Padang Bai Beach Development: East Bali

The beautifying of Padang Bai’s front beach on Bali’s central east coast has improved the area no end. Gone are the Rasta shacks and edge of water warung ready to flop into the blue seas like fish just caught; along with kitchen waste and sewerage.

Today the front beach is instead awash with the colors of local wooden prahu or fishing boats, their lobster-like forms resting on the golden sands in wait for the next dawn’s fishing trip.

Padang Bai’s beach again looks like a well-loved fishing village; the prime movers behind the beach clean up, completed recently, were visionary and courageous. Padang Bai is now pretty enough to rival many an international beach destination and should be attracting tourists like lobsters to lobster pots.

However there is a downside to all this smartening up of the place. Women who for years have trawled for customers the beach and its lopsided warung built on bandy-legged stilts, selling their sarongs, fans, paintings, massages and more, are now practically out of a job.

Seventy-four-year-old great grandmother Ida Ayu Rai and her younger sister, Nyoman, travel by bus daily from Gianyar to Padang Bai to sell their wares. For great grandmother, English-speaking Ayu, days at the beach are better than being at home with seven grandchildren to contend with, even if business is not as good as it was pre-beach makeover.

“For me it’s a chance to get away from the grandchildren. Also it’s a healthy way to spend my days and maybe make some income as well. I sell lontar, paintings, fans and other souvenirs.

“Sometimes I might make Rp 100,000, other days I will go home without covering my bus fare. I used to make a lot more before the beach was cleaned up of the warung,” said Ayu.

She adds that despite more tourists visiting the spruced up beach, there is less opportunity to sell her wares.

“In the past we could go into the little warung on the beach and maybe people would be interested, but now with the big restaurants, we are not comfortable entering. But I still like being here — it’s lovely,” Ayu said.

Though Ayu is not totally dependent on her beach earnings, for younger women, such as Wayan Doreen from Klungkung and Nyoman from Padang Bai, the changes to the beach have had a severe impact on their ability to earn a living.

“Visitors no longer rest on this beach. In the past, before the beautification, many people would rest at the warung and meet us afterward on the beach for a massage or to buy a sarong. Now they go to other beaches and don’t relax here so much,” Doreen said.

Both women have school-aged children and are dependent on their income selling souvenirs to cover education costs.

“We now live on borrowings to pay for things like school fees. We never had to do that in the past. It’s getting really hard,” Nyoman said.

Despite the difficulties all the women agree Padang Bai is a good place to work and would not choose to go to different areas. `”I have been here 15 years and during that time tourist numbers have gone up and down. We all find the tourists are always really nice and friendly — never rude. I hope as people hear how good Padang Bai is these days, we get more people coming to visit and we can sell more souvenirs,” said Doreen gathering her mixed basket of souvenirs and loading dozens of sarongs onto her head before heading off in search of customers.

Trisha Sertori

BALI TRADITION AND RELIGION - THE BALINESE HINDUISM -

Though Bali is multi-religious, consisting of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist minorities, the predominant religion is Hinduism.

Balinese Hinduism, called Agama Hindu Dharma, originated from Java and is a blend of Shivaism and Buddhism. The theological foundation for the religion comes from Indian philosophy while indigenous beliefs form the backbone of the rituals. This blending is perfectly acceptable in Bali as the saying goes "The truth is one; the interpretation, multiple."

In Balinese Hinduism, the indigenous beliefs manifest in the belief that nature is "power" and each element is subject to influence from spirits. Ancestor worship is also a part of the beliefs. Spirits and ancestors are treated with respect, and they are housed in a shrine and feted with offerings made from agricultural products.

As Gunung Agung is the abode of the gods and the ancestors, it is revered as the "Mother" mountain and is highly sacred to the Balinese. As water and volcanoes - considered as the wrath of the gods - come from Gunung Agung, the mountain occupies the pole of purity, kaja.

In contrast, the pole of impurity is the sea, or kelod.Balinese Hinduism revolves around this kaja-kelod axis and determines the spatial organization of rituals, architecture and daily life. One sleeps, for example, with one's head in the direction of the mountain.

