The Besakih Temple

"The Mother Of All Temples" or the "Centre of Temples" is what the Besakih Temple, located in the hills of Mt Agung, is more commonly known as.It draws over 100,000 devotees to its 100+ chapels, each year in massive numbers every day. Balinese Hindus consider themselves lucky to still have these places of worship which some date way back to the prehistoric era. In 1963, Mt Agung erupted, destroying a number of villages all around it, miraculously leaving the shrines untouched.Naga Besukian(Dragon God)was said to inhabit the area as far back as before the 11th century. However, at the dawn of a new century, it became a temple of the state and the evil seemed to have been washed away. It is continued to be helped by the government even to this day.The are of worship is made up of a number of patios and altars dedicated to different Gods of the Hindu religion. The devotees believe that the Gods have specific days on which they visit the temple, which is when the people flock to the area to offer their prayers and hold large festivals. From the numerous other temples around the island (Lempuyang Luhur, Gua Lawah, Batukaru, Pusering Jagat, and Uluwatu), the Besakih Temple is the most cherished temple, not because it lies 3000 feet above sea level and up in the mountains, but because it is the most scared to the Hindus.
Hinduism in Bali consists of a fewer fragments as compared to that found in modern India today. Here the people worship one, Brahma, the creator, in various different forms and personalities. The Hindu Gods Siwa, and Visnu (Shiva, Vishnu) are a form of The Great Brahma. Besakih is more devoted to the form of Visnu as compared to the other temples though the main worship is done in front of the TRIMURTHI (Brahma,Vishnu,Shiva). The strong devotion of the Hindus in Bali has kept Islam at bay, even though Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world.It has however, absorbed the animism and the adoration of its ancestor Malay culture along with aspects of Buddhism and Mahayana.
The anniversary of the Temple, ODALAN, is an excellent day to visit, to capture it at its best, but one must be prepared to be part of a hundred thousand plus crowd.This usually happens in the month of April.

Welcome To Bali

Being fortunate enough to live in a place like Bali, I thought I'd share some facts about this remarkable island which is also knows and The Island Of The Gods or even a Surfer's Paradise. I however like to combine the two and call it God's Paradise. Being a small island (90km North to South and 140km East to West) it makes it easy to explore in just a day. Located just 2kms East of Java, Bali boasts of terrific climate and an exceptional landscape.A chain of six volcanoes, between 1,350 meters and 3,014 meters high, stretches from west to east. The island also has lush tropical rainforests, crater lakes, deep ravines and flowing rivers. The rice terraces and fruit and vegetable gardens are truly a sight to behold. The climate is constant between 24 degrees to 32 degrees through out the year. The beaches around the island usually have grey or black volcanic sand, however the south coast beaches have beautiful white sand.The combination of attractions, things to do and friendly people make Bali a place one must visit atleast once in their lifetime.The quietness and wisdom of older people is clear as one drives through the villages and the respect the younger crowd has is equally matched. The women are always well dressed and most of the time can be seen carrying offerings on their head, on their way to the next temple. All along the roads, the young men can be seen raising and pruning their fighting cocks which is a great sport on the island.The night life at Kuta caters to the younger generation whereas places like Sanur attract the older generation where one can sit on the beach and enjoy a meal.Nusa Dua is the so called business hub of Bali where all the bIg hotels are located and major conferences are held.Jimbaran is a great place at the south if the island where one can enjoy great BBQ seafood at sunset and watch the planes land and take off. The island where Hinduism is the prime religion, boasts of a large number of temples including the famous Baisakhi temple.Kintamani is a hot spot for tourists. Mt Batur is a great day trek and the sight of the volcanic crater (Kintamani) and its crater lake is truly a magnificent sight.I really could go on about this place but I'd like to leave some surprises for tourists as well. I can only warn people.This island could be the most addicting thing one has experienced in their life.