Amazing Temples of Bali

The Rock-cut Niches at Gunung Kawi by the River Pakerison

If you say Bali is land of temples, then it would be no exaggeration. Most of the people in Bali follows Hinduism.. owing to long contacts with Indian sub-continent since first century AD. Many religious and cultural traditions are rooted into the times when influence of Indian culture was at its highest in 10th century AD. There are a number of ancient Hindu temples in Bali whose architecture leaves one spellbound, and whose ambiance is peaceful enough to send one into a state of meditation.

My second morning at Ubud had started on a high note, and by the evening I was exhausted by extensive sight-seeing on the island. But, there is no denying the fact that in the evening when I lay in my bed relaxing my fatigued limbs, I was mentally refreshed, excited and enriched. By the time I returned to Ubud in the night, I was already in love with Bali. Yes, that is the magic this tiny island can cast upon anybody.

The one-day trip begins

My one-day journey through time had started after breakfast the second day. The cab picked me up from in front of my home-stay. There were already three fellow vagabonds in cab, who by the evening had become good friends (I am still in contact with them). Our full day excursion of the island included visits to many temples including the cave temple of Goa Gajah and the biggest temple of Pura Besakih.

The Cave Temple
Goa Gajah is an ancient temple built in 9th century, where main shrine is inside a cave. Goa Gajah literally means elephant cave. The facade of the cave is a relief of various creatures and demons carved right into the rock at the cave entrance. This temple is not situated very far from Ubud. It was the first temple on our day long trip. And there were a couple of more situated here and there on the island.When you visit temples of Bali you are required to respect the local customs. Proper dress is encouraged. If you wear long pants or a long skirt you will need a sash tied around your waist. If you are wearing shorts you will need a sarong. It is a wrap around the waist which is of ankle-length. It is same as dhoti in India. These can typically be hired at the temple itself.

Rock-cut shrines near river Pakerison

From Gajah Goa, we moved on to Gunung Kawi. It is an 11th century temple complex in Tampak Siring area of Bali. It is situated north-east of Ubud and is located on the river Pakerison. The complex comprises of 10 rock-cut candi - meaning shrines - carved into the cliff face. They stand in 23 feet high sheltered niches cut into the cliff face. These monuments are thought to be dedicated to King Anak Wungsu of the Udayana dynasty and his favourite queens.

Pura Tirta Empul

Our next stop in our day-long trip was Pura Tirta Empul. This temples is built around a sacred spring named Tampak Siring. An inscription dates the spring all the way back to 926AD; and there are fine carvings and Garudas on the courtyard buildings. The temple and its two bathing spots have been used by the Balinese for over a thousand years for good health and prosperity; as the spring water really does have the power to cure! Regular purification ceremonies also take place here. Artists at Tampak Siring produce marvellous bone and ivory carvings. Both sites are open daily.

Mother Temple of Besakih

After having a feel of these ancient temples of Bali, we were headed to the most important, the largest and the holiest temple of Agama Hindu Dharma in Bali. This is called the Mother Temple of Besakih, or Pura Besakih. Situated in the village of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung in north-eastern Bali, this temple probably dates back to the fourteenth century. It is built on the southern slopes of Mount Agung, the main volcano of Bali.

This temple is actually a complex made up of 22 temples that sit on parallel ridges. It has stepped terraces and flights of stairs which ascend to a number of courtyards and brick gateways that lead up to the symbolic centre or main sanctuary of the complex. This centre is called Pura Penataran Agung. All this is aligned along a single axis and designed to lead the spiritual upward and closer to the mountain which is considered sacred. The lotus throne or padmasana is the symbolic center of the main sanctuary and ritual focus of the entire complex which dates to around 17th century.

This complex is so huge that you need to have at least one full day to actually let it sink in you. The taxi does not take you right up to the main entrance. In fact, you have to walk uphill a metallic road for about 2 kilometres. This road is lined with numerous shops and houses. Most of the shops sell prasada, or the offering for the gods. This walk uphill can prove to be a good test for your lungs. Once you arrive at the temple, you may come face-to-face with touts who ask for money to let you go to the main shrine. They are obviously in connivance with the guards. I refused to pay anything, but one guard let me in after knowing that I was a Hindu. So, I could go to the main shrine as a devotee rather than a tourist. Nonetheless, it is must-visit place, and the whole atmosphere is pious with even toddlers clad in traditional attires. The complex reverberate with sounds of chantings of compositions from Ramayana, and this place was successful in creating a long-lasting impression upon me.

Text and Photos by Ajay Garg

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A Little Jewel On Earth

The rice fields are abundant in Bali. In the backdrop is an inactive volcano

Kuta is one of the busiest beaches of Bali that is famous for its water sports

Major religion is Hinduism. The art depicting their faith is seen everywhere

Bali has been a dream destination for people all around the world. In fact, the variety this tiny mass of land can offer to a traveller is simply amazing. One can find everything here- right from the beaches to forests to mountains and volcanoes; and right from bars to night clubs to temples to natural parks.... The three pictures above easily tell about the diversity Bali has in store for its guests. Why should there be any doubt if Bali is every body's dream destination. And, after having visited this place, I wonder why for many people it always remains a dream to visit this place and they never get to fulfill it!! This land is so easily approachable, visa is available on arrival, people are fantastic and loving…and above all, it is not very expensive also.

