An introduction to traditional Bali

- July 17, 2018

The population of Indonesian islands is predominantly Muslim (about 90%). The island of Bali is an exception where 83% of its people identify as Hindu

As a Hindu, one of the first things i noticed was a small, square containers made from coconut leaves containing colorful flowers,a pinch of rice (or substituted by snacks made of rice), traditional herbs, and small portions of food they have in the house on every street, building, and entrance. Those are offerings are made by Balinese people for the gods as a form of their gratitude.

The offering is called canang or canang sari. It is a part of Balinese Hinduism ritual for daily prayers, usually in the early morning or dusk.

https://travelblog.astadala.com/the-bali-experience/the-history-of-balinese-offerings-canang-sari/

Balinese house is built within a compound surrounded by walls of whitewashed mud or brick, depending on the wealth of the owner.A Balinese house compound contains multiple pavilions( rooms/spaces),Pavilions are usually wall-less. They are built over a low plinth. The pavilions are topped with clay pantiles or thatched roof, which is supported by a timber or bamboo frame. Each house has the family shrine area known as the pamerajan.The pamerajan contains several shrines dedicated to the ancestor of the family as well as several gods of the Balinese Hindu pantheon.Each family line, the Balinese say, was founded by a distinct god, which helps explain why there are so many temples

https://www.gustibali.com/balinese-house-architecture/

https://palm-living.com/balinese-traditional-house/

Balinese temple or pura (Sanskrit for:"walled city") are designed as an open air place of worship within enclosed walls, connected with a series of intricately decorated gates between its compounds. This walled compounds contains several shrines, meru (towers), and bale (pavilions).The Balinese believe that deities are symbols of forces. Of particularly importance to Balinese are the Hindu God Wisnut and the mythical bird Garuda. Arjuna, is another important Hindu god to the Balinese. The Balinese traditionally believed that their gods were defied human beings. Ancestors are said to present in the spiritual world and worldly world and no one knows for sure exactly when they descended to earth and when ancestors are gods. Balinese Hinduism makes no real distinction between the living and dead.

There are several types of ‘Pura’, each serving different functions.
Pura kahyangan jagad (celestial universe) are built upon hillsides or volcanos, near the gods. The most important one of these is the Mother Temple of Besakih on Mount Agung.
Pura segara (ocean) are located by the sea to appease bad spirits. Pura Tanah Lot, Pura Batu Bolong and Pura Uluwatu are great examples.
Pura desa (village) are local temples, modest but popular, intended for everyday prayer and offerings.
Pura tirta (water) are freshwater temples. Many have sacred bathing pools for purification ceremonies. Beautiful examples are Pura Ulun Danu, Pura Taman Ayun, Pura Tirta Empul and Pura Tirta Gangga.
https://sailingstonetravel.com/an-introduction-to-balinese-temples/

Indigenous beliefs, such as animism and the famous ancestor worship, are the backbone of Balinese thinking. Spirits and ancestors are feted with offerings and housed in shrines or natural elements..Although the main Hindu gods are worshiped, equal attention is paid to local, agricultural, and ancestral deities. For the Balinese, reincarnation is a practical business: a return to this world is guaranteed. For someone practicing Indian Hinduism, Balinese Hinduism practices will come as a surprise and could be difficult to accept.

My introduction to Balinese Hinduism was through Taman Ayun temple located in Mengwi Village.Taman Ayun is one of five sites jointly listed as part of the Bali Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site. It is also one of six surviving royal temples on the island, dating back to the 17th century. Highlights include a huge cockfighting pavilion, an ornate watchtower, a beautiful moat and numerous multi-tiered shrines known as meru. The subak (a cooperative water management system of canals and weirs) reflects the philosophical concept of Tri Hita Karana, which brings together the realms of the spirit, the human world and nature.

What caught my attention was that complex houses the Royal family ancestral shrines and the Meru shrines to the major deities and that was something we don't come across in India. Bot there is more to Bali than this culture.
https://www.tripsavvy.com/bali-culture-101-1629107