The Regency of Buleleng

The Regency of Buleleng

The regecy of Buleleng consists of a flat region exending from west to east with a mountainous area which begins at about 30 km into the hinterland to the south. Buleleng produces coffee, copra, cows, pigs, and fruits of which the so called jeruk Sumanga (oranges A) is very wellknown.

1. The city of SingarajaThe capital of the regency of Buleleng is Singaraja, 86 km from Denpasar; Singaraja is located on the sea and its port, Buleleng, is lively with merchant ships loading export product like cows, pigs, and cotton bolls. At various places in Singaraja, there are also art shops and the market are crowded, especially during the fruit season. Around the town there are also ancient temples and with very unusual Balinese carvings.
   

Read more »

The Regency of Karangasem

The Regency of Karangasem

This regency is located in the eastern part of Bali, in a low, flat and stony hill. In the middle of the regency is the noble mountain in Bali. A great part of the population are farmers but much of the region is hilly and stony, so that to soil is not so fertile, especially since the eruption of Gunung Agung in the 1963 when a major part of the regency of Karangasem became dry and follow

Read more »

The Regency of Bangli

The Regency of Bangli

Bangli regency which is located in the middle of Bali, at an altitude of 500-1.600 m above sea level. It has three mountains, namely Gunung Batur (1717 m) and Gunung penulisan (1745 m). the population is 123.793 sculs and are for the most part farmers. The regency of Bangli produces many vegetables and fruits.

The city of Bangli

The capital of the regency is Bangli. Around there are many ancient ruins like temples, castles etc. The air is fresh due to its location in the mountains.

1. 
   
   
   Gunung Batur
   
   
   
   

A still active volcano with a lake called danau Batur on its slope.surrounded by mountains areas with roads which seem as high as the mountains and connect it to other regions. Gunung Batur with trace of lava on its slopes is a most impressive sight.

Read more »

The Regency of Klungkung

The Regency of Klungkung

The regency of Klungkung is almost in the middle of the island of Bali, consisting of flat plain and hilly regions with deep ravines. This region stretches to the coast of Nusa Penida a small island which is a part of the regency. Most of the populations are peasants who also make handicrafts while there are also laborers and fishermen. The Klungkung region was injuried by the eruption of the Gunung Agung Volcano In 1963, which left vast traces of black lava in the fields and rice-paddies.

The City of Klungkung or Semarapura

The capital of the regency of klungkung is called Semarapura. It is of the regency’s Government activities with many antigue buildings and art shop, 40 km from Denpasar.

1. 
   
   
   Pura Goa Lawah
   
   
   
   

A pura at the beach of Pesinggahan, 6 km east of klungkung or 46 km from denpasar. This pura is from sadkhayangan, a remnant of the age when Empu Kulturan reigned Bali. It is located on the slope of a hill in a big cave (goa) with a stupa in it. It served as a place of worship for the Hindu Balinese in the Klungkung region on uku Medangsia once in every 7 months, on Tuesday Kliwon, and especially for those who have just finished the pitra jadnya (ngaben) ceremony which is called “Ngajar-ajar”. This ceremony is only performed at Puras located in the mountains or near the coast.

Read more »

Gianjar regency

Gianjar regency

The Gianjar regency ic located in the middle of south Bali 30 km from Denpasar and has many historical sites and buildings. Most of the inhabitants are peasants who work on handicraft such as sculpturing, painting, and planting.

1. 
   
   
   
   
   The City of Gianjar
   
   
   
   
   
   

The city of Gianjar rgency has a historic building (puri) and a busy market

2. 
   
   
   
   
   The village of Bona
   
   
   
   
   
   

Bona village is well known for its plaiting, making hats, bags etc. from lontar (palm) leaves, besides the “Cak dan Sangyang” dance. Its is 27 km from Denpasar.

Read more »

Bandung Regency

Bandung Regency

The Badung regency is located at a low plateu with surface of 497.95 square km and 363.062 inhabitants, more of them are peasants, besides that there are traders, workers entertainers coast and fishermen.

The City of Denpasar

The capital of the regency of Badung is Denpasar, which is also the capital of the province of Bali. Thus Denpasar is the centre pf government activities, both from the regency and from province. The city is filled with civilian and military office building, banks, school buildings and the buildings of Udayana University. It is also the center of the activities of the office of tourism (DIPARDA BALI). Travel agents, arts and regional handicraft workshops are found every where, such a big small hotels and places for recreation like cinemas (3 cinemas). At the banjar hall the people perform religious and adat ceremonies and meetings. There are also special buildings for cockfight (“Tajen”). Denpasar has about 600.000 inhabitants.

