Celuk the silver and gold smith village

Celuk is a village which is famous for its tourist attraction of gold and silver handicrafts. The village is situated in the district of Sukawati, Gianyar regency. It has the characteristics and superiors production of gold and silver handicrafts  in a great quantity and  high quality. Almost all the families and villagers in Celuk are Balinese people who highly professional, skilled, artistic in developing the creativity, design and variations  related to gold and silver handicrafts. The  production result of this craft village which has a  long history of  its origin  has penetrated the local , national and international market. Various types and variations of jewelry creations, whether  as souvenir and export commodities are produced in this village that include various types of rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, hairpin, Broses, and many others. In addition, the craftsmen in Celuk also very respond to market’s demand for the manufacture of products such a modern product ie. medal, name tag and cultural symbols.

In the historical development of gold and silver craft, the pioneer that was initiated by a group of families that belong to clan Pande (a group of people who make sharp metal equipment). From among these families, gold and silver craft activity spread out to all citizens as a kind of major main job that gradually faded the shifting livelihood as a farmer. Around the 1970's, there has been an alteration of the structural of rural communities significantly, from the structure of an agrarian society to industrial crafting society. And even lately they have transferred into the structure of the economical service by focusing on tourism services. These changes bring a new positive impact for the prosperity and welfare of the community.

About 2 kilo meters along, the art shop of gold and silver on the left and right of the road can be encountered that open for local and foreign visitors.

The society  in Celuk both craftsmen and businessmen also take the advantage of promotional opportunities in several exhibitions and high level art festivals  such as  Bali art festival, the exhibition in the center of large cities, and more over some of them have been conducting the international trade fairs markets such as Europe, Australia, Japan and America.
Celuk is highly a strategic village located about 10 kilo meters from the city of  Denpasar. As the village of visitation and tourist attraction in southern Bali, Celuk village is commonly crowded in the morning and in the afternoon. The visitation either at the beginning of the tour in the morning or when tourists return to the hotel in the afternoon.

By:pranantabalicarrental.com

Galungan at a glance

Galungan is  one of the most unique and spectacular ceremonies in Bali which is held in every six month (210 days) on Buda Kliwon Dungulan (Balinese calendar system /wariga).This ceremony aims to celebrate the winning of good spirit power against bad spirit power.  Before the day of Galungan there are some other ceremonies as a link/ connection of this ceremony.

1.      Sugihan Jawa.

Wraspati  (Thursday) Wage Wuku Sungsang, six days before Galungan, the day to purify the places, environment, especially the temple or Bhuana Agung/ Macrocosm (the temple and its tools (Arerebu Ceremony)

2.    Sugihan Bali

Sukra  (Friday) Kliwon Wuku Sungsang, the day after Sugihan jawa. The day to purify the human body (buana alit) microcosm. Tirta panglukatan and some offerings.

3.    Panyekeban

It is celebrated at Redite (Sunday)  Paing Dungulan. Physically, the men begin to keep the fruits and tapai (fermented rice to be ripe). Mentally the men begin to prepare themselves to welcome Galungan day.

The day of Bhuta Dungulan when it begins to disturb human being, the day of struggling between human and Bhuta Dungulan. Everyone should be aware of himself not to do something wrong in welcoming Galungan day. People do meditation or concentrate their minds by preparing something which is needed on Galungan day.

4.    Penyajaan

Soma  (Monday)Pon Dungulan, the day when the women make cake for the offering on Galungan day, the day of preparation, because the offering should be offered the day after tomorrow. The day of bhuta galungan,the day of struggling between human being and bhuta galungan.

5.    Penampahan

Anggara  (Tuesday) Wage Dungulan, the day of slaughtering livestock like pig, chicken, duck, etc. The women are busy to decorate the shrines, the men are busy to prepare the offering. This is the day of Bhuta Amangkurat, the last bhuta should be faced by the human physically.

