Bali temples - Page two - by travel authority Howard Hillman

Bali temples
and ceremonies

page 2

More Bali temple
tips & insights

Temple ceremonies

No trip to Bali is fulfilled without observing a festive temple ceremony.

Frequent events

Because there are so many temples in Bali with different ceremony schedules, there should be at least one event taking place on any given day during your visit.

Dissimilarities

Some ceremonies are grander and more festive than others. Some have traditional dances and music.

Consult your concierge or the local government tourist office for the latest schedules and recommendations when you arrive in Bali. Also ask them to brief you on temple etiquette (for instance, you as a visitor should don a sarong and leave a small monetary gift for the upkeep of the temple).

Temple processions

A major adjunct of the temple ceremony is the procession of traditionally attired women walking single file down a country road to the temple. The participants gracefully balance on their heads tall colorful towers of neatly arranged fruits, flowers and other offerings (see photo).

Daily offerings

The Balinese make offerings to the good and evil spirits on a daily basis with tiny tray baskets (called bantens) made of woven coconut palm fronds. Each contains simple gifts such as flowers and rice.

You will see a plethora of these baskets. They are placed nearly anywhere including on altars and, to enhance and protect a business's prosperity, on the sidewalk near a shop's doorway. I've even seen a banten parked on a computer as the operator entered data into a spreadsheet.