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Padmasana is a shrine to the Hindu people of Bali to worship the Almighty God (Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa). Although Hindu religion in Bali is from India, but the Balinese combined it with the breath of the original Balinese ancient believes. Padmasana is the symbol and image of the macrocosm or universe (Bhuana Agung). […]

Otonan or Ngotonin is a ceremony commemorating the birthday of one year based on Wuku, 6 (six) months times 35 days = 210 days. The fall day of Otonan will coincide with Sapta Wara, Panca Wara, and Wuku. Otonan ceremonial purposes is to give thanks to Hyang Widhi for the gift of longevity, as well

Introduction ‘Ngereh‘ is a mystical ritual procession carried out in the middle of the night and it was the final stage of the ‘sacralized’ process Rangda, or Barong and Barong Landung masks. This is the final stage of the process to rehabilitate old or damaged mask. The meaning of ‘Sacralize’ is activities to empowerment the

The towering Meru with its tiered sugar palm fiber roofs and elegant silhouette is the prima ballerina of many temple courtyards. This Balinese pagoda, a shrine to the higher deities, always has an odd number of roofs, with a maximum of 11.

Men Temple Cloth wear a Kain Kamben wrapped around from the waist down covering the legs and rolled around the waist and tied with a flourish, the long fold falling between the legs and nearly reaching the ground.  

Understanding ‘Melukat’ ‘Melukat’ is part of the Manusa Yadnya (holy sacrifice which dedicated to human being) ceremony . Melukat aims to cleanse and purify the human body and soul in order to preventing from havoc, bad luck and sickness. The havoc caused by acquired activities and sins, whether originating from the remainder of the previous

The Balinese people believe that all their daily life active is connecting to the Melaspas and Mecaru after finishing the new home, which is implementation their sacrifice (Yadnya) and to implementation the thanks to the Almighty God, where the form by doing upakara has they own purpose with many kind of offering to the god

One of the unique tradition in Bali, where thousands of people from each “Banjar” in the Munggu, Badung participate by bringing the wood along the 3.5 meter, this tradition called “Mekotek”. Mekotek itself derived from the word-tek tek which is the sound of wood that pitted one another.

This type of gate/ Kori Agung is said to show the reunion of the halves of the Candi Bentar. Shrines for offerings often flank such gates.  

Functional Temples have special characteristic of which the people (the caretaker of the temple) are those who have the same profession for their living such as; farmer, trader and fisherman. Examples of Functional Temples are as follows : a. In Bali farming is one of main jobs to earn a living both for rice field

Ancestors are very important to the Balinese. Each Balinese family has a Family Temple to worship God Almighty and glorify the ancestor and of course, in this family temple ancestors worship is given a great emphasis. The Family Temple is usually situated in the kaja-kangin corner – kaja being in the direction of the holy

Candi Bentar is arch-shaped building term for two similar buildings and unvarying but a mirror symmetry that restricts the left and right of the entrance. The temple has no roof liaison briefly at the top, so that the two sides apart perfectly, and only connected at the bottom by the stairs. The building is commonly

Fire, water, and flowers are the basic components of all offering, additional items are given according to one’s profession and wealth, and the season in which they’re made. No matter what the offering is, it must be of the finest ingredients and ritually cleansed before being placed. The variety is mind boggling, in countless designs

Kulkul is a big bell made of wood or bamboo use by various social organization of Balinese society. Like a bell it is used to indicated time of gathering, ceremony, and in the past to call the people during a strain time resulted by conflict, or criminal. Organization in Bali are various based on tradition,

Tooth Filing is belonging to the Manusa Yadnya (Ceremony for Humans). Called ‘Mapandes‘ in High Balinese, ‘Metatah‘ in Common Balinese. The reason for filing is to control evil human characteristics (Sad Ripu): greed, lust, anger, confusion, stupidity, jealousy, ill-will, and intoxication by either passion or drunkenness. This important life-cycle event usually occurs when a Balinese

Cockfighting, which in Balinese are known as tajen, meklecan or ngadu, are required at temple and purification (mecaru) ceremonies. No one knows when they started. The Tabuh Rah ritual to expel evil spirits always has a cockfight to spill the blood. Tabuh Rah literally means pouring blood. There are ancient texts disclosing that the ritual

Penjor is one of the means Upakara of celebrating Galungan. Penjor is the symbol of a mountain that provides safety and welfare. Goal setting of penjor is as Swadharma Hindus to bring a sense of dedication and thank to Ida Widi Wasa and as a token of gratitude for the prosperity of human beings who