People slaughter the livestock and  make a party in order to make the situation of the family to b e cheerful and happy. Spiritually the last fighting between human being and Bhuta Amangkurat ( human passion) where the human try to win this fight and as the symbol of this win they do Biyakala ceremony.

So  the harmony and welfare of the world/ macrocosm and humanity/microcosm can be existed as the symbol of the victory of Dharma/Truth. In the afternoon people stand/stick Penjor (decorated bamboo curve stick) in the right side of the house compound’s gate.

6.    Galungan

Buda (Wednesday) Kliwon dungulan, the day to celebrate the victory of Dharma fight against adharma. The victory of Dharma means people had done good deed in their life and good deed means yadnya.

Hinduism believes that yadnya is the main purpose of their lives, yadnya is a part of their lives. They do yadnya to neutralize the power of negative aspect or to balance between positive & negative aspect.

7.    Manis Galungan

Wraspati  (Thursday) Umanis Dungulan, one day after Galungan the day when Balinese Hindus people celebrated the day after the victory of Dharma. They spend their day by visiting their relatives and exchanging food  (meat, cake or fruit)  as lungsuran or surudan ( the remain of offerings that have been offered to gods and ancestors).

8.   Pemaridan Tumpeng Guru

Three days after Galungan, or Saniscara (Saturday)  Pon Dungulan is called Pemaridan Tumpeng Guru. The offerings are offered to Batara Guru in family temple. Physically, the family make a small party. Spiritually, to worship the God as Batara Guru or the leader in our lives/ families.

9.     Ulihan

Redite (Sunday)  Wage Kuningan, the day after Pemaridan Guru we call, Ulihan. The day when ancestors of the family leave the family because they have to go home to heaven.

10  Pemacekan Agung

The day after Ulihan, Soma  (Monday) Kliwon Kuningan is the limit of the link of Galungan celebration. The link of Galungan celebration is celebrated during sixty days, started from the day of Tumpek Wariga/Uduh or Saniscara Kliwon Wariga until Buda Kliwon Pahang or Buda Kliwon Pegatwakan.

On Buda Kliwon Pahang, sacrificial ceremony is carried out in front of house compound’s gate to offer Sang Kala Tiga Galungan with their followers and let them return to their origin (neutralize the power of the negative aspect).

1   Kuningan

Saniscara  (Saturday) Kliwon Kuningan the day when the goddesses &gods and ancestors do purification or purify the world with it’s contains and enjoy the human offerings as farewell party.

Spiritually, to keep a good condition without any quarrels because we need a harmonious life. Physically people decorate their temples and houses with tamyang and offer the offerings especially yellow rice (symbol of holiness and peace) to the god and ancestors. Tamyang is a utensil that is used to protect people from dangerous or bad influences.

We are advised to carry out the ceremony early in the morning, if it’s not early in the morning, it is said that our offering will be accepted by the wounded God.

1  Buda Kliwon Pahang/ Pegatwakan

Pegatwakan means broken off or free, the end of the link of Galungan celebration. The days between Wuku Dungulan and Buda  (Wednesday) Kliwon Pahang (35 days) are called nguncal walung. Nguncal means throw away or release or free and walung mean bone.

To throw away negative aspect of Sang Hyang Kala Tiga or the period of struggling from disturbance of the power of negative aspect. That’s way in this period it is not good to conduct  Bhuta yadnya ceremony especially tawur ceremony or sacrifice that  is offered to Bhuta kala and Durga Murti.

 By: pranantabalicarrental.com

Batubulan Village

Batubulan is an artistic village in the western gate of Gianyar Regency. The identity and image of this village is formed through  the art of Barong and Kris dance that is performed in five difference stages including: Puseh temple Stage, Tegaltamu Stage, Denjalan stage, Sahadewa stage and Sila Budaya stage. The variation and quality of art in Batubulan become the source of tourist destination which involve Dance, sculpture, Kerawitan and literature.

