UNIVERSAL TEMPLES, THE CASTLE OF BALI'S SECURITY

In terms of tourists's perception, Bali is frequently called "the island of a thousand temples". This attribute is really logical, since wherever tourists travel, they will find the pura (temple) easily.

Throughout Bali ranging from the seashore to the mountaintop, temples look so magnificent and nowadays have become Bali's tourist point of interest. The word pura is derived from a Sanskrit work, namely the foot "pur" meaning castle. Pura is also known as kahyangan that means the abode of deities. Hyang has the same meaning as peak or top. And shining has the same meaning as that of deva. Balinese people believe that the planes of devas are located on the peaks or higher places.

In term of its making process, pura is a purified place or deliberately made sacred and subsequently being kept for its sacredness. One of the requirements of making sanctum according to the palm-leaf manuscript, Sang Hyang Kamahayanikan, is by setting up a boundary /fenca/wall (castle) as a specific sign that also means to maintain its sacredness later.

According to the belief of Balinese people, establishing a temple in accordance with all guidance and ritual processions in which one of them includes the implementation of Deva Yajna concept (holy sacrifice to God). In the palm-leaf manuscript Tatwaning Kusuma Dewa described how to build the temple along with its complete ritual procession, so that one will obtain bliss in his life. Temples that are spread throughout Bali constitute a stiff foundation to protect the island and the people of Bali against various calamities.

In terms of its character, the temples (pura) in Bali are categorized into kinds namely Pura Kahyangan and Pura Warga. Pura Kahyangan (universal temple) is the temple that has general quality and is used as a worshipping place for the general public. While Pura Warga (temple of a clan) or also called Pura Kemimitan is used to worship ancestral souls that have been considered to be “Devas”. Pura Kahyangan especially, in accordance with its grade, is distinguished into two categories, namely Kahyangan Jagat, and Kahyangan Desa. Kahyangan Jagat is a temple whose supporting devotees are from all over Bali, while Kahyangan Desa is a temple whose supporting devotees are limited to the inhabitants of its local village.

Those that are categorized into Pura Kahyangan Jagat are Pura Sad and Pura Dang Kahyangan. Pura Sad Kahyangan is the main nuclear temple that becomes worshipping place for Hindu devotees, namely Besakih, Lempuyang, Andakasa Temples in Karangasem, Batur Temple in Bamgli, Batukaru Temple in Tabanan, Goa Lawah Temple in Klungkung, Uluwatu and Puncak Mangu Temples in Badung. While Pura Dah Kahyangan is a temple that has relation to the pilgrimage of Hindu saints like Dang Hyang Dwijendra in Bali such as Purancak and Rambutsiwi Temples in Jembrana, Petitenget and Uluwatu Temples in Badung, Batuklotok, Ponjok Batu and Pulaki Temples. In addition, there are also some temples that become worshipping places of Hindus, but not including in Sad Kahyangan and Dang Kahyangan like Tirta Empul Temple at Tampak Siring, Penataran Sasih Temple at Pejang and Candi Dasa Temples.

Based on the decision of a seminar on the interpretation uniformity of Hinduism aspects that was held by Parisada Hindu Dharma, the existence of Kahyangan Jagat Temples in Bali based on the conception of Rwabhineda, Caturlokapala and Sad Winayaka. The temples that are based on the conception of Rwabhineda are Besakih Temple as Purusha (male element), and Batur Temple as Pradhana (female element). Temples that are based on Catur Lokapala are Lempuyang, Andakasa, Batukaru and Puncak Mangu Temples.

While the temples that are based on conception of Sad Winayaka are Uluwatu Temple in Badung, Batukaru Temple at Tabanan and Puser Tasik Temple (Pusering Jagat) in Gianyar.

Every temple mentioned above has its own piodalan (temple festival) that falls every six month in accordance with the Balinese calendar. On the occasion of the temple festival, Balinese people from various villages all over Bali are present in great numbers to perform worship to appeal for welfare. Lines of people entering the temple and ritual processions are creating an exceptionally alluring view.

If you make your holiday in Bali, you can see this kind of colorful odalan ritual. Simply discover these ritual processions and comply with all the regulations and norms that are valid in the region.

