BALI
- – ISLAND OF GODS IN PARADISE
Bali, a part of Indonesia archipelago is a small but beautiful island, located at the west end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, between Java and Lombok . It is also given the name of Island of God in Paradise. It is one of the most sorted holiday destinations in the world, its perfect for families. Tourism boosted in Bali when Sukarno built the Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur in the year 1963. It received the Best Island award from Travel and Leisure in 2010. The famous movie “Eat, Pray and Love” was shot in the beaches of Bali. It was a best seller. It is well equipped with the modern tourism facilities. It provides a wonderful opportunity for the shopping lovers to shop around. Other than that Bali happens to be a part of Coral Triangle, area richest with marine species biodiversity. It has plenty of beaches each of which is beautiful in its own way. The beaches are also famous for its unique black sands and beautiful shorelines. Apart from that Bali is the house of Subak irrigation system, which is UNESCO World Heritage Site. It also boasts of its serene landscape of hills and mountains, rich rice terraces, volcanic hillside and historical and archaeological attraction offering its visitors a wide range of options to choose from.
History
Austronesian people, who originally migrated from South East Asia, were the first to inhabit this place way back in 2000BC. There were nine Hindu sects in ancient Bali namely Pasupata, Bhairawa, Siwa Shidanta, Waisnawa, Bodha, Brahma, Resi, Sora and Ganapatya. In the ancient times Budhism and Shivaism were the two religions followed, but it was the marriage of the Bali king with Mpu Sindok's great-granddaughter, Mahendradatta that brought Hinduism and Javanese culture. Around1520 the Balinese government became an independent collection of Hindu kingdoms which gave rise to Balinese national identity. It stayed independent for 386 years till 1906 when the Dutch took over.
In World War II, Bali was occupied by the Imperial Japan. A Balinese 'freedom army' was formed by a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai who had become more resented than the Dutch colonial rulers by the harshness of Japanese occupation forces. In 1946, Bali was constituted as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly proclaimed State of East Indonesia, by the Dutch. When Indonesia became free on 29 December 1949, Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia".
Culture & Tradition
The Balinese culturally and linguistically, resembles the people of the Indonesian archipelago, Malaysia, the Philippines and Oceania Bali. Indian, Chinese and Hindu culture had a strong influence on the Balinese culture. It has a population of around 4,225,000 people of which most are Hindus followed by Muslims, Christians and Buddhism. The most widely spoken languages in Bali are Balinese and Indonesian. Most of the people of Bali are bilingual or trilingual. The culture of Bali is known for its spectacular art works, in the form of painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. They have performing arts as well in the form of stories from Hindu epics like the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence. It has proudly boasts off its performing art culture. It is performed in temple festivals, private ceremonies, or public show and is generously paid. Bali also has some dances like endet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak also known as the monkey dance. Its cuisine is also distinct.
Places to Visit
Sanur Beach :
This is a popular destination especially for the elderlies, hence the beach has earned itself a nick name of “snore beach”. Apart from that there are a number of historic sites and plenty of things to see and do in the beach resort.
Nusa Lembongan :
This is a small island, small enough for the island to be toured by the visitors in a day within 3-4 hours. Its beaches is what attracts the tourists the most known as the Mushroom Beach named because of its shape. It’s got sands as soft as powder and waters as clear as mirror, rich in marine life. It also offers sports like snorkeling and diving. The waves are good enough for surfing as well but it gets a little crowded.
Lovina :
This is the largest resort of the north coast of Bali. This beach is best known for its black volcanic sands. It offers a best spot for snorkeling and scuba diving. Since the waters are calm it is best suited for swimming as well and dolphin watching.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu :
This is one of the nine major Hindu temples on the Island. It was in the 11th century. It was built at the edge of the cliff of limestone. Only Hindu priests are allowed into the sanctuary, visitors can only tour the outside premises and enjoy the scenic beauty.
Mount Batur :
Located in the Island’s most dramatic landscapes, it dominates the north eastern parts of Bali. Pura Ulun Danu Batur, one of the nine major Hindu temples on the Island is also another reason tourists come to this place.