Batubulan village was firstly an agrarian area supported by stone carving craft. Potentially, the art, strategic location and its opened village network enable this area become one of thye most interesting cultural tourist destination object. The whole tour package network from middle to eastern part of Bali was begun in from this place. Batubulan bus station took an important role   as one of the point to relate one to other regencies for the individual tourist as well as using land transportation facility. Batubulan is the opening access for the transportation connection around Bali.  Batubulan village is situated 8 kilometers east of Denpasar city or approximately 10 minutes driving from the center city. Etymologically, the name Batubulan comes up from two words ‘Batu and Bulan’ (moon and stone) which literally means strong and shine softly. On the other hand, it reflects the endurance of social unity in the glamorous of art and culture.

The main attraction power in Batubulan are Barong dance and stone sculpture. This area is famous because of the development of the various kinds of improvement, particularly in tourism sector. The diversity of touristic attraction power in Baltubulan including : 1). South beach village that is suitable for recreation and surfing, 2). the development of weaving affairs, 3). The development of many artistic dances such as: Kecak dance, Sang Hyang Api, Joged dance, Legong dance, 4). the existence of Puseh temple with its luxurious architecture, 5). The spread of art shops and stone carving business along the road.

As one of tourist destination objects and stone carving business area, Batubulan is commonly visited by the tourist during the day.

Let’s decide your itinerary and prananta rent car bali is ready to organize your program by providing variety of comfortable cars either with driver of self drive service.

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History of Uluwatu temple

Uluwatu temple is one of the  biggest temple (sad khayangan) in Bali, located in Pecatu village, Kuta district, Badung regency, about  25 kilometers  south of Denpasar city, or can be reached by car approximately 30 minutes. The temple is situated on a jutted cliff into the sea as high approximately 80 meters above the sea level.  Uluwatu temple is located in the southwestern of Bali. In the eastern side of that temple, there is a forest  Kekeran (ban forests) belong to the temple inhabited by many monkeys and other animals. The name Uluwatu is it’s original name. The word ulu means head,  while watu means stone. Therefore, Uluwatu is the temple that  was built on the rock edge.

On the right and left side of the buildings  or  shrine " Gedong batu bagus jurit" there are two troughs of stone shaped like a boat. When both are combined,it will form a sarcophagus that was the results of Megalithic culture and tradition. In this place there are archeological remains from the 16th century, it is a winged gate. This is  a very rarely archeological inheritance.

Due to the manger stone  found in temple area is a sarcophagus , then the Uluwatu is  considered become a sacred place since old megalithic culture and civilization (500 BC).

In the  holy book “ Usana Bali” mentioned that many temples were established  by masters craftsman ‘Kuturan’. One of them is Uluwatu temple. The master Kuturan was the historical figure who lived during the reign of King Udayana, Marakata and Anak Wungsu in the 11th century. He was one of the characters who became a member in the institution "pakira kiran I jero makebehan" (a type of advice institution to the king). Based on the  holy book, Uluwatu temple construction was begun by Master   Kuturan in 11th century.

In other reference  "Dwijendra Tattwa" holy book, outlined that there were two visitations that was done by  Dhang Hyang Nirartha a holy Hindhu priest from Majapahit kingdom  to Uluwatu as follow:

a. The first visitation was “ Tirta Yatra” that is the journey to visit the places where he thrilled holy. When he arrived in this place, he heard a whisper that was good to worship God. Someday, when he was ready to die, he would choose that place for “ngeluwur” (release the soul returns to its origin (moksha). Based on these considerations, he decided to build and expand Uluwatu temple buildings.

b. The second visitation was conducted when Dhang Hyang Nirartha attained” moksha” on Tuesday kliwon medangsya witnessed by a sailor named Ki Pasek Nambangan. He looked like a very bright light flashed into the sky (ngeluwur).