Read more »

Tabanan Regency

Tabanan Regency

The Tabanan regency is located in a region formed by a low plateau and mountains, in which the mountain of Batu Karu (height 237 m from sea level) towers high in the air like a cushion on the north, while on the south, a low plateau with spacious rice fields spreading to the sea shore. Her people gather natural salt while the sea brings forth fish. Most of the inhabitants are peasants, growing rice, cash crops, copra and coffee and breeding pigs and cows.

The City of Tabanan

Tabanan is the capital of the Tabanan Regency, with Government activities, schools and a busy market only 21 km from Denpasar. Around the town there are old historic buildings like: temple and castles. Kota Tabanan is the birth place of the great natural artist named Maryo, and his pupils are at present spread over the whole region, among others: I Gusti Ngr Raka (50 years), from Penebel and Kerambitan respectively.

Old / historic building

Read more »

Jembrana Regency

Jembrana Regency

The Jembrana Regency is located at the western end of the island of Bali, extending from east to west in the form of low land and mountains with dense forest, with wild life like tigers, wild boars. Snakes and other animals like small deer’s, monkeys and numerous birds, among others the jalak putis (white starling) which still exist only in this region. The inhabitants of ± 300.000 souls are for the most part peasants, besides breeders of pigs cows and water buffaloes. Further important, they raise rice, maize, second crops and copra, on their farms.

Kota Negara

The Jembrana regency’s capital is Negara. Site of trade activities and busy economic traffic due to its location near the western gateway to Bali, namely the port of Gilimanuk, 90 km from Denpasar, provincial capital.

Gilimanuk

The port of Gilimanuk is the western gateway to Bali, a port for import and export of economic goods and the first stop for foreign and domestic tourist coming from Java. The “Kintamani” passenger boat goes in and out of the harbor from 06.00 hours to 17.00 hours ferrying between the port of Ketapang (east java) and Gilimanuk.

Read more »

BARONG DANCE

BARONG DANCE

The barong dance describes the battle of justice against wickedness. Barong is a pre-historic animal which symbolizes justice, while Rangda is a horrible pre-historic animal and symbolize wickedness. The opening Gamelan melody of the baring dance begins with the barong and monkey in a dense forest. At that moment three masked persons appear, representing three villagers who are making tuwak or palm wine. They are sad because their child has been eaten with extraordinary courage fight against the tiger that in this case is the barong. Also the monkey appears and during the battle against the tiger, on of the three villagers is bitten on his nose by a monkey. This form is the introduction which is a prologue to the first act. Then two dancers who are followers of rangda looking for their friend. They meet other dancer’s followers of Dewi (Goddess) Kunti, who are on their way to meet their regent. The second act begins at the moment that the followers of Dewi Kunti arrive, and suddenly a follower of said Dewi Kunti suddenly transforms into a devil in the form of Rangda. Then he enters his evil spirit into the followers of Dewi Kunti causing them to become high tempered. Both met the regent together and report to Dewi Kunti, then in the third act Dwei Kunti appears together with her child sadewa. Dwei Kunti Promises Rangda she will render he child Sadewa, to him as an offering. Actually Dewi Kunti Does not have the heart to deliver her child as an offering but the devil in the form of Rangda has already entered her with his evil sprint and suddenly Dewi Kunti becomes in ill tempered person and with relief she turns over her child, Sadewa, to the regent to be thrown away in forest and ties him in front of Rangda’s place. The god Siwa arrives afterwards and gives eternal life to Sadewa unknown to Rangda. After learning of this Rangda becomes furious and tries to kill Sadewa, though it proves that he is invulnerable by the grace of god Siwa.

Read more »

THE KECAK DANCE

THE KECAK DANCE

Originally the kecak was a choir of mean who by their litanies cooperated with Sangyang virgin. The intention of any sangyang performance was that, the girl in a state of trance (semi-consciousness) would be capable of hearing and telling the wishes of the god or the ancestors.

At present this kecak is also performed with a special story (libretto). This story has beeb chosen from the Ramayana saga. Very condensed, the content of the Ramayana saga is a follows:

Read more »

NGABEN – CREMATION

NGABEN – CREMATION

The Pitra Yadnya ceremony is popularly as Ngaben or cremation. In the Balinese language, ngaben means to supply the deceased with the things he needs in his journey trough the after life to be united with the Lord Sang HyangWidhi, or at least to reincarnate in the form of more perfect creature. Once a soul has been repeatedly reborn into the world, it will, according to the law of Karma Phala, become perfected and be freed of worldly cares to become one with the source of all things, the One and Only God.

