Here is an interesting piece of writing on Balinese Hinduism as a belief taken from Scott A Johnsen’s thesis which is entitled From Royal House to Nation: The Construction of Hinduism and Balinese Ethnicity In Indonesia.

When a man from a ward in Bangli married a Javanese Muslim woman, an official from the local Hindu Council office and another from the Department of Religion attended to make sure that this woman had formally stated her belief in the panca sraddha, the official Five Beliefs of Indonesian Hinduism:
1. Belief in (yakin akan) the existence of Hyang Widi Wasa (the high god)
2. Belief in the existence of the soul (atman)
3. Belief in the existence of the law of karma
4. Belief in the existence of reincarnation
5. Belief in the existence of liberation from reincarnation (moksa)

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Last weeek I read a book which is entitled “ The Last Gentleman of War” which gives accounts on daring actions of German cruiser Emden in World War I combined with gallant and honorable conduct of her captain, Karl Friedrich Max von Müller. What impress me much are not the daring actions of the cruisers but the humane and honorable treatments that were given by Captain Müller and his crew to their prisoners of war (PoW). A question arose in my mind “how Balinese treat their PoW?”

I did a hasty research to find some information on how Balinese treat their PoW, my research was not in vain, I found some information in the public library, some good, some bad, but mostly interesting. It surprised that Balinese treat their PoW especially their fellow Balinese in a cruel way. They sold their Balinese PoW to foreign merchants as slaves (before the slave trade was abolished), served as slaves to winning party or assigned to hard labor. However, the fate of European PoW was much better. Here is an account on Balinese treatment on their European PoW given by Gregor Krause in his book Bali 1912.

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Karma Kandara will provide no disappointment in fulfilling the promise of its name. Set atop the sweeping cliffs of Uluwatu, Karma Kandara overlooks what is arguably Bali ’s most beautiful beach. Kandara is blessed with golden sand and azure waters that stretch to the distant horizon.

The 36 Villas of Karma Kandara sit atop the ‘bukit’ land that makes up the southernmost tip of the island. The beauty of the location itself is enhanced by the distant and towering Mount Agung. Easy access to the private beach at the foot of the cliff enables every guest to experience this awesome beauty.

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Birthday (oton) of a Balinese is celebrated every 210 or a year of Pawukon calendar (pawukon calendar consists of 35 weeks) so in a Gregorian Balinese almost have two birthdays (oton) each Gregorian year. The oton is the salient anniversary for a Balinese, there even a saying in Bali which runs ‘as happy as oton’ that means extremely happy.

The oton ceremony is always held in the house compound at the traditional pavilion early in the evening. The traditional pavilion is decorated lavishly, heaps of offerings are placed on a big table or a divan while the person who is given the ceremony sit on a chair next to the priest who officiate the ceremony. The purpose of this oton is to purify and strengthen the spiritual quality of the one who undergoes the ceremony. For a well to do family an oton is accompanied by a feast, decorations, music, and other traditional entertainments.

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Animal sacrifices or using animals in religious ceremonies is obligatory in Bali. Most of Balinese ceremonies require one or more animal to be scarified. Killing animal in this way is not considered a cruelty. When animal is killed in sacrifice, it acquires karma, enough perhaps, to allow it to be reincarnated at higher level. The body is not important to the Hindu faithful. It is shell. Animal that is killed for a sacrifice is always treated with a great reverence. Offering are made to it. Mantras are recited, asking for improved status in the next life. An animal cannot be sacrificed without these prayers and offerings.

Animals that are sacrificed are various range from chicken, duck, goose, pig, dog, turtle, goat, water buffaloes, eagles even tiger. The animal sacrifices mostly occur in Bhuta Yadnya (rites for demon) ceremonies since demons love to see and taste blood and flesh. This bhuta yadnya is usually conducted to appease the demon and to restore the balance of positive and negative force.

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Balinese culture is always interacting with the surrounding environment. Their way of thinking, in order to fulfill the necessities ofthe physical and spiritual aspects of life, is based on the integration of intuitive intellect with the potential in their immediate environment. For example, if we look at their architecture, the habitat of the population living in the mountain ranges of Kintamani will not be the same as the houses of the Balinese living in the flatlands of Gianyar, or the coastal area of Kuta, even if the climate and weather is not drastically different.

Sirap (shingle) of bamboo is more often used as material for the roofs of buildings in the mountainous areas of Kintamani because, aside from the fact that it functions as a shield from the cold air, there are many bamboo bushes to be found around Kintamani. On the other hand, in lowland and coastal areas, people choose alang-alang (dry grasses) for their roofing, because this is the easiest material to be found in their surrounding environment.

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