In the holy book ‘Padma Bhuwana’  implied that  Uluwatu Temple, located on the southwestern of Bali whose function is to worship the God Rudra, one of the  aspect of the god Shiva as ‘pemralina’ or the returner to the origin. Pura Uluwatu is a temple adored by the entire Hindu community. If you are interested to visit this place, Prananta bali rent car and Bali transportation provider, would be delightful to organize your excursion in Bali for both car rental self drive and car rental  with driver.

By: pranantabalicarrental.com

History of Bali

About Bali

History of Bali

The word Bali firstly appeared in the  Inscription of Blanjong found in Sanur village. The epigraph  shows the number of 913 centuries which was written by King Kesari Warmadewa. On that epigraph, Bali island is called Bali Dwipa. This word is derived from Sanskrit language that consists of words Bali and Dwipa. The word Bali has a lot of meanings such as return, offering, certainness, real and the other words that have similar meaning. Whereas Dwipa means island.

The name Bali might be given by Indian traders who had spread around South Eastern Asia including Bali in the first century. They encountered with the villagers who occupied this island with religious ceremonial activities using many kinds of offerings (banten) in conducting the ceremony.

Maybe based on that condition, this island was called Bali Dwipa. This became the trader’s habit when they found a new region that had not had the name yet. They would give a name in accordance with the situation of the environment

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Geographical  Location and population

Bali province is one of the provinces in Indonesia which is located between Java and Lombok Island. Its physical limit is in the northern part is Bali sea, in the eastern part is the Lombok straits, in the southern part; the Indonesian ocean, and in the western part; the Bali straits.

Bali Island consists of Bali island, Nusa Penida Island, and Serangan Island. Administratively, Bali province consists of eight regencies and one city which is divided into 53 districts, 674 villages, and 3954 hamlets. Bali island has a very strategic location because it  relates land transportation of Lombok and Java. Bali is also located between Asia continent and Australia continent. Geographically, in the middle of Bali Island, there are a lot of mountains laid front east to the west. Among those mountains, there are several mountains as the top such as: Agung mountain (3142 m), Batur mountain (1717 m), Abang mountain (2152m) and Batukaru mountain (2276 m). Mount Agung and Mount Batur are volcanic mountains. In the northern and southern parts of those mountains laid the land. Those mountains are quite far from the cebter city of Denpasar. Prananta   Bali rent car as one of car rental providers will be grateful to assist the visitor who love to visit those places. 

There are four lakes in Bali; Batur lake (1.675,5 Ha), Beratan lake (375,6 Ha), Buyan lake (336 Ha), and Tamblingan lake (110 Ha). The rivers that spurt from the lakes and forest mostly flow to the southern part of Bali such as; Unda river, Petanu river, Ayung river and etc. Bali region is belong to tropical area affected by the seasons that change every six months. Bali has two seasons, dry season (April- October) and rainy season (October- April). The temperature is varied between 24,0 degrees Celsius and 30,8 degrees  Celsius. The humidity is 79% in average.

The population of Bali in 2001 as many as 3,156,392 people. In the previous census recorded the population in Bali as follow: Census in 1930 is 1,101,029 people, the census in 1961 is 1,782,529 people, the census in 1971 is 2,120,091 people, is 2,469,930 tahun1980 census and in 1990 is  2777. 356 people. In 2011, the population in Bali is approximately 4.000.000.  Beside living in Bali,  they are also scattered in various other provinces in Indonesia, where most of them are transmigrant.
The Balinese or Bali tribe is one of the tribes residing in the Indonesian archipelago. Bali tribes is one of ethnic group who are bound by the consciousness or the unity of cultures both  Balinese culture and Indonesian culture. Sense of awareness for the unity of Balinese culture is reinforced by the presence of ethnic unity and Hindhu unity. Balinese language has a literary tradition both  written and oral, and supported by its own script system.

 
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canang sari

Canang sari

When we go by taxi, public transportation, charter car, we might see a basket of colorful flower which is mostly placed in the dashboard of the car by Balinese drivers. It is called Canang Sari. If the passenger of the car ask the driver “What is that?” “Is it just a decoration?” And the driver being asked by the passengers that are mostly dominated by foreigners, will answer “No sir, it is Canang Sari that is offered to Hyang Widhi (God) in order to get His bestows and get safety during the trip.”

