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paradise in Bali
The friendly people, the natural attractions, the great variety of things to see and do and its pleasant climate all year round make Bali a fascinating destination for any traveller. The colourful influence of authentic Hinduism plays a major role in the day-to-day life of the Balinese. Offerings to Gods have a significant place in life as they appease the spirits and thus bring prosperity and good health to the family. Every day, small offering trays (canang sari) containing symbolic food, flowers, cigarettes and money are placed at shrines, in temples, outside houses and shops and even at dangerous crossroads. The Sarasvathi Pooja is one of the main festivals for appeasing the gods. I was lucky to witness this as the 'Sarasvathi Pooja' annual festival fell on February 18 during my visit. The women bear huge, beautifully arranged pyramids of food, fruit and flowers on their heads while the men might conduct a blood sacrifice through a cockfight. There are traditional dances and music and the gods are invited to come down to join in the festivities. Though Bali is world famous for its beaches, nature and adventure too exist in this magical island. Ubud is a place for adventure in Bali. Situated near the island's centre and midway between Kuta and the Kintamani peaks, Ubud is considered cooler than Kuta and this is not just because of its generally milder climate, but because of the tropical forest cover in the area. Apart from being home to many chic art galleries, craft shops and studios, this charming, conglomerate of villages is also the 'royal centre' of Bali with numerous palaces and temples to be visited. It also offers some of Bali's best dining experiences. Artistically, Bali is a melting pot of cultures and traditions. The Balinese have a natural capacity for absorbing different cultural elements and blending them with their own. For centuries, artists and craftsmen in Bali worked under the patronage of the Hindu priests and ruling classes, decorating palaces and temples. The artists themselves never signed their work and usually lived together in special villages. As their designs followed strict aesthetic and religious guidelines, the artists generally did not have much room for personal expression. With the arrival of European artists at the start of the last century, this soon began to change, and local artists started developing their own individual styles. Ubud is overflowing with arts and crafts, including oils, ink and pastel paintings; ceramics, castings and sculpture; basket making, rattan work and weaving; stone, wood, bone and coconut carving; metalwork, furniture making and, of course, jewellery. The quality is good and prices are flexible, so bargaining is de rigueur. Influenced by the Western use of perspective and everyday-life subject matter, the Ubud style is one of the most 'expressionist' of all the Balinese schools. Despite this, Ubud art still retains many traditional features, including attention to detail and stylized characters. One of the most striking things about Bali is the rich variety of cloth and materials that are to be seen in thousands of shops throughout the island. However, only a small proportion of these is indigenous to Bali. The myriad batik clothes and sarongs available everywhere are mainly imported from Java. Bali does, however, have a rich textile industry of its own, of which the beautiful Songket fabrics worn by performers of traditional dance are a good example. In Songket, gold and silver threads are woven into the cloth to create complex motifs of birds, butterflies and flowers. Endek, or weft ikat, is another common method used in Bali. In weft ikat weaving, the weft threads are dyed to create the design and then woven with plain warp threads. The least common form of weaving to be seen in Bali is the Geringsing, or double-ikat, and this perhaps the most sought after. This is when both the warp and weft threads are dyed to their final designs before being woven together. With the exception of certain areas in India and Japan, this weaving technique can only be found in the small Bali Aga village of Tenganan in East Bali. Wood carving, like stone carving, has traditionally featured largely in temple and palace architecture. Immaculately carved demons and mythical beings decorate pillars, door panels, lintels and window shutters with the aim of protecting the buildings from evil intruders. Scenes of legendary figures placed within floral decor set a more pleasant and educational tone. With the arrival of European influences, wood carving started to develop along more innovative and commercial lines. These days whole villages specialize in producing certain styles of work. The village of Mas, near Ubud, is probably the best known for its carvings of female figures, Buddhas, characters from Hindu epics and the traditional Topeng and Wayang Wong masks. Ubud is ideal for biking, walking, trekking, bird watching, herb gathering, kayaking or rafting amid the phosphorescent rice paddies. Thus, with all that Ubud has to offer, a stay of at least 2-5 days is recommended. Many visitors make Ubud their home base as it is so centrally located and close to all the other attractions in Bali. Apart from the cultural aspect of Bali, the island is world famous for its spas. “Balinese massages” are well accepted globally and all top spas in the world offer them. In
Bali, many of the plant extracts used in spa therapies are made
from locally sourced flowers, roots and barks, such as: Jepun (
frangipani), Jahe (ginger), Cendana (Sandalwood), Kelapa (Coconut),
and even Bali Kopi (Balinese coffee grains). Many spas and salons
prepare their own essential oils using age-old methods and recipes
handed down through generations of beauty therapists. (The writer was in Bali as a guest of Singapore Airlines)
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