Talking end for end Bali, there is many beautiful and interesting places that you can visit, for a month you going around at Bali, I think, it is not enough to exploring that graceful Deities lovely Island.First if you visit Bali, please let ask your tour guide that you have to endure to Kuta, and I guaranty that you will get some experience that in no degree same with your other visit.Interesting Place Around Kuta.Kuta Beach.Kuta Beach is very famous. You can remark the beautiful sunset at this beach everyday. In that place is many hotels, restaurant and other places you can stay or pure relaxing by enjoying the beautiful sunset. The International hotels/places like Mercure Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel etc, or any other restaurants just a few step from the sands. You do not believe how imaginary it is, until you come and be delighted with it.You may go around to other place, however do not remember to go favor to Kuta beach about 04.00 PM o clock to enjoy the sunset.If you like to surfing or just want to learn about surfing, you know that Kuta is the right place for it. There are many tourists from Europe, USA or Australia or other countries come to Kuta for one thing, surfing and surfing.Bali Water Boom.Of course you can find the best water boom in Indonesia at Kuta. There is clean, many foliage with a scarcely any leaves and safety. Here the place to swimming, sunning, and you could do the water sliding as high as 30 meters heights. This place is located at Kartika Plaza Road (about 3 kilometers from Kuta Beach). There are many hotels, restaurants, and cafes through the Kartika Plaza Road. You can buy the handicraft souvenirs at this place.
Legian.
Through that street, you testament find many souvenir shops and cafe/restaurant. Like at Kuta beach, the nightlife in Legian is very attractive to. I recommend to you to make a photograph at Bali Bomb II Monument at Legian.
Kuta Square - Kartika Plaza.
Kuta Square at Kartika Plaza is the center of sales the exported handicrafts. At Kartika Plaza there is a shopping mall named Discovery Mall, there is a cafe at behind mall that you can relaxing and enjoy the beach at there. And you can buy the handicraft at this mall moreover. Near the Discovery Mall there is various famous places probable Kuta Centro, Musro, Cabaret Cabaret, There is many luxurious hotels through the Kartika Plaza Road.Visit to Indonesia? Do not slight to endure to Bali, If you visit to Bali, do not forget to stay at Kuta, and in imitation of all you will find the beautiful and interesting really hand made handicraft, souvenir and gift.
Rabu, 10 September 2008
Visit Kuta Bali, Buy Handicraft Souvenir
Five Tips for Booking Online Discount Hotels in Bali
Holiday destinations like Bali can make your holiday a memorable one. Bali is an Indonesian Island located in between the islands of Java and Lombok. The scenic beauty in the backdrops of natural ambiance like rice paddies, volcanic mountains, lush tropical forests, and fascinating beaches surround the city. If you want to explore the diversity of culture, natural beauty, and the Balinese society, then come to Bali.
In Bali, beach lovers will definitely enjoy the white sandy beaches and warm crystal clear water of the Indian Ocean. Apart from these there are many attractive colourful events that take place in Bali. So, to indulge yourself to its interesting happening events what you need is to fix a perfect hotel to stay. If you are looking for discount Bali hotel then undoubtedly you can find such cheap hotels which are pocket and budget friendly.
Before you select a discount hotels just keep in mind these below mentioned five tips for booking discount Bali hotels.
1. Make a search on the internet search engines by selecting a proper keyword relating booking discount Bali hotels online. A few best search engines must to mention here are Google.com, Yahoo.com, Ask.com, Altavista.com, Msn.com etc.
2. Get confirm about the relevancy and authenticity of the websites which display the search result of booking cheap Bali hotels. For that you can do some research works like domain age. Domain age is nothing but the lease period of that particular website. The trusted website always has a domain age of at least 2 years. If a website offers online booking then you must check whether it has secure SSL service or not. SSL gives you the authenticity and protects you from being victimised by internet frauds.
3. Then search the hotel map and see the location and availability. Location can be determined through encyclopedia or Google maps. You can also search by location and preferred language. For that, you can make changes in settings, every search engines has there own settings.
4. Some of the hotel booking sites promises many facilities and offers. Check them whether they are true or not by browsing the particular hotel website. Always compare the discount hotels rates as every hotel has their own discount offers. Also never forget to check the hotel reviews and facilities. Hotel reviews are very popular way to find out about the hotel and its adeptness’s.
