Bali
Introduction
Bali's
culture, unique arts and ceremonies, gentle
friendly people and scenic beauty make it
an island unreal in today's changing world.
The main destination for pleasure tourist
to Indonesia, Bali's International Airport,
Ngurah Rai is the country's eastern gateway
and is served by the national flag carrier.
Garuda Indonesia Airways, on its internal
and international routes as well as by other
international airlines and charters. Cruise
ships anchor at the ports of Benoa and Padangbai.
Overland routes extend to Java and Lombok
Island by boat ferries.
Only
5,623 square kilometers in size, Bali has
many roads, which crisscross the island.
Connecting villages with the capital, Denpasar,
and the tourist belts of Sanur and Kuta,
which are located on the eastern and western
coast of the southern tip of the island.
Nusa Dua and Jimbaran on the southern Peninsula
is currently the " High class "
beach resort.
Bali
culture is based on its unique form of Hinduism
called "Hindu Bali" which it retained
after the Islamization of Java and developed
through the centuries. Though the caste
system is observed, it is not as rigid as
in India. Religion is the source of traditional
custom in family and community life. Its
influence is also strongly felt in the arts.
With
a completely different life style from the
rest of Indonesia, the Balinese have managed
to preserve their culture despite the overwhelming
foreign influence brought by the increasing
number of visitors (tourist). Bali "Rajas"
and royal families where deprived of their
Kingdom during the Dutch colonial government
in the early part of this century, but many
of them still have their palaces and are
respected as patrons of the arts. Dancing
and music are highly stylizing forms of
art and the classical dance drama is based
on the old Hindu epics of the Ramayana and
the Mahabrata or on local folklores.
The
island of Bali is mountainous in its center
with a cluster of volcanoes of which the
active Gunung (Mount) Agung is considered
sacred. Terraced rice fields dominate the
landscape, with small streams bringing water
for irrigations. The attractions of Bali
are in its unique art and culture. It almost
seems that every person is an artist in
some form, weather it is painting, weaving,
carving, basketry, etc. or even in the making
of the decorations which are placed at the
many shrines in public areas, on roads,
paddy field or in the house. Villagers spend
their free time in these arts or that of
music and dancing, which is taught from
a very young age.
The
soul of the Balinese is their religion and
it find expression in the arts.
