Besides its enchanting nature and beaches, Bali has always been known to enthrall people with its unique culture and aesthetic traditions. The first time I visited Bali was in 2010 and at that point too, I was quite taken in by this aspect of Bali. I just returned from my 2nd visit to Bali , a trip organized by Skyscanner and again, I was completely mesmerized by the simple rituals and traditions of the Balinese Culture. I took a plunge into discovering more about these traditions while I was there. What struck me amazing was that most of their culture was so much similar to Indian customs and traditions.
Let me start my series on Indonesia with this my first post that takes you through 5 examples of the Balinese Culture that are just evident as you walk down their streets. Beginning with a quick introduction to Bali –
Contents
Background of Bali
Bali is actually a province or a small island of Indonesia. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, it is primarily occupied by the Hindus. The Balinese Hindus are said to possibly, have come from India – where some South Indians reached the coast and settled here. Some say that people gradually converted to Hinduism after their royalty welcomed the religion and embraced it. Either ways this explains the similarity that I seemed to find across Bali. Here are 5 of my experiences of the Balinese Culture that made Bali so endearing to me.
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Galungan and Kuningan Festival
The first thing I noticed was these huge bamboo poles that were erected on every corner, every gate and every building across Bali. They are known as Penjor and are put up on occasion of their big festival called Galungan, which apparently had just got over. The fascinating thing that came up was this was a 9 day festival that celebrated the victory of good over evil. For those of you who are familiar with the Indian festival, you might be able to spot a similarity immediately. For those who are not, this festival was akin to the Dussehra festival that is celebrated in India over 9 days, with the same purpose – celebration of good over evil.
Interestingly the two festivals fall around the same time of the year. Galungan had just got over in early September while in India, we are now celebrating Dussehra . Quite like the tale of Lord Ram getting his victory over the demon Ravana, Galungan festival is celebrated as Lord Indra gained victory over the evil king Mayadenawa.
The end of Galungan Festival is celebrated as Kuningan. It is believed by the Balinese that during Galungan, the spirits of their ancestors visit their abode and hence, they must be entertained and kept happy during those 9 days that they visit. At the end of 9 days, when they are ready to return, yellow rice known as Kuning is prepared and hence, this day is referred to as Kuningan Festival. This entire celebration repeats itself after 210 days and hence, twice a year, you can experience these in Bali.
The Penjor added to the festive look of Bali and were a sign of the enthusiasm and vigor with which this festival is celebrated. The Bamboo poles are creatively decorated and usually have the harvest that the Balinese produced, tied at their top end. Penjor are kept in the town till they dry and fall off themselves. After which, a truck goes into every street collecting the remains and cleans them away. Since, I visited Bali just a few days after this festival had concluded, I was treated to the sights of these Penjors, merrily swaying in the winds, whispering their tales of the culture of Bali to me.
Canang Sari – A daily ritual in the Balinese culture
Everywhere you go, you are bound to find this lovely arrangement kept at the entrances of shops and corners of streets and even, beaches. This is called the Canang Sari (pronounced as Cha-nang). This is a daily ritual followed by the people in Bali. The Canang Sari is an offering of flowers, food and a few other things that is offered to the Gods and ancestors every day It is a way of Thanking them for the blessings that they have in their life. The Gods to whom these are dedicated to including the famed Indian Trimurti – Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma.
As for the ancestors, food , money and sometimes cigarettes are kept in the Canang. 😉
The manner in which these are arranged has a particular meaning. Each color of the flower signifies a particular deity and the position of the same is fixed in the Canang.
Another similarity that struck me was the dedication to the ancestors. While in India, we do not do it every day but there are some occasions in every region of India that are meant for a similar purpose. Interesting isn’t it?
Shrines and Temples
Walking along the streets of Bali, I came across these small shrines. Further on, there were a few houses that seem to have a full-fledged temple. Curious to know more, I was put in touch with a local Balinese lady – Risya by my Skyscanner team. Special thanks to her for her patience in explaining more about these to me.
The smaller shrines as you can see in the picture above are a part of Balinese architecture. They are called as Pelinggih and are shrines dedicated to the Gods and their ancestors. The Balinese worship three main deities – all of whom are known as Trimurti – both in India and Bali. These deities are Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma. Quite like the Hindus of India, the Balinese also, dedicate some of their shrines and temples to other Gods like the Sun God or Lord Surya. The Pelinggih are used for their daily prayers and generally, face the North East direction. The people in Bali worship these Pelinggih every day and offer Canang during the same here.