5. Don’t be hurry in selecting discount hotels for you need a little research work because it is advisable to compare and contrast the rates of the hotels which are offering discountable rates. By doing these you can get the lowest discount rate hotels and on the same time reliable as well.
The aforementioned tips can be a useful advice for the travelers and definitely these five tips for booking discount Bali hotels can minimize the worries and hurries of a budget traveler.
Five Reasons Why People Worldwide Interested in Visiting Bali Island
Bali is one of thousand islands in Indonesia South East Asia. Bali is so popular with Bali bombing tragedies that happened on 2002 still interesting to visit. The Bali bombing tragedies make many international facilities, like Hotel, Air Port, big café and night club is keeping with detector.
The improvement of Information Communication technology like internet connection, make Bali Island more popular than before. The world wide tourists that come there depend of the season. Europe and American tourist always come on June until July, but Asian tourist interested in coming on August. The domestic tourist more interested in coming on September until December, because the month is full holiday for students so that the parent will follow the situation. Nyepi is religion day that Bali Island closed to people out side. No light, car passing or store opened. The Balinese will stay at home, no eating, and light. The Ngurah Ray Air Port as International Air port is closed, no departure and arriving passengers.
The Bali bombing by terrorist make bad image and deep impressed to people world wide so that the people decide to build Bali bombing monument at Kute. Australian and American come there to pry for the victims. Many reasons why people world wide interested in coming to Bali Island,
1.Pure culture.
Bali people follow strong Hinduism. They devote their life to the Hindu religion. You will see many puras when going around there. The Balinese tradition life from birth until death, followed by ceremony. You can see Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi, ngaben and others ceremony at Bali. The artist from Bali creates many dances because of soul of art. The statue was created there reflect of Hinduism. You can see the Kecak and Barongsai dance performance from small village until five stars Hotel.It is not astonished, Balinese never interfered by others culture, although people world wide come there never stopped.
2.Friendly peopleBalinese is popular with smiling face.
They are always friendly to others and welcome to new comers. You will feel like at your home.
3.Excellent craft Balinese tend to be artist.
They like to paint, carving and make others beautiful craft. You can visit Antonio Blanco Museum, the painter that married to Balinese woman, Sukowati Art market center. You are always followed by craft seller whenever you go. They always beg you to buy the crafts.
4.Beautiful places to visit.
You never have time to rest when you are at Bali. There many interesting places, you should visit. The scenery is so natural, let’s see Nusa dua beach that have International cruise ship, bedugul, Tanpak siring that have president palace. Kute and legian beach with international facilities or Tanah lot, is beach especially for praying.
5.Save to stay
The regency of Bali and Indonesian police try to improve the security Bali after Bali bombing tragedies. Star hotel and café with international reputation with detector facilities.
Bali: What To Do And Where To Go
There is a large group of travellers that is self-sufficient while having a pleasant time on the island. They know already where to find beach activities, the secrets of going shopping Bali style, and generally know where to find a good time while avoiding too much sweat.There is a equally large group that cannot get enough of new activities, latest tour programs and all sorts of organized adventure. Today I would like to give an overview of popular island tours and tropic activities such as rafting, trekking, cycling, elephant safaris, horse riding, skydiving, paragliding, sailing and other beach and marine sports.If you are staying at a 4 or 5 stars Bali hotel, you will already have the advantage to be introduced to daily domestic activities available to hotel guests. Such can be gymnastic and jogging exercises, local bicycle tours, cooking classes and all sorts of beach games.The next step on the activity level are Volley ball - Outrigger sailing - Table tennis - Tennis at Tennis courts - Badminton - Snorkeling - Windsurfing - Fishing - Parasailing that are in most cases all directly available or bookable from the tour desk at your hotel in Bali.If this is not available at your hotel, or you would rather "go and explore" the island, it is time to consider the tour options offered by virtually 100's of tour providers. Here you can join large groups using large busses, or small individual groups, down to the size of hiring a personal tour guide for only the 2 of you.Rafting and Kayaking trips enjoy a strong following