Subak Temple and Sacred Rice in Bali

Rice and its cultivation are central to the Balinese way of life. In Balinese eyes, rice is a gift from the gods-it was created by the Hindu deity Vishnu who then presented it to man as his divine patrimony. In this respect, rice is a sacred thing whose cultivation entails not only planting and looking after the crop as it grows towards maturity, but also requires the careful implementation of a set of ritual procedures first laid down by the god Indra.

Subak Associations The modern Balinese farmer grows two crops of rice each year in irrigated, terraced rice fields which for many are the definitive feature of the Balinese landscape. Water sources in the mountains are directed to each individual rice field by an intricate network of channels and aqueducts, whose maintenance and regulation are governed by local cooperative organizations called subak. Each mini-watershed has its own subak council, made up from neighbouring farmers who are party to this common water supply: together they are responsible for the equable distribution of water to all the irrigated rice fields within their purview. Each subak council has its own temple (ulun carik), which is situated in the middle of the rice fields belonging to its member, and this is where the major ceremonies of the rice cycle are held. The temple of Ulun Danau, on Lake Bratan, is identified as the `mother` temple of all the subak system on the island and some subak associations make regular pilgrimages to this sanctuary immediately prior to irrigating their rice fields. There are also countless small, roofless shrines (bedugul), which are commonly found in cultivated areas, typically beside a dam or weir. These tend to be erected and maintained by individual farmers whose rise fields are in the vicinity. A Balinese Harvest Home The most important subak ceremony in the agricultural cycle is the festival or ngusaba nini, which is usually held either just before or immediately after the rice harvest. It is held at the subak association temple and takes form of a thanksgiving ceremony dedicated to the rice goddess Dewi Sri. Dewi Sri is the wife of Vishnu and is one of the most popular deities in the Balinese pantheon, being conceived as the paragon of everything that is good and beautiful.

Furthermore, as rice goddess, she is identified as the fountainhead of agricultural fertility and bountiful harvests, while her daughter, Dewi Melanting, is the tutelary deity of seed and plants. For the rites of ngusaba nini, a mouth-watering selection of offerings are prepared by subak association members, and after they have been dedicated by the priests to the beneficent gods, and in particular to Dewi Sri, they are shared amongst the participants at the festivals. As with all temple offerings, the gods are said to enjoy the essence (sari) of whatever is presented to them, leaving its material residue for the delectation of their followers.

how rice are grown in bali

In Bali, where rice is grown almost everywhere you go, you can see rice fields and how rice are planted, upclose, instead of seeing them already polished and in a bag.

Nature has endowed Bali with ideal conditions for the development of agriculture. The divine volcanoes, still frequently active, provide the soils with great fertility. Copious rainfall and numerous mountain springs supply many areas of the island with ample water year-round.

Wet-rice cultivation is the key to this agricultural bounty. Here, and in other well-watered areas where wet-rice culture predominates, rice is planted in rotation with so-called palawija cash crops such as soybeans, peanuts, onions, chili peppers and other vegetables. In the drier regions corn, taro, tapioca and beets are cultivated.

Barong & Worship

Kingdom of Majapahit in Bali

The temple of Bali are the legacy, in part, of an architectural tradition that dates back to the last great empire of Indonesia`s Hindu Buddhist past, namely the East Javanese kingdom of Majapahit, which at the height of its influence between the 14th and 15th centuries held sway over most of the Indonesian archipelago. Construction techniques employed by the ancient Javanese are still used today in Bali and many architectural elements-most notably the distinctive spit gateway, or candi bentar can be traced back to the golden Majapahit era.

Majapahit and Bali Bali first came under the hegemony of Java in the latter part of the 13th century when the last ruler of Singasari, the dynasty which preceded Majapahit in East Java, sent a military expedition to subjugate the island in 1284. The subsequent fall of Singasari in 1292 temporarily released Bali from the thrall of East Java, but early in the 14th century, the new Majapahit rulers conducted a series of military campaigns against Bali which culminated in the installation of a Javanese king at Samprangan and the establishment of a Javanese ruling elite across the island.