Similar to India, Bali Hindu system is also, divided into castes. The Pelinggih belonging to the lower caste families is called as Sanggah and the ones in the higher caste families are called Meranjan. As I understood from Risya, some homes have multiple Pelinggihs in their fold and these form a compound temple.
Interestingly, after she explained to me, I shared a picture of a home that I had found during my walk with two tigers guarding its gates. Turns out, that was the home of her uncle and the pictures that I had taken were of his compound temple. What can I say – the world is a small place alright!!!!
The presence of my favorite God – Ganesha
Lord Ganesha – or for those who are not familiar with him, he is the God with a head of an elephant. Extremely popular in India, he has a whole festival dedicated to himself and marks the tidings of a Good beginning. He is one of my favorites – for his tales of mischief and fascinating mythological stories. Finding him in Bali was quite exciting. He is a part of every Hindu home here as he is considered to be the Lord of knowledge and wisdom.
You will find a lot of his idols carved and sold as Balinese memorabilia. Fancy one?
The Balinese Dances
Right in the beginning I mentioned that the Balinese are known for their sense of art and creativity. Dance and music are an essential part of their culture. No celebration here is complete without it. I had the fortune of witnessing three interesting dance forms – the Pendet Dance, the Barong Dance and the Kechak Dance. Take a glimpse of the first two through this short video.
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Each of them was unique in their own way but the one thing that was common among them all was the art of storytelling. The Pendet Dance was more of a welcoming dance while the Barong Dance told a story of a demon. The Kecak dance was dedicated to the mythological tales of Ramayana and performed certain incidents from the mythological tale. Quite like the Indian classical dance forms, the Balinese dances were characterized by standard hand movements (mudras we call in India), footwork and facial expressions. The use of their traditional musical instruments is quite predominant in these forms. You can catch this at various cultural centers and temples like the Uluwatu Temple. Take a look at the live coverage of the same here. (Note: Please excuse the quality of the video – I was attempting Facebook Live for the first time :-))
https://www.facebook.com/Thrillingtravel/posts/1235368996484730
Kecak Dance as shared live on Facebook.
The Barong dance with the demon like mask reminded me of the Kathakali dance that is typical of Kerala in India. Except that over here, he has a mask while in India, the face is painted to create a character.
The strange similarity between the Indian and Balinese cultures really had me intrigued and made my heart fonder. So much that I embraced a piece of their culture for a few moments. Needless to say, that I was quite comfortable with it. So much – that I blended right into it 😉
Let me know if you are equally fascinated with my discoveries of the Balinese culture. Do you also, find yourself getting immersed in cultures and comparing them to your own? Does that increase your fascination for a place? Have you ever been to Bali yourself and noticed these customs? If not, maybe you should head to Bali yourself and try spotting all that I have talked about in this post.
Getting to Bali:
- Denpasar is the official international airport in Bali. There are several flights to Bali from across the world. Singapore and Malaysia are the two places that have the highest frequency of direct flights. Skyscanner can help you with various options of for your flights.
- For most countries, you can get a Visa on Arrival at the Denpasar airport. All you need is your return ticket. You can check your eligibility for this on this website. The same is not charged for.
Travel Tips for Bali:
- Bali is good throughout the year. Just remember that being in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed.
- Once in Bali, you can choose to stay at Kuta, Seminyak or Nusa Dua. Seminyak is slightly more expensive than Kuta but a little more quieter.
- You can get several of these cultural experiences as you walk down the streets of Kuta and Semiyak.
- Please respect the culture of Bali – do not tread or step over the Canang. Do not attempt to touch the temples or the shrines.
- Read this for some general travel tips to Bali.
P.S: I was a part of the Bloggers’ trip organized by Skyscanner .
Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting me with this.
Popularly referred to as a Restless Ball of Energy. My Mom refuses to entertain my complaints about my equally restless daughter & assures my husband that I was born with a travel bug.