and are increasingly popular. The beauty of the Ayung river valley and Melangit river are popular destinations. It looks to be more a sport for adventures types on photos, but it is completely safe and also recommended for younger children.Sightseeing tours is another Bali favorite, see and explore all temples and monuments of Balinese history on trips to Besakih, Tanah Lot, Tampak Siring, Uluwatu, Kintamani and others.Increasingly in demand is another "sweat exercise", cycling tours to villages and mountain trails. This is not recommended for younger children because they will have a hard time to catch up with the group. For families it is better to just rent the bicycles and maybe a private tour guide, if needed.Elephant safaris is one of the family trips in Bali, provided by many tour operators venturing yet in another field of activity. To completely feel like Indiana Jones the next step would be to go on a off-road Land Rover land cruise, to discover some hidden tracks of the green jungle.Since Bali is an island what comes naturally to mind is a day cruise or sunset cruise to Lembongan island. Two of the providers are Bali Hai and Island Explorer Cruises both offering a wide range of cruises and water activities.Surfers are attracted by south Bali's waves, and not only Balinese enjoy that activity also lots of Australians are coming to Bali only for one purpose: The Waves, also hot among surfers from Hawaii, statements like "Definitely one of The spots to go surfing" from global surfers. If these waves scare you and you just want to practice a bit you can rent a board in Kuta directly on the beach for a few hours.Divers are attracted by several locations in Bali, all easily reachable with dive instructors that will pick you up at your hotel and take you for a dive at a destination of your choice. If you need more above sea level action there is also Bungy jumping, ski diving and paragliding.Bali is a mountainious volcanic island that will catch the attention of mountaineers interested in mountain climbing. Mt. Agung the highest peak at 3142 metres and Mount Batur can be climbed in a few hours. Use a local guide for safety reasons and to find the best routes.Another interesting encounter with nature is possible at the Bali Barat National Park in the north of the island. It is a protected reserve on an area of over 750 square km. The park is home to wild buffalo, monkeys, wild deer and civet.Most suitable for families with kids are theme or adventure parks and attractions. Popular with kids are the Waterbom park in Tuban with their huge water slides, Bali Bird Park in Batubulan has a 100's of exotic birds, and the Bali Reptile Park next door invites with Lizard Komodo Dragons.Again most tours and adventures are easily bookable from your hotel, or you can call Bali1.com anytime while in Bali to arrange a tour for you. From airport pick ups to bringing you safely back to personal meetings at your hotel to book anything from a short Ubud roundtrip to a multiple days Flores tour or visiting Komodo island and their live dragons.
Minggu, 07 September 2008
Fengshui in Bali
You will never know what to expect when you're waking up in the morning. I had a feeling that today we might have a change to open our mind into new possibilities. Another very beautiful day in Bali, my editor, Jill and I, are having a meeting with Karen Kingston. She's a Feng Shui, Space Clearing and Clutter Clearing guru, who is recognized worldwide, for her teaching method and bestseller books. We are very excited to hear her perspectives toward space and objects in relation with human's spiritual journey.
Karen was born in England, and has been in Bali for 16 years. She owns a Feng Shui based villa resort in Amed the Dancing Dragon Cottages, and is acquainted with the local culture intimately. In fact, she discovered and learned about space clearing at this very island. In her book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui, Karen describes: "For the last 30 years, I have really been living two parallel existences. Part of me is firmly based in the material, seen world, and the other half of me lives in the metaphysical, unseen world of energy and vibration. One of the reason I love spending so much time in Bali is that the Balinese all live in these two worlds too. I feel tremendous empathy with them, and their beautiful island is the only place I know where there are three million people living a totally integrated, spiritual way of life."
According to Karen, Space Clearing is a specialized branch of Feng Shui that works at even deeper levels by cleansing and purifying the chi of a building, thus enhancing the quality and nature of the energy in the space. Feng Shui always works better and faster when done in conjunction with Space Clearing. For your life to work well, it is vital to have a good flow of clear, vibrant energy in your home and workplace. Feng Shui is a beautifully organized system of knowledge that teaches us how to enhance this energy flow by improving building design, furniture placement, colours, chemes, and so on.