In the Hindu dharma holy books, the ngaben ceremony is referred to as Atiwa-Tiwa. This rite constitutes a sacrifice to the forefather for their mutual welfare and those forefathers who have returned to the afterlife to become one with the source of all things, the Lord Sang

Read more »

SINGARAJA

SINGARAJA

Singaraja was the capital of the province of the Lesser Sunda Island before Bali is formed a separate province the town is quiet, not too crowded and interesting for tourists. It would be a pity if it should not be visited by the tourists. It would be a pity if it should no be visited by the tourists because north Bali has a beautiful mountain with a golf course of 18 holes, can easily take a run down to the beach for a fresh water streaming into the sea. 82 km from Singaraja in the direction of Gilimanuk at a small hill, there is a grave of Jaya Prana. Before 1970 there was only a small and very tiring road to the grave but now this is no more the case. The permanent grave, which walled in and has a tiled roof near Candi Bentar is much visited by domestic tourists. The view of Pulau Menjangan (Deer Island). This island is indeed a reservation of deer’s that becoming scare in Indonesia. The people of Kalianget and even a major part of the North Bali believe in the history of Jaya Prana. The temple of Jaya Prana is worshiped by the local people who maintain a rice mortar and a garden for bathing which belong to Jaya Prana. The history of Jaya Prana became popular when a composer from buleleng who pitra as pseudonym wrote it in the form of Pupuh Ginada.

Read more »

Belanjong and the Beach of Sanur

Belanjong and the Beach of Sanur

At the tip of sanur village, there is a small settlement called Belanjong. It is not far from Bali beach Hotel, only km to the north-west via the road the road in the front of Hyatt hotels. It can be reached from two directions, namely from the east via a road passing Tanjungsari, Gazebo, Hyatt hotel etc, and from the west passing the crossroad to serangan island at the village of Suwung Batan Kendal. Belanjong became renowned because it was introduced by archaeologists like: Dr. R. Goris, Dr. W.F. Stutterheim and Dr. A.J. Bernet Kampers because it is the site of “Tugubatu” (stone monument) in the from of a stamba with old writing. The location of this written monument is only a few meter south-east of an old Pura named Pura Belanjong. The monument is round and long, about 177 cm high ang 70 cm in diameter. On top ther is a crown in the form of lotus. These stone give us a glimpse of old Bali history. A small hall has been constructed to protect it against damages caused be nature. The specialty of this written stone monument which generally called “Linggaksara” or “Prasasti Belanjong”, is that this stone is inscribed with two character and it is bilingual. On the eastern part it is written in old Bali characters and Sanskrit. On the western side it is written in Dewa nagari characters and old Balinese language. But unfortunately almost all the characters are damaged in such a way that only a small part can be read.

Read more »

Kuta Beach

Kuta Beach

Kuta beach is located along the Western shore, in the district of Kuta, Badung Regency about 12 km to the South of Denpasar, and about 3 km to the North of the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Kuta beach has been well known for many years, having been the choice of foreigners for their residence like Mads Lange, the Danish “Rajah of Bali” around 1900 and Robert Cokks opened hotels in the twenties.

Read more »

Caste Levels and Titles in Bali

Caste Levels and Titles in Bali

I. BRAHMANA (Status / function; in the religious field)

1. Ida Pedanda (Sulinggih)

   Has already performed in the Religious Holy Ceremony and is allowed to lead the Hindu Religion’s  ceremony

2. a. Ida Bagus (for males)

    b. Ida Ayu (for females)

II. KSATRIA (Status / function; in the field of government and armed forces)

1. A. I Gusti Anglurah

        (Ngurah) = king

        I Gusti Ayu (Queen)

    B. I Dewa (male)

        I Dewa Ayu (female)

       

Read more »

Bali

BALI

If you know Bali from a distance, either from stories of impressions from friends who visited the island you still can’t know it until you have seen it by yourself. Do you know that Bali is part of Indonesia? Many people indeed know Bali abroad but have never heard of Indonesia. So Bali is better known than Indonesia, why? Because since olden times Bali has been the pre – eminent place for sight-seeing for tourists from all part of the world. And not all those tourists who went to Bali had the time to visit the other adjacent regions of Indonesia which are in no way less beautiful.

Read more »