Tag: Temple
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Three Temples in Bali
Bali is unique in Indonesia, with a Hindu population of 86.9%. One of the great pleasures of visiting Bali is touring the temples. Temples represent an important part of daily religious, social and cultural life and are meticulously maintained. On this trip, I visited three in the Ubud area, illustrated in the following photographs.1-3 Pura…
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Balinese Gamelan Ensemble Rehearsal
While walking in Seminyak, Bali, one evening I heard the strains of a gamelan ensemble. I quickly located them, practising in their temple and stood close to the stage to watch them for a half an hour or so. When they took a break, their leader came over to me and explained that they were preparing…
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Colourful Preparations for a Balinese Temple Celebration
Earlier this year, I took an early morning walk around the back streets of Seminyak in Bali, when I came across a temple I had passed and photographed several times before. Although well before nine a.m., there were several people busy decorating the building and laying tables inside. Unfortunately, I did not have a sarong…
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Tirta Empul: A Holy Spring and Temple in Central Bali
Pura Tirta Empul dates from around CE 960, when a temple was built on the site of the spring. According to legend, the ancient ruler Mayadanawa angered the gods by suppressing Hinduism and the freedom of his subjects to worship freely. An army, led by the god Indra, pursued Mayadanawa, who poisoned a nearby river making the troops…
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Back to Bali: Pura Geger Temple at Nusa Dua
This cliff top temple, Pura Geger, at Nusa Dua is a short walk from the Balé hotel, where we were staying. The beach on which I am standing is in front of another hotel, one of the largest in Bali yet, when I walked up to the temple, mid-morning, the only person I saw was…
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Temple Building Details, Seminyak, Bali
It is a special pleasure, when staying in Seminyak, to go out early and walk around the back streets to see everyday life, just minutes away from the designer shops, restaurants and bars on the main roads. All of the photographs displayed here are from the numerous temples, in daily use by local people, within…
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Bali: Pura Ulun Danu Bratan
Located in northern Bali at a height of 1200m above sea level, the journey to Lake Danau Bratan from the south passes through rice fields and then up into the mountains, towards the richly fertile fields around Bedugul. The temple of Ulun Danu Bratan, dedicated to Dewi Danu, the water goddess, is one of the most important in…