That is the common answer and certainly that is the reality. But if we investigate, analyze that driver has implemented the concept of Cosmogony Philosophy teaching (Tri Angga / Tri Mandala) which the descriptions are as follows:

1.    Parhyangan, which is located in front of the seats or on the dashboard (Utama Mandala) a place to offer Canang Sari every the driver drives the car to get the passenger.

2.      Palemahan is the body of taxi itself includes the seat of the driver and the passengers in front and in the back (Madya Mandala).

3.    Pawongan is the driver and the passenger either who sits in front or in the back. On the other hand, for the baggage of taxi is Nista Mandala.

That is how the taxi drivers in Bali implement the concept of cosmogony philosophy in the daily activity although they cannot explain the meaning of Canang Sari comprehensively. The phrase Canang Sari is derived from the words canang (a small square of coconut-leaf basket decorated with a combination of colorful flowers) and Sari (essence). Canang Sari is completed by placing on top of canang an amount of money (kepeng). Which is expected to make up the essence of the offering.

On the other side, Canang Sari can be found in temple, on small shrine in houses and on the ground or as a part of large offering. Balinese always offer Canang Sari as the simplest daily household offering to say thankfulness to the God for what we got in our life. Canang Sari is usually offered in temple, cross road. Sacred statue, houses or other places that Balinese people recognize it sacred so as to make the world’s balance.

By: pranantabalicarrental.com

Geringsing Tenganan

Kamben Geringsing are of great importance for Balinese, irrespective of whether they are used for black or white magic. It is hardly surprising, then, even the ruler of early kingdom in East Java sought to avail themselves of the service of Tengananese textile specialist whose mysterious cloths were employed to maintain and augment their power. Close study of iconography of the geringsing wayang reveals striking comparisons with East Javanese temple relief of the 13^th and 14^th centuries. Especially the relief of Candi Jagahu (near Singosari), Candi Penataran (near Blitar), and Candi Tigawangi (near Pare) show amazing similarities with the representations of priests and heroes on geringsing wayang kebo and wayang putri. Other fabrics shows pattern which are reminiscent of western Indian patola textiles, which also enjoyed great popularity in Hindu- Javanese court circles at this time.

It is particularly interesting to find the word geringsing mentioned in important literary works relating to the period when the aforementioned reliefs performed a didactic function. In Canto 18 of Nagarakrtagama, an ode composed in 1365 by the Buddhist sage Prapanca in honor of the king of Majapahit, the poet describe with his customary thoroughness of the composition of the royal caravan. It comprised six groups, distinguished by various emblems. The curtain of the carriage bearing the king, Hayam Wuruk, consisted of geringsing, lhobeng –lewih, laka, etc., with ornaments.

The well-known Pararaton chronicle and a poem called Rangga Lawe ( two East Javanese text telling of the first king of Majapahit, Wijaya) both relate that the king gave his warriors geringsing clothing prior to battle. In the Pararaton, five soldiers were given trousers of geringsing materials; in the Rangga Lawe all the warriors provided with sashes called cawet geringsing. The magical potency of double ikat of Tenganan clearly seems to have worked beyond the borders of Bali at a very early date, which is hardly surprising in view of the close cultural ties that existed between Bali and East Java in the early 10^th century, and of the colonization of Bali by Majapahit after 1343. Geringsing lubeng with its powerful star pattern on a bright red background was particularly esteemed as the emblem and wardrobe of  kings.  Still today, this pattern is held to possess the highest prestige in Tenganan. Its aesthetic attraction and power has recently gained a reputation all over Bali. Endek cloth with geringsing patterns have become a real fashion hit.