Another chapter of space clearing is called clutter clearing. Clutter accumulates when energy stagnates, and likewise, energy stagnates when clutter accumulates. So the clutter begins as a symptom of what is happening with you in your life and then becomes part of the problem itself because the more of it you have, the more stagnant energy it attracts to itself. Karen's four categories of clutter are: things you do not use or love, things that are untidy or disorganized, too many things in too small a space and anything unfinished. Every aspect of your life is anchored energetically in your living space, so clearing your clutter can completely transform your entire existence.
We experienced great session with Karen, and we are looking forward to hear and learn more about it. To experience these interesting studies, read Karen Kingston's book Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui or join her programs right here in Bali.
Artistic Ubud
Lempad was truly a twentieth-century Renaissance man: although he is best known for his magnificent works on paper, in the Puri Lukisan Museum and the Neka Art Museum, he was active in all the plastic arts, including sculpture and architecture. Lempad was born in the village of Bedulu, Gianyar, in the early 1860s. In the late nineteenth century, he came with his father to live in Ubud, where he stayed for the rest of his very long life. Most of the principal monuments of central Ubud, including the impressive, soaring temple gates which symbolize the city for many visitors, were designed by Lempad. He was a versatile and prolific sculptor, emphasizing monumentality of form over ornamentation, working in both wood and stone.When he was in his sixties, Lempad began applying the bold, volume-defining lines of his three-dimensional works to his drawings on paper. Later, he enlivened his drawings with gold and red pigment, to highlight features such as the mystical flames and contours of costume that distinguish his rendering of wayang-style figures. One of the greatest treasures of the Neka Art Museum is a series of ten drawings by Lempad illustrating the Brayut folk tale, which was originally in the collection of his friend Walter Spies, who entrusted them to a friend in Batavia (the old name for Jakarta) when he was arrested. In 1984, the drawings were presented to the Neka Art Museum, where they are on permanent display.
Lempad's death, in 1978, was a solemn moment of transition for Ubud and all Bali. Legend has it that the great man chose his time of dying, at the age of at least 116, selecting the most auspicious day of the Balinese calendar for his passing. He called his family and friends to his side and asked them to bathe him and dress him in white; after expressing his last wishes and saying farewell, he gently expired. He left behind an overwhelming legacy, reflected in the work of his many students and followers, including such fine artists as Ida Bagus Made Poleng, Tjkorde Oka Gambir, Anak Agung Sobrat, and Anak Gede Mregeng. Twenty years ago, it was probably true to say that the influence of Spies, Bonnet, and other Western artists might was being exaggerated; but even taking into account the defining significance of Balinese attitudes toward life and landscape in the island's art, as epitomized in the life and work of Lempad, it is nonetheless true to say that Balinese painting, as a school of art, was radically transformed by the thought and example of the foreign visitors.
Spies and Bonnet tried not to influence their Balinese students – Bonnet, it is said, concealed his own work before his students came to his studio for class. Nonetheless, Balinese artists absorbed the European influence with amazing rapidity, and soon evolved a panoply of new styles, complex and highly original. By the time World War Two came to Indonesia, the Pita Maha association and the Western artists involved with it had declined rapidly.
The story of Walter Spies after the outbreak of war is a sad one. The Dutch authorities, scandalized at what they regarded as a general moral laxity in Ubud, and as part of a crackdown on homosexuals throughout the colony, arrested Spies on New Year's Eve, 1938, for "indecent behavior" with a minor boy. According to his biographer, Hans Rhodius, the Balinese were shocked and puzzled by the arrest, and brought Spies's favorite gamelan to play for him outside the window of his jail cell. The boy's father told the trial judge, "He is our best friend, and it was an honor for my son to be in his company. If both are in agreement, why fuss?" Spies was released from prison in September of 1939. While war was breaking out in Europe, he threw himself into the study of insects and marine life, turning out some exquisitely observed gouaches of his specimens. After Germany invaded Holland, the following year, all German citizens living in the Dutch East Indies were arrested. Spies, the last German on Bali, was sent to a prison in Sumatra. There he continued painting and organized an orchestra, which he conducted in performances of music by Rachmaninoff and other European composers. In 1942, fearful of a Japanese attack, the Dutch authorities put their German captives on a ship for transport to Ceylon. The day after it embarked, the vessel was hit by a Japanese bomb. The Dutch crew abandoned the sinking ship, and left their prisoners to drown, slowly and horribly.
