Craftsmanship, Business and Devotion

Craftsmanship, Business and Devotion

Balinese ancestors have passed on the working spirit always stressing physical and inner harmony. Take the example of a man occupied in farming in Bali, having the interest of achieving physical and spiritual balance by prayer to Dewi Sri as a symbol of fertility. A fisherman in executing his profession would be ready to pray before Dewa Baruna, the god of wind. Similar is the case with other professionals, the fisherman has also attached pronouncement of words inviting mysterious spirits believed to be capable of being materialized into reality.

In view of the dependency to natural forces as shown in various deeds and activities in rituals, artistry implements have emerged in complete rituals. Samples of these arts are those of painting, architecture, carving of statues, dance, music and so on. Presently, the arts function merely as a means of rituals in temples and royal palaces or private house of nobles. They really dedicate their daily activities in arts to ritual and traditional processions in the spirit of flexible teachings of Hindu religion. Their daily jobs have their own value of service or ngayah dedicated toward achieving physical and spiritual living perfection. Just because of this concept of ngayah too, artists of past time have never printed their names on their works. They are of greater tolerance in friendship relations, while preferring to uphold joint existence, committed social intercourse of mutuality known in Balinese as personal relations of asah, asih, asuh, paras, paros, sarpanaya, sagilik-saguluk, salunglung, sabayantaka. Such social relations have contributed to the anonymity of artistic works found in later periods, suggesting that Balinese culture was more communal in character. Arts in Bali originate from the pre-historical age, divided into four periods of (1) Pre-Hindu Time (8th Century); (2) Balinese Kings’ (8th – 13th Century); (3) Arrival of Majapahit Migrants (8th – 15th Century); (4) Period of Contact with Westerners and Age of Independence (15th – 20th Century). Take the example of work of arts of painting and sculpturing of the Pre-Hindu Age, according to data found in Bedulu’s Antiquity Museum (Gianyar regency). This museum houses tools made of stone of (Paleolithicum Age), instruments made of bones and horn (Mezolithicum Age), refined instruments of stone (Age of Neolithicum), sarcophagus (Age of Megalithicum), and various idols, bracelets, kettle-drums, and lamps, from the Bronze and Iron Age. Development of the art of painting and sculpturing during the Pre-Hindu era has shown signs of direct influence of Hindu culture flourishing in Bali. During this era, sectarian ideas sprouted out of sects of Siwa, Wisnu, Bairawa, and others. Remnants of these ideas have persisted in megalithic Pancering Jagat Temple in Trunyan and Bairawa statue in Pejeng. A bronze kettledrum in “Penataran Sasih” Temple of Desa Pejeng, is also a remainder from Pre-Hindu times. This kettledrum is more popular in Bali as “Bulan Pejeng” or “Moon of Pejeng”, being the largest bronze drum on the Earth. There are paintings of frogs, leaves of “Semanggi” Hirdrocotyle sibthorpiolides, complete with a lining of rays symbolizing a call to rain. Apart from this, the kettledrum war instrument is probably a masterpiece ever been created by human beings. During the reign of Ugrasena (896 M), in his “prasasti” inscription there is a story of “parbhwayang”. Around the ninth century (1045 - 4147), in some inscriptions issued by King of Raja Anak Wungsu, there is an _expression of “aringgit” introduced. It signals that there was a knowledge known by a group of experts skilled in painting of wayang puppets. In one of the inscriptions, there is a drawing of wayang motive picturing God of “Batara Siwa”. Following are ancient scripts in the form of “lontar” manuscript, containing pictures featuring the story of wayang or legend still favoured by the Balinese community. Pictures designed in this manuscript is a miniature of beautiful paintings, worked out by means of a tool such as a sharp-pointed knife on a flat “lontar” leaf of very tiny format with measurement