I am a Post-Graduate in Marketing by qualification and a travel blogger by passion. Besides travel, I enjoy photography and if you don’t find me at my desk, I would be out playing badminton or swimming or just running. I believe in planning for every long weekend through the year. And when I cannot travel physically, I travel virtually through this travel blog. My travel stories have also, got published on various websites and magazines including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet India and Jetwings. I have recently published my first book – When Places Come Alive – a collection of stories that are based on legends, landscapes, art and culture of a place which is available in both ebook and paperback format.
Nice stuff, a whole new angle to Bali. I’m always fascinated by the Canang which is seen everywhere.
Thanks David. They fascinated me alright. Witnessed quite a few fresh ones being put out. It is quite a ritual
Lovely am sure you enjoyed the trip 🙂 the pictures say it all plus the information shared makes it so much interesting to visit Bali 🙂
Thanks Shweta. Bali and Indonesia as a whole, was just amazing to discover.
you look so pretty, can’t wait to read more posts from Bali as we are heading to Bali soon 🙂 🙂
Thank you Swati….:D Bali is just gorgeous…have fun!
It sure looks like a great trip Ami. The dance does remind me of Kathakali.. Fascinating indeed that we are two countries so apart yet their culture has a distinct similarity too
I agree, that is what had me really curious and amused too. It was fun discovering and delving into it.
You are super lucky to be in Bali during the festive season. Nice informative post Ami.
Thanks a ton guys. I missed the festival by a few days but the remnants of it were quite nice to catch.
I liked Bali a lot. I just had great feeling anywhere I went. Temples and shrines everywhere. Especially liked how they celebrate their New Year in total silence. Also funny naming conventions. Would like to get back as soon as I can. Liked your article too, by the way… 🙂
Thank you Renato. Glad you enjoyed the article. I heard about the new year that was celebrated in silence too, quite fascinating!
I always find some similarity to other cultures and customs when I travel. For example, I noticed that the Punjabi dress suit that women wear, is not uncommon in countries like Pakistan, Malaysia, and even some countries in Africa. I think it’s amazing how culture has been shared, beyond the scope of European expansion. Really, great post. I enjoyed the read. 🙂
Thank you. Glad you liked the post . Bali is a lot more similar to India than what people realise. It was amazing uncovering that.
Bali looks so bright and colourful! I love it! I hope to visit Bali in January 🙂
Thanks Samantha. Hope you visit it soon.
Hey! I was so surprised when I opened this post. I expected some words about the beautiful beaches, delicious food etc. of Bali, but rather you write about the cultural aspects. I have lived in Bali for 7 months and I am happy you write about the special ceremonies like Galugang and Kuningan and explain about the temples and local dances. This is maybe the most beautiful part of Bali. Great post!
Thank you Daphne. Glad you liked the post. 😀
Very fascinating culture! You seem like a very curious person who is interested in discovering the reason and history behind the cultural differences you see. Loved that you posted videos as well!
Alessandra <3
Thank you Alessandra. The similarity in the cultures had me really curious. Also, love discovering heritage and culture … 😀 Glad you liked the post.
This is great! It’s one thing to enjoy the beauty of a place, it’s another to really learn the stories behind what you’re seeing.
Thanks Cori. Glad you enjoyed discovering the same through this post. I had fun figuring it out too.
Bali has been a dream vacation for at least forever for me…Looks like you had too much fun. The pics says it all. A beautiful post celebrating Bali. I had also planned a trip in december but will not be able to make it. It’ll be great if anyone can cover for me…Just leave a message at this link https://nerdyindian.blogspot.in/2016/10/attention-travelers-7n8d-royal.html
Thanks. I had a fun time figuring out Bali. Hope you manage to get here soon. It is really amazing.
Yup, I hope so too:-)
I loved the canang saris a bit everywhere I went in Bali. Makes the place so colorful and peaceful somehow! Would love to get back to Bali and spend a good month there!
Thanks Thuymi. Canang do add to the serenity and the color of the place. Possibly another reason for me to know more about them.
There is a lot of similarity in SE Asia and it is fascinating to discover it!
Indeed. It was quite nice to discover these similarities and their meanings.
The dances were amazing. Love the photo of you!
