A peep into Bali

Bali  is a place that vibrates with rituals and culture.  It is intoxicating and embraces people of all ages in its folds. From sea beaches to temples, from volcano to paddy fields, Bali has it all.  Added to all this is its rich culture which attracts people from all over. 

Greetings:

Balinese welcome people with  folded hands and say Aum Swasti Astu (aum) (ओम )= a mystical mantra, the primordal sound; swasti(स्वस्ति ) = all peace, astu (अस्तु )= be it so, so putting it in simple terms, peace be upon you. 

Lord Ganesh:

I don't need to give much introduction to the picture below.  He is lord Ganesh, the most revered of all gods. He is supposed to be a hurdle remover, wisest of all, and no Hindu  ceremony ever commences without His blessings. The entrance to a Bali house is graced by a statue of Lord Ganesh. He is revered in South-Asian countries as well. 

                     A Chanang is always placed in front of Lord Ganesh who is the all Supreme

Yaksha and Yakshika(यक्ष -यक्षिका) :
Apart from Ganesh, you cannot miss the stone statues on either side of the entrance.

But what are they and what for? I was talking to some one and she referred to them as demons.  Hold on, they are not  demons.  But are callled Yaksha and Yakshika.

They are supposed to be protectors of Kuber, the god of wealth. Since, a house is the place of wealth, these figures protect your house.  Some statues are beautifully decorated  and painted. Sadly, I could not take pictures of them. They are covered with white and black check cloth.  White and black symbolizes the good and evil.  There needs to be a balance of this in a house.

I was tempted to get a pair of Yaksha and Yakshika  back home with me, but they are made of stone and were so heavy.  Maybe, in my next visit, I will succeed in finding a small pair.

                               Yaksha                                                                                Yakshika                                    

Penjor :

Penjor at Besakih temple                                                      Penjor at GWK

The long bamboo pole that you see in the above picture is called a Penjor.  These are placed  along road sides or inside a temple. This long bamboo pole is very artistically decorated with dried coconut leaves.  The upper end tapers down. There are many versions of the significance of a Penjor. I don't know which is the correct one but whatever it is, they look very pretty and  give Bali an exotic and grand look.

According to mythology, Mount Meru is considered to be the center of universe by Hindus.  This mountain rests on the hood of Vasuki, a coiled gigantic coiled serpent.  Penjor symbolises Vasuki with its mouth towards the earth.  The long bamboo pole with its tapering end resembles a serpent. You would see offerings near the mouth or base of this pole to keep the serpent satisfied.  Mount Agung, which is the highest mountain in Bali is said to be synonymous to  Mount Meru.  Young coconut leaves on penjor are the scales of the serpent.

Another version as was told to me is that a decorated Penjor symbolizes mountains and the forest which should be protected and thank the nature for all it has given them.
I was told that they are decorated beautifully during Galungan which unfortunately, I have not had the chance to see.  On my trip, this time, I saw most of them covered with a cloth.

   Penjor covered with cloth                                       Penjor decorated  with coconut leaves

Gebogan:
Gebogans are Hindu Balinese offerings to God.  They are pyramidal in form and are made of fruits, flowers, chicken, coconut, rice. Women folks carry the gebogan on their heads to the temple. There they are offered and blessed by priest.  The perishable items are consumed soon after.  Some are taken home to be shared with friends and relatives. The gebogans are traditionally meant as offerings for God but now they can seen as decorative purposes also.

A temple procession with women carrying Gebogan on their heads

A decorative Gebogan 

I was breathtaken by the beautiful gebogan pictured above which Conrad, Bali had placed near their melt-in -the-mouth granola squares and muffins.

Bali kites or Layangan :

Do I add kites to this post? Is'nt kite flying a fun activity ?  But, in Bali, kites or Layangan as they are called there are supposed to take the message to Hindu gods of giving them a good harvest ! 

Bali has an international kite flying competition in July every year. You see a variety of kites as dragons, owls, parrots, frog...the list is endless.

So, along with fun, kite flying is also a ritual.

I liked most of them and had a difficult time deciding what to take home. Afterall, they had to be carried with so much care during the journey.

A sail boat shaped kite at Tanah Lot

Dragon shaped kite adorning my wall   

Plenty of kites fly in the skies of Tanah Lot.