What on Puputan Badung?
September marks the 100th anniversary of the Badung Puputan – the culmination of a series of confrontations between the Dutch and the Balinese Rajahs. As the Dutch soldiers waited outside the palace gates of Badung (in what is now Denpasar) four bearers brought out the Rajah on a jewelled palanquin, followed by his retinue of wives and children and retainers. They were dressed in white wearing their finest kris and jewels. They set him down, 100 metres from the Dutch and at a signal from the Rajah, a priest set a dagger into his heart. His retinue followed suite, each stabbing themselves and falling to the ground. The stunned Dutch soldiers fired into the ranks as more people poured out from the palace. Later they ransacked the bodies and razed the palace. Somewhere between 600 and 2000 people died that day. While it signified the end of a kingdom, for the Balinese rajahs, surrender was not an option and to live under Dutch rule was unthinkable.
Although in the country of the former colonial rulers of the Netherlands, this tragic historical event has long been forgotten, in Bali, however, it is well remembered and has been commemorated every year since 1973.
A series of events led up to the Puputan which was the culmination of the Dutch struggle to expand their power in Bali. Actually, the colonial government had been in North Bali since the mid nineteenth century, but they could not take full control of the island until they had conquered the last two kingdoms of South Bali which happened through bloody war in 1906 and 1908 respectively. These clashes both ended with Puputan in both Badung and Klungkung.
Even though the wars were predictable, what is interesting, especially for the Puputan Badung, is how it evolved and how the Rajahand his people came to the war. A few years before the war, the Dutch had launched diplomatic efforts against East and South Bali's kingdoms in order to gain political control over the whole island. Some kings or rajas like Karangasem and Gianyar reactive positively and co-operated willingly while the Rajahs of Bangli and Badung reacted against their would be rulers. From the early 1900s, the Raja of Bangli created more problems for the Dutch than his colleague in Badung. Subak (irrigation-water) disputes and land-border disagreements generated by the Rajah-backed people of Bangli, caused significant social and political instability on the island, especially in South Bali, which disturbed the colonial government's plans for control.
When the Dutch-flagged Chinese cargo-ship Sri Kumala was wrecked off Sanur in 1904 in Sanur beach, the Dutch saw their chance to push for control and the focus shifted from Bangli to Badung. It all began with the report of the ship's owner who said that the ship was confiscated by the people of Sanur, Badung. Based on the report, the colonial government in North Bali ordered the King to pay a hefty fine. The King of Badung, Tjokorda Made Denpasar denied that the confiscation took place, arguing that the people on the beach helped the ship crew ashore and rescue goods from the ship. Regardless of what really happened, the tension between the King and the Dutch rose until a military intervention became inevitable.
The Badung Rajah was encouraged by his advisers to pay the fine to avoid unnecessary conflict. But the Rajah, a great author of classical Balinese literature, refused the advice, insisting that his beloved people had done nothing wrong. He argued it was not a matter of money or fine to be paid, but a point of honour against the Dutch.
Following diplomatic failure, the Dutch imposed a blockade on the Badung territory, forbidding trade with the other Bali kingdoms in an attempt to suppress the Rajah's power. This tactic caused the Rajah to maintain his position for almost two years (since 1904) leading to the fullscale military attack in September 1906.
Dutch troops landed in Sanur bristling with soldiers and weapons. Denpasar was attacked from the East by cannonfire, while thousand of the Rajah's supporters confronted them with the traditional weapons of kris and bamboo spears. The Rajah and his followers held a last prayer to show their commitment to guarding their homeland. During the prayer, the followers were blessed and given tirta pangentas, holy water that is usually sprinkled over a cremated body to release his/her spirit from the body. This holy water symbolises the determination of the followers to die, so that when they die in the war there is no need for more holy water. The rajahs troops were no match for the Dutch. Their kris and bamboo spears had little effect against cannon fire and guns.
