The island of Nusa Penida which is recently dubbed as renewable energy park offers not just sites of eco-friendly electric plantation for the visitors. For hundreds of years Nusa Penida has become a favorite spiritual tourism destination for thousands of Balinese each month. One of many obligatory spiritual sanctuaries that are visited by the pilgrims is the sacred Giri Putri cave in Suana village. The mouth of the cave is strategically perched on the slope of a hill on the elevation 150 meter above the sea level, overlooking a vast blue ocean and seaweed plantations.

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Bunut Bolong is a sacred and unique tree that is located in Manggisari village 11 km to the north from the main Denpasar – Gilimanuk road, 86 km from Denpasar. The sacred tree is situated on the ridge of a hill flanked on east sides by clove plantation and on the west side gorge with excellent lush green tropical forest.

The name Bunut Bolong is given due to the unique characteristic of this tree. the word “bunut” is Balinese name for a species of fig family which has similar characteristic with banyan tree, and the word “bolong” means “hole”, so the word “Bunut Bolong” means a bunut tree which has a hole in it. As a matter fact, this sacred tree has a big hole in the bottom of it, so big that a road can through it and the diameter of the hole can accommodate two cars side by side.

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The rapid development of industry and economic activities in Bali not just bring a new dynamic to Balinese daily life but also contribute a new nuance to Balinese religion. The establishment of offices, governmental offices, banks, factories, malls, restaurants, shops, etc is usually followed by the establishment of a shrine in front of the shops or a small temple in the vicinity of the offices, factories, malls, etc especially on the northeastern area of the locale.

Small enterprises such as shops or boutiques or small offices usually build only a small Padmasana (Seat of God) shrines which are dedicated to god but in some areas they are dedicated to the goddess of fortune and trader (Dewi Melanting). These shrines have no anniversary date so no anniversary rituals are presented only small daily offerings, only in auspicious days such as full moon or new moon bigger and more elaborate offerings are presented. These shrines are maintained by the owner of the enterprises or by the land owners.

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Poleng, or chessboard pattern of alternating black and white squares is surely the most distinguished motif of Balinese cloth. One can hardly miss the presence of a poleng cloth around him due to the striking contrast of colors used in the motif. But poleng is not made for attracting attention of the onlookers, it express Balinese point of view towards life.

Since Poleng is the national color of Bali, it can be found virtually everywhere in the island. Poleng clothes are usually wound round big tree trunks, big rocks, statues and shrines. Banners, flags, and umbrellas that are used in a procession of the ceremony sometimes made of poleng clothes. Poleng clothes are also used by the Balinese traditional security forces (pecalang), poleng cloth is considered to be an obligatory part of pecalang outfits. There is also a warrior dance (baris) which is called Baris Poleng. As its name suggests, the dancers’ apparels consist predominantly of poleng clothes.

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Meru, an elaborate multi-tiered temple structure with thatched roof of sugar palm fiber called duk, is surely a prima ballerina of many temple courtyards. Towering majestically among other shrine, meru is a symbol of the temple prestige. A temple with an eleven-tiered meru is surely has more prestige than just a temple with a five-tiered Meru.

The shrines symbolize the world mountain, Gunung Maha Meru, and has one to eleven tiers or, as they are called, tumpang, or “levels.” There must always be an odd number, although one meru at Pura Taman Ayun in Mengwi has two. The tumpang are square and diminish in size toward the top, so that the effect is that of a Chinese pagoda, except the colors are somber.

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For Balinese, protecting house compound is great task that cannot be handled effectively by walls and gate only, especially when dealing with mystical disturbances. For Balinese mystical disturbance is as real as the physical one and some Balinese put more emphasis on the mystical disturbance when dealing with protecting house compound issue since it cannot be perceived with mortal eyes and proven to be harder to deal with than a mere physical disturbance.

Balinese believe that a mystical disturbance should be handled by a mystical guardian since ordinary human has no adequate power to penetrate into the mystical realm even though someone has enough mystical power he simply cannot stay alert 24/7 in order to guard his house compound from mystical.

A typical Balinese house compound usually has two shrines for its two spirits that act as mystical guardians; each has its respective shrine. The shrines are located within the house compound. The first shrine is called Sanggah Pengijeng Karang or shrine of house compound guardian – the word “sanggah” means “shrine”, the word “pengijeng” means the one who stay at home (derived from the word “ijeng” means “to guard” or “to stay at home” and the word “karang” means “house compound”. The sanggah pengijeng karang is a roofed shrine with one compartment. It is located more or less in the middle of the house compound, not in the family temple. It is the home of the spirit of which acts as a guardian or caretaker of the property.

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