THE GALUNGAN FESTIVAL

Among the many holidays in the Balinese 210-day calendar, the most prominent are undoubtedly those of Galungan and Kuningan ; the former on the Wednesday of the Dungulan week and the latter on the Saturday on the Kuningan week. Due to their frequency - roughly once every seven Gregorian month-these festival are not celebrated as national holidays, but don’t try to do anything between Penampahan Galungan (the day for the slaughter of the pigs that precede Galungan) and Manis Galungan, the day following it, or on Friday preceding Kuningan ; everything is closed. People go back to their village of origin to present offering to their ancestor and village temples.

Unlike most Balinese festivals which celebrate the particular anniversary of a temple, and are therefore scattered across the calendar, Galungan and Kuningan are all-island holidays : everywhere, temples are all dressed up, with black and white or yellow cloth wrapped around their individual shrines as a sign that they are “occupied”, meaning the gods are visiting their descendants. The ritual involved is reminder of the strong ancestor’s cult aspect of the Hindu Balinese religion. When it took root in Bali, Hinduism, instead of throwing away the older tradition as Christianity and Islam tended to do, integrated elements of ancestral beliefs and natural animism into its corpus, the rationale being that everything and every belief can be interpreted as “ray” or a manifestation of the “Ultimate Sun” of Surya ( Siwa ).

The ancestors do not come before being properly “invited”.

They are expected to come on the Sugihan Jawa day when one makes offerings for the welfare of the world. The call is made in familiar language : “mai jani mulih. Suba iyang ngaenang banten. Mai delokin damuh-damuhe, “ which means : Please, come back home for a visit, we have prepared you food, please come and visit your descendants.

This is all the more important for “dead “ souls which have not yet undergone the whole cleansing process. If the dead is still buried in the cemetery, the soul is thought to be still hanging around nearby, provisionally entrusted to the God, the deity Prajapati. Thus it has to be handled with special care, and given the right punjung offering, lest it wreaks havoc among the living. But if the soul has been cremated and enshrined in the family temple, the danger is lessened and the chances are that its influence will be beneficent. The language will change, though, to become more formal and religious, and the offering will be different, too : this time it will be a saji.

The visit of the ancestors is expected to the last until Kuningan. They will have feasted long enough and it will be time for them to go back their realm of death. Another injunction will do : “Mangkin mantuk ke kedituan “, which means “ Go back over there to your abode of the dead”. The shrines ate then undressed and temples return to quietness, waiting for another festival.

So, if you happen to be in Bali for one of these two festival, either Nyepi or Galungan, don’t miss a visit the villages.

TRADITIONAL VILLAGES AND CUSTOMS

The soul of Bali lies in its villages which function as important religious and social institutions. The layout of a typical Balinese village follows a set pattern that achieves harmony between man and nature.

In particular, spatial arrangement of the components of a village such as temples, rice fields and cemeteries are made with reference to the two important point of kaja (or mountain ward) and kelod (or sea ward).

The Balinese desa (village) is typically host to a set of three villages temples.

Called the kahyangan tiga, these three temples are specifically defined as to function and location. The pura puseh or “temple of origin” lies facing kaja (or mountain ward), where the tutelary gods of the village and its founders are worshipped. Facing kelod (or se ward) stands pura dalem, where the forces of death and the unpurified soul are worshipped, and nearby which lies the cemetery. In between the pura puseh and pura dalem lies the pura desa, where the “Lord of the territory” (sane nruwenang jagad) is worshipped and where the meetings of the village assembly and the rituals of fertility are held. Clustered around the pura desa are groupings of houses or banjar.

The temples are at the heart of Balinese life. They have their anniversary every 210 days, when the gods come down for visit, during which they are welcomed by dance, “feted” with offerings and provided with a symbolic resting place. It is when the village comes to life, and color takes it over.

Beside the temple anniversaries, Bali has two sets of island-wide festivals which correspond to the “new years” of the two Balinese calendars : The Nyepi of the lunar-solar Saka year and The Galungan of the 210-day Pawukon calendar.