The peak of the war took place on September 20th, the day when the Badung Raja was killed, followed by thousand of his people. The Dutch sources tend to downplay the total number of victims, Balinese sources mention higher, and the estimated number of deaths is somewhere between 600 and 2000. The Dutch military chief, General Rost van Tonningen in his brief speech prior to the return of his army to Tanjung Priok (Jakarta), said how few the victims were from both sides. He added that the victims were regretted.
The annual commemoration is marked by a flag raising ceremony and cultural performance at Puputan Badung Park, in Denpasar, where the war took place a century ago. School students around Denpasar municipality are also invited to join with a decorated bicycle carnival. Sign boards or posters that carry themes on the importance of 'puputan spirit' are placed around the town. Prior to the anniversary, a dance or Balinese gamelan orchestra of the baleganjur genre is held to bring the celebration alive. The winner is then invited to the evening performance at Puputan Badung Park. A dance drama fragment that carries the theme of the war is performed. The memory of the past and the spirit of bravery is kept alive in the public memory.
The last Puputan happened two years later in Klungkung when the Rajah objected to the Dutch attempt to impose an opium monopoly. The Klungkung rajah struck his kris into the ground, expecting a chasm to appear and swallow his enemies, following an ancient prophesy. It didn't happen. A bullet killed him and his six wives knelt by him, each driving kris into their hearts. A major puputan followed and the palace was burned down, ending the 600 year rule of the Majapahit empire's descendents in Bali. The Balinese also commemorate Puputan Margarana, which falls every November 20th., commemorating the war between the people and Dutch army who wanted to re-colonise Indonesia after independence was declared in 1945.
Puputan, which means "ending" or "finish" is a form of ritual self sacrifice known only in Bali. For the people of Bali, what is more important nowadays is not the war but the spirit of puputan. The word is used in various contexts, including political, cultural, and even in sport. It is often interpreted as 'fight all out in achieving goals' or 'spirit of encouragement' against any challenges in the post-colonial era. Thus, the common use of the word 'puputan' not so much reflects the public's memory of the war but more of the importance of the struggle and bravery in making Bali's future better.
Kamis, 04 September 2008
Ubud food
Around Ubud and before dawn, the first light of the day cracks through from the kitchens, and bubbling hot water steams away and blends with the misty morning air. Sounds of spoons clinking against glasses filled with fine powdered coffee, sugar and hot water stir the sweet morning brew. Food is a vital part of the local life and culture, and is seen throughout the village in many different forms.
Women play the role of daily cooking at home and all food preparations are usually fresh daily. The Ubud market which starts early is also a women's world, where the buyers and vendors are typically women. It is a colorful sample of the village's livelihood. The produce is coming fresh daily from all over the island -- the vegetables from the Bedugul mountain area, and fish from the Lebih beach area south of the town of Gianyar. There are stalls brimming with produce, meats, fresh fish, spices, fruits, supplies for offerings and ceremonies, utensils and supplies for cooking, fresh flowers, handicrafts, gold, and even copies of branded watches. Amidst all the activity the ritual of bargaining prevails.
Back home, in the southern part of the compound is the kitchen, and the traditional layout on the far left will have a water vessel and a fire pit with firewood hanging above. The fire pit serves as a traditional stove made with mud and bricks, with one inlet for the firewood, and three outlets on top for heating and cooking. Right at the kitchen entrance is a small bale (a bamboo structure about the size of a day bed) which serves as a place to do cooking preparation and to gather and drink coffee during the day.
The local way of cooking is unique and therefore dictates the type of utensils used. Although Balinese foods are a dynamic mix of flavors, the tools are quite simple, and most of them are made from natural materials, such as a stone to grind the spices and the meats, clay pots to cook and mix in, bamboo weavings to strain and steam things. Cutting boards are made from thick slices of waru tree trunks, and coconut shell scoops with bamboo handles serve to ladle or scoop liquids.
Daily Staples: A usual day starts with coffee in the morning which is accompanied with something sweet like grilled cassava root, sweet potatoes, or black rice porridge served with grated coconut and palm sugar. Others are fried bananas, boiled bananas in their peels, sumping (bananas coated in rice flower and wrapped in palm leaves and steamed) or klepon a pandan-infused rice flower ball with a liquid center of palm sugar.
