Many visitors to Bali come to the island for its waters,beaches , stunning sunrises & sunsets but besides all of that, Bali is also a land where the old and new has merged so beautifully.In the face of constant exposure to modernization & foreign influences, the Balinese still faithfully cling to their culture & traditions, some more so. There is also a preservation of the Hindu-Balinese faith and the temples and the daily rituals present a unique picture of this island more instantly recognised for its spas, beaches and resorts.In this article, DGH aims to share with the readers the cultural aspects of Bali that are far beyond the beaches and those that act as bridge between the modern and the ancient.

The pre-Hindu Bali-Aga tribe still maintain their ancient pre-Hindu customs. In East Bali, the village of Tenganan has retained its own traditions of architechture,kinship,government,religion, dance & music, such as the unique rituals of dances and gladiator-like battles between youths. Tenganan is famous for its double ikat woven material called "gringsing" , which is supposed to have magical powers and protects its wearers! Living on an island on Lake Batur under the tower Mount Batur volcano, the Trunyans who consider themselves Bali Aga or original Balinese , still maintain many od their old ways. The dead are laid in the open to decompose yet due to many Banyan trees growing in the village, the smell of decomposition is non-existent.

The Hindu-Balinese faith touches every aspect of the people's lives. However, inseparable from the people and religion, the arts of Bali are expressions of their deepest beliefs. Temples in Bali form a distinct skyline.Every community has atleast a temple or Pura. The largest temple in Bali is the sanctuary of Besakih on the slopes of Mt.Agung, well over a thousand years old. Around the three main temples of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, are eighteen separate sanctuaries belonging to different regencies and caste groups.The ancient temple of Tirta Empul is built around the scared spring of Tampaksiring. The spring's water is believed to have healing powers and is supposed to bring health & prosperity. An important sea temple dedicated to the guardian spirits of the sea, Tanah Lot is perched on a rock just off the shoreline making it inaccessible at tide times.Poisonous sea-snakes at the base of the rocky island are believed to guard the temple from eveil spirits & intruders.

Bali's sunsets are made more dramatic with the temple silhouettes set against a burning sky, such as in Tanah Lot and the temple perched on the Bukit Peninsula cliff at Uluwatu. The mist-shrouded & hauntingly beautiful Ulun Danu temple on  the shores of Lake Beratan is also an unforgettable sight.

It is also interesting to discover the traditional Balinese beliefs about the  world. The world we live in according to Balinese: 

Deities and Demons: In Balinese Hinduism, Sanghyang Widhi, the Ultimate One splits into the holy trinity of BRahma, Vishnu & Siwa, then is divided into hundreds or more deities to whom the Balines dedicate much of their lives.

Offerings: Tiny triangles of banana leaf topped with bits of food or small squares filled with flower petals are left everywhere as daily offerings to Gods and demons alike.

Sacred Cloth: The poleng or sacred black & white chequered cloth symbolises the balance of opposites, good & evil, joy & sorrow, chaos & order.There is a parallel to worship and mythological legend to nearly every art form in bali and no matter what your faith it is an interesting observation to make about this paradise of east. There is indeed so much more to this Indonesian island besides the gorgeous beaches.