Most of the temple anniversaries and ceremonies in Bali are held based on the traditional Pawukon cycle. The Pawukon cycle also called uku or wuku, was brought to Bali in the 14th century with the fleeing Hindu follower of the collapsed Majapahit empire. The Pawukon calendar flourishes in Bali though it originated from Java. The Pawukon cycle provides the reference system for most of the religious ceremonies in Bali, as well as market days, temple anniversaries, personal anniversaries, good and bad luck days, and days for doing particular things. A Pawukon “year”, which lasts 210 days, should really be thought as a cycle, since no record is kept of successive “years”, nor are they numbered or named, they just pass by. (image from http://www.louisg.net/C_balinais.htm)

The Pawukon cycle is quite complex since its 210 days are subdivided not according to simple system of months and weeks but into ten separate week systems. There is a week that only consists of one day; one consists of two days; one consists of three days, and so on, up to ten-day week. And they all run concurrently. And to add more complication on the cycle, Pawukon cycle also divides its 210 days into another thirty weeks known as Wuku. Each Wuku has its own name; each week consists of seven days, luckily there is no unique name for each day in these Wuku weeks.

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Once upon a time in Bali, a man and his wife were praying. They have been married for a long time but did not have any children. They asked God to give them a child. They prayed and prayed. God finally answered their pray. The wife, then, got pregnant and they had a baby boy. They were very happy.

The baby was extraordinary. He was very much different from other babies. He ate and drank a lot. Day after day he ate more and more. His body was getting bigger and bigger. And by the time he was a teenager, his body was as big as a buffalo. People then started to call him Kebo Iwa.

Because of his eating habit, Kebo Iwa’s parents spent a lot of money to buy his food in large amount. They finally went bankrupt. They gave up and asked the villagers to help them provide the food.

The villagers then worked together to cook and build a big house for Kebo Iwa. He was like a giant. He could not stay in his parents’ house anymore because of his big body. Sadly, after a few months, the villagers also could not afford to cook him the food. They then asked Kebo Iwa to cook his own food. The villagers just prepared the raw materials.

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Bali can trace its ancient heritage of natural healing and beauty practices back to the 15th century when rulers of Java’s mighty Majapahit Kingdom migrated to the island and claimed it as their own. With them came a legacy of timeless treatments and therapies that were later combined with the healing wisdoms imparted by wandering holy men from India.

Spa at Tepi Sawah Villas & Spa

The Balinese have always taken a holistic approach towards living by utilizing indigenous herbs, spices and plant materials to heal and rejuvenate. Such a wholly natural approach is closely bound to the fundamental Hindu belief that a state of balance between the mind and body is the essence of overall wellness.
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Kertha Gosa, the Hall of Justice is situated at the main road intersection side of the town of Klungkung, 40 kilometers northeast of Denpasar. Kertha Gosa was a building for solving problems concerning security, prosperity, and justice of the Kingdom of Bali. It was not known exactly who was the founder of this palace, but according to the Candra Sengkala carved at pemedal Agung (Palace’s main door), it had been existence in the year Caka, Cakra Yuyu Paksi Paksi which means the year Caka 1622 or around the year 1700 A.D, when Dewa Agung Jambe governed the Kingdom of Bali.

flickr.com/photos/tanenhaus/

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Across the Indonesian archipelago there are still many areas that have their own version of traditional horse and cart transportation. In Bali it is known as a dokar, which unfortunately is becoming a dwindling sight around the streets of Denpasar and Kuta. The covered carts are fairly simple structures that are created from timber upon a metal base with two large wagon wheels. Passengers sit sideways behind the driver on padded bench seats and the entire contraption is attached to a small horse with a sturdy leather harness and set of reigns. Depending on the weigh of the load, the cart travels along at a slightly tilted angle.

flickr.com/photos/66086592@N00/
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Jewel of West Bali, Pura Rambut Siwi is located between the villages of Yeh Embang and Yeh Sumbu, 78 Km west of Denpasar. Pura Rambut Siwi is an important legacy of the great priest Danghyang Nirartha, who came to Bali from Java during the decline the Majapahit Kingdom to fortify Balinese Hinduism against the spread of Islam occurring elsewhere in the archipelago. At the time of Danghyang Nirartha’s arrival in this temple in 1546, the ruler of this area , Gusti Ngurah Rangsasa, who obliged the great priest to pray in his temple. When the holy priest complied, the temple structures collapsed. Gusti Ngurah Rangsasa then fled and the community rebuilt the temple in honor of Danghyang Nirartha and his teachings. The name ‘Rambut Siwi‘ means “worship of the hair” since Danghyang Nirartha made a gift of his hair to this temple and since that time, the temple has been known as Pura Rambut Siwi.

trekearth.com/members/Angshu/

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