Daily meals are prepared once a day in the morning and will be set out for the day to be eaten for lunch and dinner. The whole meal revolves around white steamed rice, or sometimes rice steamed with chopped sweet potato. A common vegetable fare is tumis (sautéed vegetables in a light broth), or urap (hand- mixed vegetables with coconut and spices) or lawar. The meat or fish is commonly cooked with basa gede, a signature bumbu (spice paste), or tum (meat or fish steamed in banana leaf), or pepes (which is a similar version yet grilled). Pindang is also a local favorite, consisting of small fried fish tossed in a savory tomato chili sauce. Meat alternatives are tempe or tofu, and meals are never complete without one of the many varieties of spicy sambal, or something crunchy like krupuk (flavored rice crackers).
Food In Offerings: Offerings are an everyday part of life in Ubud, and food is a major element. They range from simple daily offerings to more ornate full and dark moon offerings, to more elaborate varieties for steps of life, weddings, or temple birthday ceremonies. Certain types of offerings, according to religious codes, are meant to be presented specifically for the gods, ancestors, human souls, and lower spirits.
Mesaiban is the daily gesture of putting small offerings around the family temple and house, and these offerings include a sampling of the daily cooking, called ngejot, set on small squares of banana leaves. They are set at high levels for the gods and ancestors and low for the lower spirits.
Babi guling (whole suckling pig) can be found in ceremonies for people, like the first three stages of life, for teeth filling, or at weddings. They are presented for the souls of people involved in a ceremony, then after the ceremony the offering is called a lungsuran, or a blessed offering which will then be shared and eaten by the family.
Gebogan are tall beautiful stacks of fruit, cakes, and sometime roast spring chicken, secured by a stock of banana trunk in the center and carried on a wood tray. During temple ceremonies in Ubud many ladies from around the community will gracefully escort these offerings on their heads to the temple in the late afternoon.
Pak Lungsur from the Sambahan area of Ubud is well-known for cooking and constructing the pungent sate tungguh, a two to three meter tower for the gods, which is elaborately decorated with many different displays of cooked and raw meat from a pig. In Puri Saraswati, Ibu Agung Ari is renowned for making beautiful sarad, standing plaques of ornately arranged and colorful cakes made of rice flour which are assembled together to create an image which suits the occasion.
Pecaruan is an offering made of certain animal parts which is intended for the lower spirits, and is not meant to be eaten.
Cooking and Gathering: Some days the morning breaks with the sound of the kulkul (wooden village bell) from the Ubud banjar (community hall). At that time the men and women will come out from their compound gates dressed in their Balinese clothes, the men usually carrying their blakas knife on the left side of their body in a leather case, to help make preparations for some event, perhaps a wedding or temple ceremony.
The women will concentrate on making the beautiful offerings of fruits, cakes, and colors. The men will have the task of preparing the offerings made of meat, starting from livestock, to butchering, to cooking.These gatherings are the base of socialization amongst Ubud's people, since it gives them an opportunity to engage in and discuss village issues. For the younger generations it serves as a "rite of passage" because it's a chance to prove themselves.
from Separatis to Ajeg Bali
The development of tourism always has been and continues to be a reason for the Balinese to be proud of their island and culture. This awareness first evolved during the colonial period of the 1920's and has continued until today. Almost all of Bali's tourism stakeholders agree to develop and promote the tourism of their island as 'cultural tourism', a strategy that uses culture as a tourist attraction for its enrichment. Unlike previous eras, a cultural expression is now widely adopted by the community to articulate their commitment to the development of Balinese culture to keep social harmony on the island. This slogan is 'ajeg Bali'.
The term 'ajeg Bali' was formally introduced to the public for the first time in May 2002, during the launching of Bali TV, the then new local television network owned by the Bali Post group. The establishment of local television was made possible by the new broadcasting regulation issued in 2002. This regulation was part of the decentralization process of the Indonesian government from being centralistic, and aided in the promotion of regional autonomy. During the era of the centralistic government, which ended with the fall of President Suharto in 1998, all TV stations had to be based in the state capital of Jakarta, whereas the new regulation promotes the establishment of regional-based television.
