adolescents. Firstly, was created in the 18 century and is usually the first dance is taught to beginners.

There are many ways to Legong, the most frequently performed dance Legong Keraton. Legong involves three dancers - two Legongs and Condong. The Legongs are costumed in gold brocade, so closely linked, is a mystery that such moves could be agitated. With elaborately madeup faces, which are plucked eyebrows repainted with courage, and their hair adorned with frangipanis, the dancers relate to the captivating story of the movement.

A male equivalent of Legong, Baris is a warrior dance. Delivered with strong military and martial spirit, Baris dancer has to convey thoughts and emotions of a warrior for the preparation of action as well as dealing with an enemy in battle.

This dance is performed alone and requires great energy, spirit and skill. The warrior's change of mind must be displayed through facial expressions and movements should be able to describe cavalry, pride, anger, feats, and a bit of regret. Baris is said to be one of the most complex of all Balinese dances.

There are also dances trances:
Sanghyang Dedari, two girls in a trance still moving in perfect unison and Sanghyang Jaran, where a boy danced in a bed of burning coal.

Last but not least, there's Pendet, a daily dance of the temples.

Balinese Dance (Part 2)

Another popular is the Barong dance, which is more drama than dance. "Lord of the Forest" magic and protector of Balinese villages, the Barong is legendary, Shaggy half-dog , half lion creature, with long hair, great teeth and bulging eyes. It is propelled by two men who maneuver with the capricious and malicious suit to express his fun-loving nature. His opponent is Rangda, the wicked witch who rules the spirits of darkness.

The Barong dance represents the eternal struggle between good and evil. The Barong will be adjusted in its jaws the gamelan, Prance a bit, and enjoy the praise from his supporters, a group of Kris-wielding men. After fierce Rangda appears his long tongue lolling, Baring its fangs threatening, his neck is covered with human entrails. It is not a pretty sight, but, of course, an unforgettable.

Balinese Dance (Part 1)

The best known of many Balinese dance is Kecak, which illustrates the history of Rama and Sinta taken from Ramayana epics against a background of about 150 men singing. Its name derives from the sound "Cak" (pronounced "Chok '), who sang in interlocking patterns that are as complex rhythmic patterns played on the gamelan.

The modern form of Kecak originated from Gianyar village of Bedulu in the 1930's commissioned by the expatriate German artist Walter Spies. This is a sensational vision to behold. Hundreds of barechested men sit in a circle with a single flickering oil lamp in the center. "CAK, CAK, CAK," starts singing and dancing men and ranges to start the rhythmic reverberation of their own voices. Hands rise to heaven, bodies shaking in unison, the choir performed the highly structured piece of vocal music from approximately one hour. This dance has the unique title of being the most popular dance in Bali.

Balinesse Ceremony and Ritual

There are many ceremonies and rituals in Bali.

• Galungan and Kuningan

Galungan is the day when the victory of Dharma or Justice and Truth wins over Adharma. It is when the family ancestors descended in the family, temples, brought there to see the curve of long bamboo pole (Penjor) that stand in front of every house Balinese. For ten days, the ancestors are fetus in the family temples; many temple festivals occur in this time of year and there is a big party. On the last day, Kuningan, the ancestors are seen with a barrage of offers of yellow and yellow rice.

• Nyepi

Nyepi is annual purification in the Hindu-Balinese New Year, determined by the lunar cycle Caka calendar. Nyepi is usually celebrated at the beginning of the tenth month or Balinese in late March or early April.
In the afternoon people leave their houses carrying Ogoh Ogoh, a large puppet representing an evil. Everyone is making so much noise as possible to frighten evil, so as to flee as far as possible from Bali. This is the only place in the world where the government will shut down an airport for meditation & introspection. On Nyepi day, EVERYONE will stay in their family compounds (or hotels) and silence will overcome the island. There are no cars, no tv's or loud radios, no lamps or fires and no airplanes overhead.

• Saraswati

According to Balinese Hindu belief, knowledge is vital to achieve the goal of life as a human being. This day is celebrated in Bali Saraswati, a special day dedicated to the Goddess of learning, science and literature. Saraswati standards intellectual and creative realm, and is the patron of libraries and schools. For Balinese Hindus, which is celebrated as she managed to tame wandering lujurioso account and his consort, Brahma, which was concerned with the goddess of material existence, Shatarupa. On this day nobody is allowed to read or write, and offerings are made to the Lontar (palm-leaf script), books and shrines.

Saraswati Day is celebrated every 210 days in Saniscara Umanis Wuku Watugunung and marks the beginning of the new year according to the Balinese calendar Pawukon. Ceremonies and prayers are held at temples in the family compound, villages and businesses from morning until noon. The prayers are also held in school temples. Teachers and students leave their uniforms for the day instead of bright and colorful ceremony gear, filling the island with color! Children bring fruit and traditional cakes to school for tenders in the temple.