The end of the 15th century saw a gradual decline in Majapahit fortune as a autonomous Muslim entrepot state began to establish themselves along the northern coastline of Java. The final collapse of Majapahit came at the beginning of the 16th century and led to a huge influx of Javanese refugees into Bali, among them many artists and artisans who had formerly been employed at the Majapahit court. This event had a lasting impact on the religious and cultural life of the island and introduced new elements into Balinese temple architecture. Majapahit Correspondences The ruined temples of East Java reveal that the religious orientation of the Majapahit era was predominantly Hindu,but with a sizable Buddhist constituency. This same combination of Sivaitic Hinduism and Buddhism occurs in Bali except that the relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism is more syncretic in nature, with Hinduism grabbing the higher ground though itself greatly modified by native Balinese influences. Nevertheless a number of parallel with the Majapahit erw can still be drawn. For example, the Balinese continue to creamate their dead and cast their ashes upon the sea. And like the ancient Javanese they also conduct a series of post – mortem ritual to free the soul from the pollution of death. One major difference between modern Bali and Majapahit Java is the absence of a physical representation of the deity in Bali, except in the case of a few pre-Majapahit-era temples of great antiquity.

Balinese Culture

The island of Bali is part of the country of Indonesia.

Bali's highest peak, Mount Agung, is said to be the home of the gods.

Bali has suffered from volcanic activity and earthquakes. In 1830 a volcano erupted and devastated much of Bali and in 1917 a severe earthquake was followed by volcanic activity from Mount Batur. There were also volcanic eruptions in the 1960s.

The "Wallace Line" passes between Bali and Lombok islands and between Kalimantan and Sulawesi. In 1869 Alfred Wallace reasoned that there are Asian and Australian animals on either side of the Lombok Strait because Ice Age sea levels prevented animals crossing.

Bali Aga means the "original Balinese". The Bali Aga people live in the villages of Tenganan and Trunyan.

The Balinese build shrines for spirits believed to live in large trees. Artistic offerings are made of flowers and fruit. Rice is also offered to the gods and spirits.

Rice is Bali's main crop. The elaborate irrigation systems encourage a cooperative way of life between the rice growers.

In some regions of Bali there are bull races across the rice fields to please the god of harvest.

The Hindu-Balinese population has a belief in reincarnation. Babies up to six weeks old are treated with reverence as they are thought to have the soul of a reincarnated ancestor.

Cremation is a very important event when the dead person's soul is released.

In 1906 the Netherlands took control of Bali. During the Dutch capture of the island many thousands of Balinese were killed. Puputan Square in Denpasar is named after the suicidal battle of the Balinese aristocracy in their struggle against the Dutch.

In October 2002 a terrorist bomb in Bali (Kuta town) killed over 180 people. Three years later, suicide bombings on the island killed over twenty people.

Welcome to Bali

Bali has long been famous for it's beauty. Temples festival, unique culture, and it's beautiful women, with lush tropical foliage, majestic mountains, splendid lakes, emeralds rice fields, the flora and the fauna of this tropical paradise has long attracted visitors from abroad.

Bali is the hinterland occupied by villages, the pervasive Hindu religion and great countryside. It is a relatively small island, but like many other parts of Indonesia it has its character and fell and its worth taking a few days to travel throughout the island. There is a magnestism about the place and its customs that make the visitors want to experience and learn more about it.

In Bali hardly a day goes by without sort of religious festival, so that your chances of seeing one or more of them are excellent. Temples anniversaries and other religious ceremonies, rites celebrating various stages in a person's life, blessing and purification ceremonies are scheduled according to the special Balinese calender system.


Visitors are always welcome to observe any ceremonies held at Bali's temple or in house compounds. However, please remember that the innermost part of temples is exclusively used for those who are praying and should not be entered by visitors. Ladies who are having their periods are strictly prohibited from entering any temples or holy places.

HAVE A NICE DAYS......

Bali facts

Bali is a province of the Republic of Indonesia, governed by an elected Governor and a local parliamentary assembly. The provincial capital is Denpasar where most government offices are located in the area of Renon.

Bali is devided into eight regencies : Jembrana, Buleleng, Bangli, Tabanan, Badung, Gianyar, Klungkung, and Karangasem.

Bali is predominently Hindhu in culture and great respect should be shown for all festivals, events, and ceremonies which will probably be religious significance.

Where's Bali

Bali is an Indonesian island located at 8°25′23″S, 115°14′55″ECoordinates: 8°25′23″S, 115°14′55″E, the western most of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island.
With a population recorded as 3,151,000 in 2005, the island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.
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