Thanks Heather. I had fun dressing up.:)
Lovely pictures and write up, Ami! Always a great stop (your blog) to see the world from your eyes. 🙂
Thank you. That is quite encouraging 🙂
I would love the chance to experience and witness Balinese culture first hand. I’ve been going back and forth about whether or not Bali would have much authentic culture left since it’s a huge tourist magnet now, but it sounds like there are still some genuine spots 🙂
Thanks Megan. These rituals are so a part of Balinese culture that it is not too hard to spot them.
Hi Ami,
I loved the new perspective you gave to Balinese culture. Having hearing about so many Hindus leaving here but never knew the story attached to it. So glad to know the story behind the decoration on the roads we say. Nicely narrated story.
Thanks Rutavi. Enjoyed discovering it with you.
Wow! Amazing detailed post. Loved you in that attire. 🙂
The ancestors part is indeed similar to our culture.
Thanks Indrani. Even the rituals are kind of similar.
Great post Ami! Love all the research and attention to detail that you’ve paid! I hardly knew anything about Bali or its customs, so this was a nice introduction. You look lovely in the traditional costume. 🙂
Thanks Chaitali . 😀
This was very educational Ami! I have no background on both Bali and India, and I think the recurring theme all throughout Asia is our affinity for festivals celebrating good over evil. 🙂
Thanks Teesh. Indeed the celebration of good over evil is consistent across Asia.
Ami you look stunning in the traditional costume :). This is such an eye opener in terms of Balinese culture and tradition. Great article, thanks for the share.
Thanks Suma. Glad you liked it
What an amazing opportunity to have visited Bali not once but twice. It is one of my dream destinations. When I visit, I hope to see all the sights but also to experience the culture and learn more about the like you have.
Thanks Christina. Bali has a certain charm that brings back people to it.
I have heard so much about how wonderful and beautiful Bali is but not really read a lot about the culture. It is great tohave a little more insight about this lovely place.
Thanks Sheri. It was lovely visiting it all over again and delving deep into the culture.
There are some nice aspects, however Bali simply has too many tourists these days!
I’m glad you still had a good time though
Thanks Chris. Bali is fun either ways 🙂
I love the shrines and temples! They’re so vibrant and colourful! Is there a specific dress code for the ones you’ve pictured?
Thanks Carmy. I did not notice any specific dress code but am sure there must be given their deep rooted culture. Will definitely be finding out more.
Good for you to have a post on the culture of Bali, instead of just “what to do” or see. People don’t realize that it’s far more than just a beach destination and that the culture is fairly complex. You must have spent some time there.
Thanks Tom. It was not a long stretch of time but I did dig in deeper with the help of the Skyscanner team and Risya. All thanks to them for helping me understand their culture.
It is fascinating that you found so many similarities between the traditions of Bali and the ones in India. I have actually noticed during my trip to South East Asia those small offerings and how important they are. I’ve noticed how the first thing people do in the morning when they open their shops is to light an incense stick and put fresh flowers into the bowls.
Thanks Joanna. It was fun discovering this similarity and quite intriguing too. The morning rituals are indeed so refreshing.
Bainese dances are really fascinating. And you in balinese costume look really very pretty, congratulations!
Thanks Polly 🙂 I had fun wearing that.
Knowing about new cultures and traditions around the world is one of the reason we love to travel, so this post we find very interesting. It was great to know that Balinese also celebrate festivals which are similar to Dusshera in India. And the concept and architecture of Pelinggih sounds fascinating. We would love to visit Indonesia soon 🙂
Thanks guys. I am sure you will love your trip to Indonesia and I do hope you get there soon.
Such interesting observations. I loved hearing about Balinese religious traditions through your Indian lens. Cangang Sari is a beautiful act — I think it makes a huge impact on your mentality if you take the time to give thanks and create something beautiful everyday.
Thanks Tae. It does reinforce the basic gratitude that we need to express in our daily life.
What caught my attention the most was the bamboo poles. they are so beautifully decorated and almost looks like beautiful and vibrantly coloured and decorated palm trees.
I agree. They were just amazing and lovely.
After watching Eat, Pray Love I fell in love with how beautiful Bali is. The other bonus is South Africans do not need a visa to visit. And now you have give me 5 more reasons thanks for the tips.
Awesome. Have you booked your tickets?
There’s so much great information here! I especially loved the care and meaning behind everything in the festivals, from the decorations to the flowers. I hope to go to Bali and experience this sometime in the (near) future!