Religion in Bali varies according to three principles: desa (place), kala (time) and patra (circumstances). Hinduism acknowledges five pillars of faith. They are belief in the one Supreme God (Brahaman of Sang Hyang Widdhi Wasa); belief in the soul as the universal principle of life and consciousness (atma); belief in the fruition of one's deeds (karma phala); belief in the process of birth and death (samsara); and belief in ultimate release (moksa).

One of the consequences of the principles of karma and samsara is the existence of the caste system where an individual inherits his status as a result of his or her past life. The four castes in Bali are the brahmana, who deal with religion and the holy texts; the satria or rulers; the wesia or merchants and the sudras, the lower class.

God has a variety of names. Being multiple and all pervading, he is the Ultimate Void or Sunya expanding in an infinity of murti of manifestations from which people select one as lstadewata or a personal god. Some of the names are indigenous; Sang Hyang Embang, and others of Indian Origin, Sang Hyang Parama Kawi. Ultimately however, all gods are seen as emanating from a single source.

The principle gods are Brahma, the God of Creation; Wisnu, the God of Providence; and Siwa, the God of Dissolution. These three move the world through an unending process of birth, balance and destruction. Man, a microcosm of the world, is subjected to the same process until he or she achieves moksa, blending into the Cosmos and God. The cosmos and it movement is symbolized by the swastika.

Man should endeavor to maintain the harmony of the whole system, hence the role of ritual. Only by adhering to the proper rules of behavior can the proper balance be kept between the two sets of godly and demonic forces. Balinese religion is known to the world through the richness of its rituals. Gods and demons seem to be every where and the life of the Balinese is therefore replete with rituals.

As the tools for maintaining the balance of the world there are rituals for everything imaginable, from knowledge, cleansing machines to marriage and birth ceremonies - all of different types and levels. Rituals consist of calling down the gods and the ancestors for visits from their heavenly abode in their country above the mountain. They come down during temple festivals and are entertained with dances and feted with offerings. They can also be called down through the entreaties of a priest.

Balinese rituals are ruled by a complex calendar system, a combination of the Indian Saka calendar and the Wuku calendar. The Saka year rules the agricultural cycle and is divided into lunar months and fitted into the solar calendar by the addition of an extra month, every thirtieth month. The full moon and the dark moon are the most important ritual moments of this calendar. The first day of the Saka year, however, usually in March is the day of Silence and of profound importance throughout Bali.

The Wuku year consists of a cycle of 210 days divided into thirty wuku weeks, each of which corresponds to a specific activity. There is a week of weapons and one of animals, for example. There are then other types of weeks varying from one to ten days, each having a name and number, being auspicious or inauspicious. The most important days in this system are Galungan and Kuningan, when all the ancestors come down to visit.

Temples in Bali are simple walled open yards from which people can-communicate directly with their gods and ancestors, Gods and ancestors normally "visit" their human worshipers or descendants during temple festivals (odalan). They reside in miniature houses set in the temple, the pelinggih shrines and alight with effigies of gold, coins or offerings.

During the length of their stay, the gods and their companions are symbolically bathed. feted, put to bed and entertained with dances and other shows. Meanwhile members of the temple come and go over three or more days, with offerings and to get their share of holy water sprinkled over them and the offerings during the collective prayers.

There are few societies in the world where religion plays a role such as it does in Bali. The incredible beauty and color that accompanies the rituals and offerings, which seem to be ever occurring, that Bali is continually harmonizing the world of Man with the cosmic world of the Gods.

BALI STYLE ON CONSTRUCTION

The pekarangan (compound) of the "kuren", the Balinese home, is made up of five basic elements: the doorway, with its screen and split arch, the main sleeping area, with its open verandah, a raised barn for storing rice, a kitchen and a bathing area. There may also be a workshop and a family temple.

Theoretically, but rarely in practice, the courtyard is divided up into nine equal parts. If kaja, the Mountainside direction, is taken as north, the family temple is always placed in the north-east corner of the courtyard. The adjacent south-west corner is considered to be the abode of evil and is always left empty.

