Religion
The
Balinese are Hindu yet their religion is
very different from that of the Indian variety.
They do have a caste system, but there are
no untouchables and occupation is not governed
by caste. In fact, the only thing that reflects
the caste system is the language which has
three tiers; 95% of all the Balinese are
Hindu Dharma, and speak Low or Everyday
Balinese with each other; Middle Balinese
is used for talking to strangers, at formal
occasions or to people of the higher Ksatriya
caste; High Balinese is used when talking
to the highest class, the Brahmana, or to
a pedanda (priest). It may sound complicated,
but most of the words at the low and medium
levels are the same, whereas High Balinese
is a mixture of Middle Balinese and Kawi,
the ancient Javanese language.
The Balinese worship the
Hindu trinity Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu,
who are seen as manifestations of the Supreme
God Sanghyang Widhi. Other Indian gods like
Ganesha (the elephant-headed god) also often
appear, but more commonly, one will see
shrines to the many gods and spirits that
are uniquely Balinese. Balinese believe
strongly in magic and the power of spirits
and much of their religion is based upon
this. They believe that good spirits dwell
in the mountains and that the seas are home
to demons and ogres. Most villages have
at least three main temples; one, the Pura
Puseh or 'temple of origin', faces the mountains
and is dedicated to the village founders,
another, the Pura Desa or village temple,
is normally found in the centre and is dedicated
to the welfare of the village, the last,
the Pura Dalem, is aligned with the sea
and is dedicated to the spirits of the dead.
Aside from these 'village' temples, almost
every house has its own shrine and you can
also find monuments dedicated to the spirits
of agriculture, art and all other aspects
of life. Some temples, Pura Besakih for
example, on the slopes of Mount Agung, are
considered especially important and people
from all over Bali travel to worship there.
Offerings play a significant
role in Balinese life as they appease the
spirits and thus bring prosperity and good
health to the family. Every day small offering
trays (canang sari) containing symbolic
food, flowers, cigarettes and money, are
placed on shrines, in temples, outside houses
and shops, and even at dangerous crossroads.
Festivals are another great
occasion for appeasing the gods. The womenbear
huge, beautifully arranged, pyramids of
food, fruit and flowers on their heads while
the men might conduct a blood sacrifice
through a cockfight. There are traditional
dances and music and the gods are invited
to come down to join in the festivities.
The festivals are usually very exciting
occasions and well worth observing, if you
are in the area. A crucial thing to remember,
if you wish to join in celebrations or enter
a temple, is that there are a number of
rules that have to be respected
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