Saturday, February 18, 2012

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.


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

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

Friday, January 27, 2012

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.


By : pranantabalicarrental.com

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

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.