The lumbung (granary) and the paon (kitchen) are placed in the south-east corner, to the right of some one entering the courtyard. To the incomer's left, situated around the "natah", the centre of the courtyard which is left open to provide a work and recreational area for the family, are three distinct sleeping quarters. Clockwise from an incomer's left are the bale dauh (guests' room) parallel to the west wall, the "meten / bale daja" (the room for parents, grandparents and unmarried girls) parallel to the north wall, and the "bale dangin" (the adults' quarters) parallel to the east wall. An additional bale, the bale delod, may be constructed on the kelod ('south') side if required. The bale dangin is used to celebrate such important rites of passage as weddings and tooth-filing. Children sleep in the bale dauh or in a special 'lion built for them in the north-west corner of the compound.

The word bale means 'pavilion', and the structure of the bale is at least partially open (the even, humid climate means that a roof to provide shelter from the rain is the only real necessity). They will have one or two walls, but the pavilion where the head of the compound resides (with all the family treasures) will be enclosed on all four sides. The pavilions are distinguished from one another by the number of pillars (saka) each has. A six-pillar bale is known as a bale saka-enam, A eight-pillar bale is known as a bale saka-ulu and the largest bale, with twelve pillars, is known as a bale gede. These buildings are constructed with posts set into a masonry base supporting a roof of radiating beamwork. Some have walls of brick or ruff masonry, a feature that probably derived from the temple architecture of medieval east Java. The roof is always crowned with a terracotta finial.
Some roofs are still made of alang-alang grass, sewn onto the ribs of coconutpalm leaves, which are set closely together and tied onto the bamboo or coconutwood roof frame with hard-wearing sugar-palm fibre. Layers of grass thatch are combed with a special rake, then trimmed, and extra layers of grass are added at the four corners. This type of thatch, often 45 centimetres (18 in.) thick, can last for up to fifty years. Nowadays a ceramic tiled roof is more usual (although bamboo is an alternative in the mountains). The beams that support the roof are fitted together and held in place with pegs made from the heartwood of coconut trees. Wooden or stone carvings of protective spirits can commonly be seen over doorways.

Rice barns are the only Balinese buildings that are raised on piles. These piles are topped with large wooden discs just below the main body of the granary to prevent rats from getting in. The barns are thatched with rice straw or alang-alang grass.

All traditional-style Balinese construction follows the prescribed methods laid down in various treatises on building, some of which date back to the fifteenth century. Anyone wishing to build will first commission a master builder, an udangi. After discussing the specifics of the commission, the udangi will first take the client's measurements, and then transfer them onto his bamboo measuring stick. From these are derived the units of measure that determine the dimensions of the compound and the saka.

Firstly there is the depa, which is the distance between the middle fingers when each arm is fully extended to the side. The distance from the tip of the outstretched middle finger to the elbow, known as the hasta (equivalent to the Western cubit) is also added to the measuring stick. The depa and the hasta together are equal to the basic wall measurement unit, which is also added to the stick. According to the old treatises, however, a small adjustment must be made to increase each unit of measurement slightly. This is known as the urip, and is thought necessary to bring the building alive upon completion. In the case of the depa, the urip is the width of the fist with the thumb extended. The three units of measurement added together make the depa asti musti, which is the unit for laying out the compound walls. The corners of the compound are then staked out to the dimensions appropriate both to the client's caste and to the location. The next important job is the cutting and then the setting up of the saka.

Before construction begins, certain ceremonies must be performed. For sacred buildings, the panca datu, five metals (gold, silver, bronze, iron and copper), are buried in the foundations, along with a coconut wrapped around with five differently coloured threads. For secular buildings, the ceremony simply consists of burying bricks wrapped in white cloth. The day of the ceremony and the day on which construction starts must be astrologically auspicious. There are other ceremonies that are conducted at various stages of the building, but the most important is the melaspas, the purificatory rite of completion, which brings the previously 'dead' materials alive as a living house. The house now has feet, body and a head - the foundations, the pillars and the roof.

Of all the Indonesian islands, with perhaps the exception of Java, Bali has been most changed by outside influence, yet, paradoxically, it retains more of its old customs than anywhere else in the archipelago. No doubt this is in part to counteract the ever-increasing numbers of foreign tourists that flood into Denpasar airport every day; but it should not be forgotten that the Balinese have a shrewd business sense, and their attachment to cultural traditions may also be in recognition of the fact that this is what attracts the tourist.