Local television is also a form of democratization of information, in which news or information not only comes from the capital but also from the periphery. In addition, especially for the Bali Post Group, the establishment of Bali TV not only aims to support the democratization of information but also aims to promote local culture as the foundation of a true Balinese identity. This regional identity became important following the era of regional autonomy that began in 2000.
Since it was first introduced, the meaning of ajeg Bali closely related to the attempt of safeguarding or rejuvenation of Balinese culture in the midst of the growing phenomena of modernization and globalization. The Bali TV produced billboards of ajeg Bali around Denpasar city contains three incitements, that are “let's use Balinese language, safeguarding Bali, and preserving Balinese culture”. For most Balinese, this invitation was a cliché because the encouragement to preserve Balinese culture had been exhaustedly promoted through various channels and attempts. Until this moment, the ajeg Bali expression was no more than just a meaningless cultural expression.
However, the meaning of ajeg Bali gained a sudden importance after the Bali bombings of October 2002 that killed 202, of which 88 victims were Australian. This cultural expression then became a social and even political slogan. People say this term is not only meant as an invitation to preserve Balinese cultural but also to safeguard Bali from any form of threat especially from terrorists. The expression ajeg Bali thus became a powerful term to invite people to be highly vigilant in the context of security. They believed, that without a guaranteed security, tourists would not come to Bali. After the bombings of 2002, several banners were publicly placed that announced 'Bali is safe, tourists come'. Suddenly safety and security were considered of greater importance, rather than that of culture. Without tourists, Bali would suffer or no longer be 'ajeg' (standing strong). Therefore, tourism recovery was promoted as part of the move to attain ajeg Bali. The philosophy of ajeg Bali is always considered as the rational for many social and business activities, such as cleansing ceremonies, post-bombings orchestral performances, Bali's clean up day, as well as also supporting regional competitions.
As the tourism industry slowly picked up several months after the terrorist attack, the already popular term of ajeg Bali became a buzzword. It started to lose its meaning. The public started to ask what its exact meaning was. Thus, people questioned whether ajeg Bali was a cultural propaganda, political move, or marketing strategy of the media group that introduced and used it. Alternatively, was it an attempt to bring Bali back to its old past? Other interpretations were that ajeg Bali was an attempt to 'safeguard Bali to be able to forever stand strong'. There was also a fear that the idea behind ajeg Bali was to make Bali stand still or become stagnant. Like many other terms or expressions, it is not easy to define it to satisfy every party.
Although there is no single meaning of the term, people and politicians keep using it for their own means. In a political rally of 2004 prior to the most democratic Indonesian general election to date, the term ajeg Bali was highly used. Almost each presidential candidate who came to Bali accepted and used the term ajeg Bali in their political rallies. They came to the Bali TV headquarters, either voluntarily or having been invited by the Bali Post Group, to not only be interviewed for a live but to also sign an inscription of ajeg Bali at the station. Anyone who makes a visit to Bali TV will see dozens of inscriptions of Ajeg Bali attached to the wall of the station building, including an inscription signed by former President Megawati Soekarnoputri and the current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The inscription that is signed by Megawati dated 2nd July 2004 says 'let us safe guard Bali! Keep the unity of the nation with the spirit of unity in diversity! The other inscriptions have similar meanings. In this context, the slogan ajeg Bali gained national attention although its echo remained local.
Outside political practices, the community continues to give their own interpretation of the term ajeg Bali. There was a social advertisement on Bali TV that said 'lets keep Bali ajeg by saying Om Swastyastu', a local Hindu greeting. For some, this invitation may be too simple, for others ajeg Bali is a move to bring value into practice. Furthermore, ajeg Bali simply means that the Balinese can perform more culturally related activities; perhaps more children learn how to dance and how to play Balinese gamelan, or perhaps more people will sing Balinese pop songs. There are even public competitions to select ajeg Bali teachers as well as ajeg Bali students. What ajeg Bali teachers and students actually means is that those who have more knowledge, understanding, and skills of the Balinese culture will supposedly be those who will install the foundation of commitment to safeguard Bali and its culture.
After the second bombings on 1st October 2005, the awareness among the Balinese to maintain security and safety became as important as their thriving culture. Opinion makers share the view that the security and safety of Bali can only be maintained if cultural resilience is developed as well. Therefore, may ajeg Bali live long.