of about 2 cm up to 5 cm, of length of 11 up to 18 cm. The cleft produced by the trace of the knife is filled with a mixture of oil and soot. After Dewa Agung Jambe’s governance rule, the kingdom centre moved to Semarapura. There were Dewa Agung Jambe and his whole entourage, studying in depth the Hindu religion, arts, literature, and philosophy. Dalem Klungkung currently showed great interest, rendered blessing protection and performed developing efforts to artists of Kamasan Village. These performances by the ruler have showed his role as elders close to Kamasan artists. Visually, there are two sorts of paintings distinguished from each other firstly that called by Balinese “ider-ider”, while the second being “langse” or curtain. The first paintings are made of cloth usually 30-cm wide and with a maximum length of 600 cm. These paintings are usually hung under the roof of houses or temple buildings during a religious ritual. The second paintings are hung under the temple or house roof during rituals. In present development of Bali’s tourism, cultural arts in Bali have grown dynamically not merely in painting, architecture, and literature, but also in ways of thinking and living among Balinese community members in daily events. Nevertheless, the Balinese have never just simply imitated those coming from overseas, but they have been selective and adaptive in accommodating foreign influences in concert with local values and customs. In this way, a new cultural assimilation has come to the fore between Western and Balinese culture. According to Wood (1984) and Picard (1993), in an exposition made by Pitana (2000), tourism was capable of rendering a specific dynamic development of Balinese culture of its own, preceded by conscience on internal differentiation of ever changing culture absorbing tourism influence. A more realistic approach is to look on tourism as a carrier of “foreign influence, integrated into local culture in a process known as “touristification”. Balinese culture instilled with the spirit of Hindu religion is highly complicated and dynamic in character as shown in an analogy forwarded by James Boon, a U.S. anthropologist (1997), when he wrote the following: “Balinese culture is a romance of ideas and action”. This has been due to various differentiation and accumulation of variables of respective tradition and culture, in line with the Balinese concept of “desa, kala, patra”, referring to place, time, and condition. In Balinese cultural history, it has come to the fore a syncretism process among various cultural elements during thousands of years through cultural intercourse between Balinese people and the international world such as China, Egypt, Japan, India, and Europe. Nevertheless, in absorbing foreign cultural elements, history has shown, the Balinese community have indirectly accommodated foreign cultural elements intact. What has happened is such a way of screening and modification in conform to Balinese culture. Such happening has resulted in screened element absorption, which seemingly has been originally Balinese. Bali has been conscious of the term of “artist” following the influence of the western world. Artists independently have often signed their names on their own works evidently, with an aim of publicity among community members. Nevertheless, previously, ahead of the influx of Western influence, the term of “artist” conformed to the word “tukang” (craftsman) in Bali professionally meaning artisan skilled in decoration with ornaments, known also locally as “sangging”, while artisan skilled in building development is locally named “tukang bangunan” or “undagi” (building developer). The term of “tukang” has been applied to other professions such as “tukang igel” (dancer) synonymous with “pragina”. These professions originally were an inheritance going down from ancestors among certain people. Before being engaged in the profession, one should observe a religious ritual procession of cleansing. Without existence of the term of “artists”, Balinese people have really integrated themselves in performing artist activities. It is not strange if M. Covarrubias characterised all Balinese as artists.

