The Taman Budaya Art Centre

Friday, August 22, 2008

The Art Centre (Wedhi Budaya) complex, commenced in 1969 and officially opened for use in 1973, is located in Nusa Indah street.

On entering the Art Centre complex one is confronted by two entrances. On the left, in a style reminiscent of Japan, is the "Rinchui Sakura" and on the right, is astructure called "Candi Bentar".
The Candi Bentar represents "exaltedness" and is often found in temples and palaces of royalty of bygone days. This structure is often found when entering village districts and also at points of entry into the province of Bali such as at the pmts of Gilimanuk, Benoa and Padangbai.
The Candi Bentar of the Art Centre, in keeping with tradition, represents the desire to preserve, nurture and exalt the arts of Bali.
Having entered the five hectare Cultural Park (Taman Budaya) a variety of buildings are visible built in the traditional Balinese style, the creation of the very talented architect Ida Bagus Tugur. The entire complex is divided into five building complexes with ponds, gardens, bridges and walkways connecting the various areas.
The various building complexes are known as: "Mahudara Mandhara Giri Buwana", used as the main building, housing a permanent art exhibition: "OnceÇrawa", used for occasional work shops and exhibitions: "Amerta Saraswati", housing the library: "Ardha Candra ", used for open-air performances, and finally the indoor stage: Ksirarnawa.
Besides these buildings there is the "Wantilan" (Wantilan = open air hall) which is outside the overall plan of the Art Centre complex. The Wantilan is used to hold performances where intimacy between performers and audience. (e.g. dance) is desired. This is made obvious when, on completion of the performance, the performer takes a seat amongst the "inactive" audience and proceeds to partake of the offered betel nut and cigarettes.

The Main Building (Mahudara Mandhara Giri Buwana): to gain access to the main double - storey building one passes over the "Gajah Mina" bridge. The Gajah Mina is a mythical creature, being a fish with the head of an elephant. Before entering the stairwell through the "Kori Agung" (Kori = door, gate; Agung = large, grand), which leadsto the exhibition building, one passes the heads of two mythical serpents (Naga); Naga Basuki and Naga Ananthaboga which seem to welcome every visitor to this complex. All these creatures and the names of the complexes derive from the Adi Parwa philosophy (Mahabharata epic) which is actually a part of a story about Mount "Mahudara Mandhara Giri Buvana".

East of the Main Building is the Balai Kambang (balai = building) situated on a pond. The view from the Balai Kambang looks out on the pond and the beautiful surrounding gardens contained within the Taman Udiyana Ratnalaya (taman = park, garden). Three statues are found at the eastern perimeter of the pond; the statue of Beghawan Gangga flanked by the images of Dewi Gangga Soma, protector of seas, riversand lakes,and that of Dew; Giri Puteri, protector of mountains and springs.

The Library (Amerta Saraswati).

In the library, situated beyond the oval stage, are found the valuable lontars (Iontar palm = leaves of which are used traditionally as paper) and books which are made accessibie to the public to read on the premises. There is an ideal resting spot in the "Balai Slunding" near the Pura, (pura = temple) which stands nearby and existed long before the Art Centre was conceptualised.

The Open Theatre (Ardha Candra)

This semi-circular theatre with a seating capacity of seven thousand derives its name from the shape (Ardha = half; Candra = round, moon). The theatre is used to stage anything from traditional classics in dance and modern variations of the classics to the works of contemporary choreographers.

The stage, lit from a traditional Balinese styled tower, has two dressing rooms, the left one, Candi Paduraksa, is used as the performers entrance to the stage.

The space beneath the tiered viewing area is used for an art shop, cafetaria and exhibition room and sited near the entrance are two smaller oval stages used to perform folk drama and "cak" dances. Indoor Stage: Ksirarnawa.

Just on the morning before the 8th Bali Art Festival was to be opened (June 14, 1986). Minister of Education and Culture Dr. Daud Yusuf dedicated officially the new Ksirarnawa - the Indoor Stage Building, on the west side of the Ardha Candra.lt has two floors: the upper is the stage with 800 capacity built in a combination of modern and Balinese styles. The first floor consists of rooms-in the west and east side for permanent or temporary exhibitions, and a lotus shaped pond is located at the centre. Four garuda (eagles) and eight white apes guard the four entrances to this stage. Ksirarnawa (Milky Ocean) is a name taken also from the process of gaining the Tirtha Amertha -the Holy Water in the Great Adi Parwa story.

It is this complex that every year hosts the month long Bali Art Festival in the months of June and July.

Read More......

Tips for Your Holiday in Bali

Is this your first holiday in Bali? It is a best decision to spend your holiday in Bali, an island of thousands temples. But, before you start your day in this beautiful island, there are some tips that you need to know:

Attending Ceremonies: Remember these are serious occasions and should be treated as such. Religious guidelines:
1. Always wear a sarong and sash.
2. Do not walk in front of people that are praying.
3. Do not use a flash camera or point your camera into the priest’s face!
4. Never sit higher than the priest or the offerings.
5. At cremations, do not get in the way of the attendees - however important that photographic opportunity is!
6. Women are not allowed to enter temples during menstruation.
N.B.When attending Special Ceremonies or Anniversary Celebrations as a guest or onlooker, small donations is gratefully received. Your donations will help in paying for the offerings and upkeep of the temple.

