Bali: Religion and Offerings

We got a steal on tickets and were able to visit beautiful and unique Bali last week.  Bali is the only island in Indonesia, the world's largest Islamic country, where Hinduism is the predominant religion. The religion is a called Agama Hindu Dharma or Agama Tirtha.  

Buddhism was the state religion of Bali's early kingdom.  In the 10th century, Bali's King Udayana married a Hindu Javanese princess and the two religions fused.  During the 16th century, high priests moved from Java to escape the encroachment of Islam and introduced the caste system to Bali.

The Balinese people are very dedicated to their religion.  Their devotion is inspiring.  Balinese Hinduism lacks the traditional Hindu emphasis on cycles of rebirth and reincarnation.  The religion focuses on a myriad of "hyangs", the local and ancestral spirits.  The Balinese have long regarded the universe as a structured entity where everything has it's place.  They recognize the duality of nature: male and female, good and evil, day and night, life and death. 

Balinese Hinduism is interwoven with art and ritual.  Rituals and ceremonies are a part of everyday life.  It is definitely not a "sunday-only" religion.  We drove past this procession.  Our driver said I could take a photo (so I stuck my head out the window and lost my sunglasses) but to never stop or interrupt the procession.  He said this was the most sacred ceremony.  I'd love to go back and see more of their fascinating religion and culture.

Order and harmony are personified by deities who live on mountaintops and bestow their blessings on humans.  Demons symbolize disorder and dwell beneath the sea.  Offerings (banten) are made at least daily to both ancestors and gods and demons.  

We spent our first few nights in Ubud, in the center of the island, which is surrounded by incredible rice fields.  Samara and her cute friend were up with me bright and early one morning.  With their sashes donned, they were appropriately attired to help Made, the Balinese woman, with the offerings for our villa.  Adult women require a sarong and their shoulders covered to participate or to enter one of the temples.

I read an average household can spend at least 50% of their income on offerings.  The physical parts of the offerings are eaten and regarded as leftovers from the Gods.  Those made to demons are discarded.   Creating them is an act of devotion and a sign of their gratitude.  The offerings are everywhere in Bali and are gorgeous!  Ever village has it's own unique style.  I'm so glad we could see how it was done.

Presenting the offerings requires incense, holy water, and prayers.  The holy water and prayers, or "mantras", purify the offerings.  The smoke of the incense wafts the essence of the offerings to the intended destinations.

The offerings in the blue plate are rice on banana leaves.  They are ones that would typically be eaten later.

Offerings are placed according to their destination and function.  Those places up high like these are for gods and ancestors.  This is to ask for blessing and to give thanks.  While the demons receive theirs on the grounds to keep them appeased and away.

More posts to come...