The identity and origin of  figures represented in geringsing wayang kebo and wayang puteri, which so clearly reflect East Javanese style, pose questions of great interest for the cultural historian. One possible answer is that these fabrics, which are seldom worn in Tenganan, were originally designed and produced as commissioned works to meet the religious needs of East Javanese and Javano-Balinese courts. The form and content of wayang kulit.(shadow play) are not known in the native village culture of Tenganan. On the other hand, the most popular of all Javano-Balinese kings, Dalem Batu Renggong, is reported to have clothed himself in geringsing wayang for his coronation.

Outside Tenganan, fabrics of wayang type are still preferred today for use in the rites of passage celebrated by noble families, for example as cloth in which to wrap the pillow during a tooth filling, or as a shroud to cover the body of the deceased before cremation. In many regions in Bali and among Balinese in Lombok, geringsing wayang are suspended as a ceiling beneath the highest roof of towers used for transportation of a corpse. Fragments of magical geringsing cloth are also hung on sacred weapons or spread as an underlay for offerings, in the same way as wangsul/gedogan. In many old Balinese villages of east Bali, as well as in the famous temple of Samuantiga near Bedulu, the sedans chairs of the gods are swathed in geringsing wayang. When men perform the old baris war dances at temple festivals or death rituals (Badung, Tabanan, Buleleng), their wardrobe is often completed with the aggressive and at the same time defensive double ikat cloth from Tenganan.

Various  myths,  legends, and historical  document suggest that the creators of kamben geringsing have not occupied their present site from ” time immemorial.”  On the contrary, the story generally goes that the ancestors of the Tengananese—the Wong Peneges or  inhabitants of the original Balinese village created by the god Indra—came here from the distant past from the kingdom of Bedahulu in east Bali in search of royal horse that had escaped. Royal edicts from 11^th century show that, at this time, the settlement of “Tranganan” was still located on the coast of Candi Dasa , and that the inhabitants had close links with Javanese ambassador and religious reformer Empu Kuturan, who lived only a few kilometers away in Silayukti (near modern-day Padangbai). In an important lontar (palm leaf) historical text preserved in the Jero Gede of Sidemen, the Babad Bali Pulina, there is also an account of close relations between the Bali Aga of “Tranganan” and Kuturan. At the same time, the reader of this chronicle finds the intriguing statement that a sect dedicated to Indra landed on the coast at Candi Dasa following a ship wreck.

In point of fact, relics even carried now in a procession from the bale agung of Tenganan to the Sembangan temple in the northen part of the village, are said to be fragments of the raft that brought the ancestors of  Tenganan across the sea and broke up and sank shortly before landing. A sea-mindedness, which clearly distinguishes the Tengananese with the mountain-mindedness of the other Balinese, is suggested by other two cultural elements. The original altar (sanggah kamulan) of all house compounds in Tenganan is oriented in the direction of the sea not towards the volcanoes and the sunrise (kaja-kangin), as in other Balinese villages. Secondly, the people of Tenganan do not practice cremation. Once the sun is past its zenith, the body is carried to the cemetery, where it is undressed and placed naked in the grave, the head face down, pointing in the direction of the sea.

Genetic and medical research begun in 1978 by a team of Indonesian and Swiss scientists in Tenganan Pegeringsingan has even suggested the possibility that the people of Tenganan originally came to Bali from  India, either direct by sea or via Java. Tests have revealed that 18 inhabitants of the village have in their blood a special enzyme LHD Calcutta I, which is characteristic of Indian and otherwise exceptionally rare outside India. The supposition that Indra’s sect may be Vedict emigrants from India is bolstered by ethnographic findings. The most important ritual month of Tenganan coincides with the winter solstice. The complex swinging ritual that takes place  at this time is strongly reminiscent of ancient Vedict swinging rites, which also take place at the time of solstice (mahavrata) and are devoted to the god Indra, linking together heaven and earth. Moreover, our own surveys of textile technology in connection with double ikat do not, a priori, rule out an Indian origin, especially from Andhra and Orissa.

Refference : The Theater Of  The Universe

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