Consequently, although the layout of a Balinese village may not have changed, the houses themselves may be built in a variety of styles, and modern materials will in some cases have replaced traditional ones. Foundations are often now of concrete, and the floors tiled. Walls may be of concrete blocks rather than brick or limestone, and concrete pillars are used instead of teak. In the hotels and restaurants of Kuta and Sanur, however, among the most popular tourist resorts of the island, traditional Balinese building styles, materials and techniques are much in evidence.

The Balinese people's reverence for their culture and their religion runs extremely deep. They will ignore the requirements of business if a religious or social festivity is to be observed. Balinese traditional architecture is changing, but its future seems unclear on an island so flooded with tourists. All the old techniques of building are still keenly practised in the rural areas as well as in the tourist centres. Perhaps the future of vernacular architecture in Bali lies in a blend of the modern and the traditional; the only certainty is that the architectural future will be imbued with the natural Balinese sense of taste, style and fine craftsmanship. It will certainly be prosperous.

EDITOR

Mangening Temple

|In this temple environment there are an ancient Lingga-Yoni and statues that already broken by its age, so it cannot be recognized for sure. From other side that there are also ancient building pickings for example : door step secondhand.

Environmental of this temple is located not far in northside environment Mount Kawi Tampak Siring, and side south walke to go to the environment of temple of Tirta Empul. Apart 15 km from town Gianyar and 37 Km from town Denpasar. This place quite visited by all foreign countries tourist through footpath of the environment of Mount Kawi temple on the periphery of Pakerisan river.

Pursuant to ex-door step result is the History Asylum and Ancient of Bali start to do field perception then caught up with the saving dig. Finally the effort succeed to find the pickings of an ancient building guessed the in form of a prasada, it possible come from the era of Child Wungsu (anak wungsu).

A Miracle in Jemeluk

Jemeluk derived from the word ’menyeluk’ or ’seluk’ which means gulf. This area is famous for its amazing luxurious underwater scenery. Its shallow save and clear water give comfort for visitors who loves diving activity very much, to see tropical fish and other marine lives exist here. Besides the underwater panorama, we can also enjoy beautiful view of the surrounding area, which shows the fascinating scenery of hilly land with its steep valleys that combined with the vast sea. So, for you who love the underwater-sport very much, come to Karangasem, and enjoy the miracle in Jemeluk!

Temples of Bali: Pura Kebo Edan

On the road north from Bedulu towards Tampaksaring you will pass by the Museum Purbakala (worth a visit) on the right-hand side. On the left-hand side not far from there you will see the ‘Mad Buffalo Temple’ or Pura Kebo Edan. Very little is known of this temple. However, Archaeologists have approximately dated the large statue, ‘The Pejeng Giant’, as 700 years old. Urs Ramsayer wrote in his book ‘The Art and Culture of Bali’ that Pura Kebo Edan was most probably a Balinese version of the East Javanese Singosari magic temples. Interestingly these temples were built in the 12th C in Java. Containing some of the oldest statuary in Bali, one amazing and awesome example is that of a giant 3.60-meter tall figure. Quite startling is his huge phallus pierced with four pins, said to increase a woman’s sexual pleasure. Another rather unusual statue is that of a fat, crouching demon. This figure holds an inverted skull to his chest while in his curly hair is an ornament of tiny skulls.

The temple is small in comparison to other temples in this region. The most significant part of this temple is a huge wooden shelter. It stands out in its height and that’s because it houses the four metre giant statue of the Pejeng Giant. This interesting statue has snakes seemingly curling around its ankles and wrists. The most prominent feature of the statue is its well-endowed and realistic penis. There is a lot of debate regarding whether or not this ‘giant’ is actually a demon or a God. It is said that it could be a Bima (a warrior-lover). However, its dating is around the 13th or 14th C, and again, there is debate as to its influent creation. Some Archaeologists state that it was either by Shivaite or Tantric Bhuddist cults or factions. Interestingly, the giant is flanked by two ‘raksasa’ (Hindu mythical giants) threateningly decorated with skulls.

The legend behind this pura is fascinating. The Giant or Bima had immense desires for a woman. However, his rather large penis was too large for her and subsequently the woman took another lover. Bima, at one point in time, found the couple copulating and immediately set out to stomp them to death out of anger.