The dream came true for me

The room at Jati Homestay where I stayed in Ubud area of Bali Island

Staying is quite inexpensive in Bali, especially in home stays and hostels

It was my first trip to Bali, and I was naturally excited. I was flying from Singapore to Bali on very cheap fair and on very competitive air service…thanks to new routes started by Air Asia. Singapore is the best place to board a connecting flight for Bali, though one can reach there from Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok also. As for Singapore, you can get multiple-entry visa easily and cheaply, as compared to Thailand or Malaysia. And there are more airline options from Singapore than there are from other places.

I had read a lot about Indonesia on internet… and friends who had already been to Indonesia had been telling me to be on my guard while roaming alone or in night there. Hence, there was an undercurrent of apprehensiveness along with obvious excitement. But this sense of apprehension was dispelled the moment I came out of the most beautiful and quietest airport I had ever seen. The only other airport that matches the quietness and simplicity of Ngurah Rai Airport of Bali is Al-Nozha Airport of Alexandria in Egypt, though it is not as beautiful.

Four days were not enough

A Balinese home...detached buildings in the front, a large courtyard in the rear

My trip to Bali was four-days long; though later I realized that four days were not enough if one wished to savour the beauty of this tiny island and nearby islands of Lombok and Komodo. Bali is indeed a tiny mass of land, but so rich in cultural heritage and natural beauty that one needs time to enjoy all this. The trips are usually a day long, and believe me, every trip leaves you physically exhausted but mentally refreshed. And there are many pre-designed trips offered by travel agents. Some trips take you to nearby islands and these can span from one day to two days, depending upon whether you wish to come back to Bali the same day or the next day. And if you wish to traverse the land on your own, then you need more time.

An artifact shop in Ubud, which is full of artistes; and shops full of artwork

So folks, I had only four days and I had to get the maximum out of it. At airport, visa officer asked a good number of questions before finally granting me one. I suppose they interview everybody like this, and I was not an exception just because I was an Indian. A seven-day visa costs you 10 US dollars, and for a three month visa you will have to furnish 25 US dollars. Just outside the airport, you can have paid taxi to anywhere in the island. The taxis are air-conditioned, and the ride offers you some spectacular views on the way especially when you are heading towards interior areas like Ubud or much higher in the mountains.

The owner of my home stay at work. He is one of the numerous artistes in Ubud

A painting by the owner of my home stay that depicts a scene from Ramayana

Ubud was the place where I stayed for two nights, and it was the place I fell in love with. It is an artistes’ village where every second person is a painter. If you wish to live really close to nature, then you should go for home stays there. There are a number of home-stays where you live in big family houses. In the end of their courtyards, the local people have made provisions for guest houses. The room tariff is unbelievably low at most of the places, and the stay is pleasant, comfortable and well taken care of. One can find a home stay for as-low-as US $4 per day. In most of the home stays, rooms are made of bamboos and wood only.

Charming beaches of Bali

Kuta is always abuzz with activities. If one is not surfing, one is sun-bathing

There are many beaches on the eastern coast and in the southern part of Bali, but during my stay I could go to only two of them. These were the famous Kuta Beach, and very serene Sanur Beach. Kuta beach is in the southern part of the island and is very famous for its water sports. It is one of the most visited and crowded beaches of Bali, thanks to its proximity to main business area of the island. It was in Kuta district where bomb blasts had taken place in year 2002 near two night clubs mostly frequented by Australian tourists. The Kuta Beach is swarmed with people at any time of the day. The beach boasts of a long stretches of white sand dotted with food stalls everywhere. So, while at Kuta, hunger is no problem. If you are a water sports enthusiast and are in Bali, you can’t miss this beach. This beach is so abuzz with activities that one can spend a whole day here if one wishes to. The area also has many cheaper staying options and is not far from the airport.

It is Sanur beach. The sunrise scene here is mesmerizing and unforgettable

Local couples also come to Sanur in morning to soak themselves in warm sunrays

Sanur Beach is in the southern part of the east coast of Bali. It is relatively calmer and less-crowded beach as compared to Kuta Beach. It is famous amongst travellers for its stunning sunrise. I was staying just 5-minutes’ walk away from the beach, and I was awake by 4.30 in the morning to be at the beach. I thought, I would be one of the few people over there, but I was wrong in my assumption. The whole beach was filled with locals and tourists, waiting there for the Sun to come out of its den. And as the Sun started rising behind the tiny mountains of Lembongan Island. Sanur is basically a upscale resort area where there are some of the best resorts of Bali. There are many good restaurants too. But despite all this, the beach has a very relaxed feel about itself. Interesting fact about Sanur is that it was the landing point for Dutch troops in 1906, and also an entry point of Japanese forces during Second World War. It was later developed into a beach resort area. The residential areas around this beach came later, and now it is a small little town and is also popular for its budget accommodations.

Afternoon showers bring respite

The mountains look somewhat like a misty heaven after the showers...

...while roads are suddenly lit up with headlights, much before it is dark

During my stay, it rained everyday afternoon. In Bali, they say it is very usual there. As the day wears on, you feel drenched with sweat… it becomes so humid. But the afternoon showers wash away all the irritation. And the evenings are even more pleasant and refreshing. It is just fun to be on clean roads of Bali in the evening. You just can not get out of  this place's spell very easily. Bali is a destination where you go but may not like to come back from.

For an article on The Temples of Bali, please go to this article of mine on this site.

Text and Photos by Ajay Garg

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