Seeking Spiritual Enlightenment

Whenever an emotional crisis strikes the mind, the way forward is very often sought in spiritualism. This is even more so the case nowadays as modernization, and the era of information technology has led man to further alienation from his inner self. To regain the harmony, many resort to the activities that offer spiritual comfort. This phenomenon has significantly swamped the tourism world and tours of spiritual tours have gained increasing popularity. Since early 1980s, a number of travel agents have aggressively offered packages of spiritual tourism, for example to Jerusalem and Lourdes for Christians, Mecca and Medina for Moslems and Tirtayatra to India for Hindus. For domestic tourists, tours have been prepared to visit Borobudur Buddhist temple and other Hindu temples such as Prambanan and Dieng, as well as to other believed-to-be sacred caves or tombs all over Indonesia. Bali, in this case, clearly ranks as the priority destination since its natural charm offers a great spiritual destination. Tourism proponents have done their best to promote this trend. Spiritual pre-eminenceTravel agents or hotel managements have arranged special locations for meditation activities, together with the necessary spiritual pre-eminence (meditation or Yoga experts) to instruct tourists on spiritual exercises. As Bali Travel News has observed, tourism areas in Bali that offer spiritual tours include Pacung - Bedugul, Belimbing - Pupuan (Tabanan), Pemuteran (Singaraja), Tampak Siring - Gunung Kawi (Gianyar) and Lembongan - Nusa Penida (Klungkung). However, according to the operators of spiritual tours and tourist impressions, the potential region for this sort of tour is Eastern Bali, particularly Karangasem as Besakih, the mother temple of Bali and the sanctified Mount Agung lie in this region. Karangasem also houses Lempuyang and other temples which Balinese classify as Khayangan Jagat (temple for homage to the universe). It is a well-known fact that Balinese community figures, governmental functionaries and entrepreneurs pray for blessings and stay awake all night long in the temple before undertaking any other important activities.Tourism proponents in Karangasem rely more on natural than other factors to anticipate the market trend that now demands more spiritual elements in the package offered. The tourism potential of Karangasem is in fact just as attractive as that of its neighboring regions.