Thanks Mika. Hope you get to see it in person and soon!
Very interesting post, I’ve heard so much much about Bali, but even so Indonesia is still one of those unknown places that I’d love to discover one day. I love cultural heritage in general, so will definitely check the traditional dance and those beautiful temples!
Thanks Alberto and since you like culture, Bali is bound to be amazing for you.
Bali is a place of immense culture and tradition i can see! I would love to immerse myself as you have gone. Love the daily offering ritual, very thoughtful.
Thanks Shane. Glad you liked discovering it.
I would love to go to Bali. I have been inspired by my fave movie Eat Pray Love to visit. Penjor looks like a great time to visit and the food and entertainment looks amazing. Your post has inspired me to move on this trip! Thank you!
Thanks Janine. Hope you are looking up the tickets.
I really enjoyed this read and love how attentive you were to all the details in the surrounding. It looks like Bali is not just the surfing paradise its made out to be and there’s much to see and learn.
Thanks Mar. Bali is much more than its beaches as I discovered. 😀
I would love to visit Bali someday, not just to enjoy its natural beauty, but also admire how resilient the people after the Bali was hit my that tsunami. Their smile in their faces tells us WE CAN!
I agree Blair, the spirit of the people and their genuineness is what makes Bali amazing
Bali has been on my mind for the past couple of months. Just like you, the first time I visited it was in 2010 and I would like to visit it again.
Balinese culture is truly beautiful as it comes from the people’s hearts. They are very kind and peaceful and I also have to admit that I felt very safe there. You inspired me to visit it again very soon.
Thanks Veronica. Hope you are getting there soon.
I haven’t been to Bali but it does look beautiful and its on my list. I liked your video of the dancing very cultural I hope when I do visit I get to see something like this.
Thanks. I do hope you get to visit soon too. It is a lovely experience.
Bali is the top destination on my bucket list of exploring South East Asia! I’m always excited to learn about the new culture and Balinese culture resembles quite a lot to Indian culture in terms of festivities and celebrations!
Thanks Anamika. It will definitely be interesting for you given the similarity in customs.
I haven’t been to Bali in 20 years but I still remember the beautiful temples and lovely dances. I would love to go back and see it all again!
Bali may have changed but the spirit of the place is the same as what I remember of it from my first trip. I guess you will still like it.
Canang sari is such an interesting practice. We have nothing similar in western culture. Bali is just so fascinating.
Asian culture is so different from the West. It is quite interesting to deep dive into it. Am sure you will love discovering more of it as you head this way.
It is really fascinating to read about the Balinese culture and customs. It is really intriguing to see the similarities between Balinese and Indian culture. The more we travel and understand cultures, you realize that there is some or the other undercurrent of similarity.
Indeed Vyjay. The similarity is fascinating
Thanks for all this good cultural information about a very special island!
Glad you liked it
I’ve learned so much about Balinese culture here. It’s a region that we’ve been dying to visit, and it’s incredible to learn more about it’s background.
Thanks Kevin. Am sure you and the rest of your family would love it – not just for the culture but also for its beaches and other activities. Would highly recommend it for you.
Bali looks like a super colorful place with lots of culture! Loved seeing the Ganesha too, its amazing how cultures coincide around the world! thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Anju. Bali was amazing. In fact, Indonesia as a country was lovely. Hope you get there someday and soon 🙂
Bali is sooo high on my list! I don’t know when, but I’m def will get there!
Hope you get there soon Mary.
I admire Bali so much. The culture there is one of the main reasons. I have been to Bali six times already and I just love experiencing the Balinese culture, especially their traditional dance performances.
I agree Tamshuk, Bali is amazing with its vibrant culture.
Bali is very colourful and vibrant. What really amazes me is the striking similarities between Indian culture and Balinese. Throughout Bali you encounter a feeling of Deja Vu. The colours and motifs in their shrines all echo Indianness to the hilt.
Thanks Vyjay. Glad you agree on the same.
My last trip to Bali in 2015 coincided with Galungan and I was really fascinated by the Penjor found on every street throughout the whole island. It’s really interesting to learn that this tradition, and other aspects of Hinduism in Bali, is still practiced till today.
Thank you Danial. It was fascinating to find out the similarities. I am glad that you too enjoyed the comparison.