Balinesse Cultures

Bali is famous for its diverse and sophisticated art forms such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, crafts and performing arts. Balinese orchestra of percussion music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese dances portraying Hindu epic stories like the Ramayana, but with strong influence Balinese. Famous pendet include Balinese dances, legong, Baris, topeng, Barong, and Kecak (the monkey dance).

The Hindu New Year, Nyepi, is being held in the spring of a day of silence. On this day around the world stay at home and tourists are encouraged to stay in their hotels. In the big day earlier, colorful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and finally burned at night to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals throughout the year are specified by the Balinese calendar pawukon system.

National education programmes, mass media and tourism continue to change the Balinese culture. Immigration from other parts of Indonesia, especially Java, is changing the ethnic composition of the population of Bali.

The Balinese eat with his right hand, as the left is impure, a common belief throughout Indonesia. The Balinese hand or not receiving things with his left hand and not to any wave with his left hand.

Bali the Island of Thousand Temples

Not surprisingly, is called Bali island of a thousand temples. Everywhere you see a temple.
There are so many temples that the Government did not bother to count them. There are small temples, small temples with very few shrines, temples there are big, big temples with over 50 sanctuaries, as the temple of Besakih, the mother temple of Bali. There are even sanctuaries alone oddest places where one does not expect at all. Each family, each composed, each clan or society has a temple, you mention a company or organization and has a temple. In the compound where the family lives there is the family temple. The DESA, people must have at least three temples;
Pure Puseh
Pure and Desa
Pura Dalem
The clan has its own temple. Subak irrigation or organization has a temple, called Pure Pure Subak or Bedugul. Every place where water to irrigate the rice fields has been divided a temple or at least a shrine. Bali has a whole has a temple, Besakih pure mother or temple, where each section and the nobility have their own temple.

The Balinese are worshippers of the ancestors. The family does this in the family home temple or church. The village does so in the Pure and Puseh Bali does this all in the temple of Besakih.
In southern Bali is always the home temple in the north-east corner of the complex in the South-West of Mount Agung. The reason for this is that the top of Mount Agung is the highest point in Bali and the highest is God, Ida Sanghyang Widhi.

Because of that people should pray to God and live on top of Mount Agung as the highest point in Bali and Mount Agung's going to reside in the East is why we in southern Bali temples of the house located in the north-east corner of the complex. In northern Bali is the southeast corner where the house is built temple.

The number of Shires in the house temple depends on the willingness of the family, which also depends on where the family originally came from. That is why visitors in a house church sees only a few sanctuaries and in another, right next to her, much more. But in a house temple must have at least two sanctuaries, "Shakti Kemulam"; Kemulan is for God and the ancestors and purified the Shakti is to produce power of God. No matter how poor is the temple complex of the house is there. This house temple can be built only very temporary bamboo, but it can also be very elaborate; shrines are very well carved and painted with gold leaf.

Only the dead purified, ie the dead, who have been incinerated, join God in the sanctuary Kemulan at home temple. With some high-caste people of the family makes a shrine for all the ancestors that her life had done a great service to the family, and therefore at home temple that there is more than one family ancestral shrine.

Near the entrance to a complex there is always a tutor at the shrine in front or behind him, and sometimes there are two shrines in front of her, flaking. The tutor is sanctuary for the spirit that guards the cousins.

As said before a real people must have a minimum of three temples:
Pura Puseh, where the founders of the village is worshipped, is always in the field Kaja, toward the mountains, so it is at the highest point in town, Lord Brahma the Creator, resides there.
Pura Desa, the village temple, stands in the center of town, where Lord Wisnu, maintainer, is adored because Pura Desa activities of the people appear to maintain the welfare of the people and their inhabitants. In ancient societies, Pura Desa always has the Bale Agung, a long wooden building where the villagers sit and meet monthly to discuss village affairs. The Bale Agung is also the place where Ngusabha the ceremony, a ceremony in honor of Dewi Sri, the goddess of the rice is done. Pura Desa with a Bale Agung called Pura Agung Bale, because not all have an Pura Desa Bale Agung.
The share Kelod, towards the sea, so in the lowest part of town, lies the cemetery. Near the pura Dalem is built. This is the place to Pura Dalem, because it is the temple of death or the temple of the dead. Of course, Mr Siwa, the Destroyer, resides and is venerated there.


The site of the three major temples complies with the deep conviction that the Balinese are the mountains of God; plains, the centre of the country, are for the people and the sea, the lowest part of the country, is for the forces demonic.

In addition to the three main temples is the temple of the clan, called Pura Ibu, Pura Pura Pemaksan or panties. Outside the village in the rice fields, is the temple Subak, maintained by the organization and irrigation farmers, which, of course, Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice is worshipped.