BALI THE ISLAND OF GOD

Bali, The Island of the Gods Except for being renowned as the Island of the Gods, Bali is also frequently considered the last paradise by foreign travellers, probably including you who are now spending pleasurable holiday in Bali. This epithet is indeed logic and not excessive as wherever visitors go during the island excursion will easily encounter a pura or sanctum for the Balinese.Every nook and cranny of Bali, ranging from coastal territory to mountaintop occur grandiose temples and at all times hold earnest ritual procession, either in large or small scale. During the Galungan and Kuningan feast day, at the beginning of May 2006 for instance, atmosphere of temples and other holy places are extremely exceptional. Other than embellishing its edifices with colourful fabric paraphernalia, they are also festooned with ceniga (ornament made of young coconut leaf) portraying distinctive philosophical meaning. At temple’s middle courtyard are set up a couple of parasols, umbul-umbul, pennants and spears. In the meantime, at the outermost is erected a pair of penjor (decorated bamboo pole) representing the tribute of land crops and prosperity graced by Sang Hyang Widhi, the Almighty God.Every single temple has its own piodalan or temple festival in compliance with wariga almanac system in Bali. On the temple festival, the Balinese from all villages throng to perform worship to such temples and invoke safety. Procession of devotees on departing to temple and ritual series comes to be an immensely appealing spectacle. If you make a holiday in Bali, see the Balinese worshipping earnestly and hold the ritual from early morning to late night assuredly give new and unique experience to you. Exuberant ambience of the ritual and socio-religious activity of the Balinese comparably describes the atmosphere of the kingdom of heaven so then Bali is identical to the island of the gods.Pura is originated in Sanskrit word, namely the root ‘pur’ meaning castle. Similarly, pura stands for kahyangan meaning the abode of the gods. Hyang corresponds to pinnacle. While, that radiating rays is equivalent to deva. Balinese people believe that higher place or shining peak is the abode of deities and God. It is said that many foreign visitors having outstanding spiritual power can see many places in Bali spreading out glorious yellow rays and devout vibration. These spiritual tourists probably have introduced Bali as the Island of the Gods or the Last Paradise. You may, unquestionably, believe it or not. However, it would be very advisable if you try to experience it by yourself during your holiday in Bali such a hallowed vibration around the temple you visit.Process of making the temple according to guidance of palm-leaf manuscript Sang Hyang Kamahayanikan where a temple should be encircled by border, fence or wall (castle) as a specific marker and is also meant to maintain the purity of the location later. According to belief of the Balinese, establishing a temple along with its requirements and ritual order constitute one of the implementations of Dewa Yadnya (holy sacrifice to God) concept. Palm-leaf manuscript Tatwaning Kusuma Dewa expounds how one constructs a sanctum along with its ritual procession to get superior bliss in his or her lifetime. Temples spreading throughout Bali are vigorous alcazar to secure the safety of the island and Balinese people against various hazards.Temple in Bali is divided into two kinds, namely kahyangan and clan temple. Kahyangan temple is public temple used as worshipping place of the general public. While the clan or kemimitan temple is used for venerating ancestral soul being considered to have become a deva. Chiefly pertaining to kahyangan temple in accordance with its hierarchy is then divided again into two divisions, namely kahyangan jagat and kahyangan desa. The kahyangan jagat is temple of which supporting devotees originited in every nook and cranny of Bali, while kahyangan desa has devotees merely from the local villagers.Kahyangan jagat temple consists of the Sad Kahyangan and Dang Kahyangan Temple. The Sad Kahyangan is nucleus temple becoming the universal veneration temple of the Hindus, namely the Besakih, Lempuyang and Andakasa in Karangasem, the Batur in Bangli, the Batukaru in Tabanan, the Goa Lawah in Klungkung and the Pucak Mangu in Badung. Meanwhile, the Dang Kahyangan is the temple having relationship to the pilgrimage of the saints like Dang Hyang Dwijendra in Bali such as the Purancak and Rambutsiwi in Jemberana, Petitenget and Uluwatu in Badung, the Batuklotok, Ponjok Batu and Pulaki in Buleleng Regency. In addition, there are temples becoming the worshipping place of the Hindus but do not belong to the Sad Kahyangan or Dang Kahyangan, namely the Tirta Empul at Tampaksiring, Penataran Sasih at Pejeng and Candi dasa.Referring to the seminar on the Coherence of the Interpretation towards the Aspects of Hinduism held by the Hindu Dharma Council of Indonesia, the existence of the Kahyangan Jagat in Bali is based on the Rwabhineda, Catur Lokapala and Sad Winayaka conception. Temples referring to the Rwabhineda conception are the Besakih as purusha (male element) and the Batur as pradhana (female element). Those that based on Catur Lokapala conception are the Lempuyang, Andakasa, Batukaru and Pucak Mangu Temple, while that based on Sad Winayaka namely the Besakih and Lempuyang in Karangasem, the Goa Lawah in Klungkung, the Uluwatu in Badung, the Batukaru in Tabanan and the Puser Tasik (Pusering Jagat) in Gianyar.Since the rapid growth of tourism in Bali, many temples have become attractive tourist objects. Other than location is far from hustle and bustle of business activities they retain magnificent natural view. Just take examples like Tanah Lot Temple in Tabanan, the Uluwatu in southern Badung, the Besakih in Karangasem, the Tirta Empul at Tampaksiring in Gianyar have become renowned temples around the world.Besakih Temple, the mother temple of Bali, perched on the foot of Mount Agung, including one of the wonders of the world. Tanah Lot and Uluwatu Temple are the magnet for tourists that like to see the pounding waves and offshore view while gazing at the sunset leaving for its beautiful berth. Tirta Empul Temple at Tampaksiring is a convenient place for self-purification while taking a bath at the shower having endless water flows. And, of course, there are many more nice temples to visit, including a couple of temples belonging to royal families in Bali that up to the present times remain to be well maintained. For instance, Taman Ayun Temple of the Mengwi Royal Palace is a tempting place and frequently selected to hold some tourism event like cultural dinner function.To enter the temple area, one should pay attention to some local orders, including you, foreign visitors. For example, every visitor should wear Balinese costumes. Women who are in their period, those in condolence (who having death within the family) and the disable or patient suffering from contagious diseases are not allowed to enter the temple. In the meantime, within the innermost courtyard of the temple, household mothers are forbidden to breastfeed their baby and all visitors should practice the tri kaya parisudha (three attitudes being sanctified composed of thoughts, words and deeds). For further details, your tour guide will explain more in accordance with local tradition as each village in Bali has a bit different tradition..