Dangerous sports: Make sure you either have personal insurance or travel insurance that will cover any accidents!

Driving: In Bali, always expect the unexpected, always keep your eyes open and your mind on driving. Beware of motorbikes! It is best to rent a car with full insurance as this will save time and money if you are involved in an accident.

Money Changers: Be very careful when changing your money. Always check the rate of exchange and commission (if any). Most importantly, always count your money before you leave the premises and, if you can, bring your own calculator as the ones used by some places can be a little ‘inaccurate’.

Petty Crime:
a.) There have been a few cases of handbags being snatched after tourists have cashed money at Banks or Money Changers! Put your money away in your ‘bum-bag’ or hold onto your hand- bag tightly!!!
b.) When changing large amounts of money please check each note carefully as there are a number of (noticeably) fake notes in circulation.
c.) When trying on garments do not take your jewelery off and leave it lying around - give it to a friend or leave it in the hotel safe.

Swimming in the sea: Currents and undertows can be strong. Always swim between the red and yellow flags and don’t swim too far out! Please, do not leave your belongings unattended on the beach.

Thank you for respecting these suggestions

Read More......

Bale Kulkul in Balinese Architecture

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The bale kulkul is a tower-like structure and usually occupies a prominent position in the village. The kulkul itself is a percussive device consisting of a hollow piece of timber with a slit in one side. It resonates when struck, rather like a wooden tubular bell, and is beaten to summon the local community to assemble. Different rhythms indicate the specific reason for the summons-for example, a meeting of household heads at the bale agung, or, in the past, a call to arms.
The building in which the kulkul is housed–it usually suspended from the rafters of the roof-may be simple or elaborate, depending on the wealth of the community. The more extravagantly ornamented examples showcase the skill of the local stonemasons.

Read More......

Balinese Palaces

In traditional Hindu cosmology, the territory of the kingdom was conceived, in symbolic terms, as replicating the universe as a whole, a microcosm of the macrocosm. In this respect, the seat of the ruler, which ideally was situated at or near the geographical centre of the kingdom, was seen not only as the ultimate source of temporal power but also as a cosmological and ritual centre. The two aspects of power went hand in hand, for the ruler in Classical Indonesia was regarded as divinely appointed.

Balinese Kongdoms

Following the conquest of Bali by the East Javanese Majapahit kingdom in the early 14th century, a vassal king was installed at Samprangan, near present-day Gianyar, who owed his allegiance to Java. The island was effectively a dependency of Java until the start of the 15th century, but, as Majapahit fortunes waned, Bali gradually gained its autonomy from Java and, following the collapse of Majapahit in the early years of the 16th century, grew to be an imperial power in its own right under the leadership of king Waturenggong. By the end of the next century Bali had fragmented into several lesser kingdoms. These survive today as eight regencies (kabupaten), Bali`s local government departments.

At the Centre

The palace (puri) of the local dynastic ruler (raja) and his family should be auspiciously sited, ideally within the kaja-kangin quadrant formed by the crossroads at the centre of town. In practice, local circumstances and history may determine otherwise. For example, there may be more than one palace complex. At Karangasem, an older palace was left by the founders of a new dynasty to senior relatives, while for younger relatives; where two earlier palaces occupy the centre of Bangli, the principal one is situated in the town`s kaja-kangin quadrant.

Palace Layout

The palace resembles the basic pattern established for the residential compound of the common man, for it is laid put according to the same rules of the Balinese compass rose. For palaces, however, the grid-like division of the area enclosed by the perimeter walls is given a physical reality, with walls and doorways dividing the palace precincts into a series of the interconnected courtyards.

The Dynastic Temple

The kaja-kangin sector of the grid is occupied, predictably, by the family temple (pemerajan) of the ruler, which in this instance forms a kind of cosmic centre of the public on ceremonial occasion and is approached from the kauh side of the palace complex via two intermediary courtyard (jaba and jaba tengah). The first of these should ideally be situated on the western side of the palace complex and is entered from outside the palace walls via a ceremonial, split gateway (candi bentar). The second courtyard is used for the preparation of offerings and the reception of guests attending palace ceremonies. This courtyard is completely enclosed on all sides and is entered from the outer courtyard by another ceremonial gateway called a kori agung, which has a lintel and doors that can be shut. The kori agung is usually quite an ornate structure, with statuary and carvings intended to deter malevolent influences from entering the inner sanctum of the royal temple. The aling-aling wall inside the gateway is also decorated with reliefs, which often allude the date of construction. The door way the kori agung is opened only on ceremonial occasions, with every day access afforded by a smaller, less elaborate door to one side.
The sanctum sanctorum of the royal family temple (jero-dalem) contains the ancestral shrines of the ruling dynasty, which are much the same as the other family shrines except that they are usually more numerous and more elaborately ornamented.
There will also be meru towers dedicated to the gods. The number of tiered roofs (tumpang) is always uneven; the exact count depends on the nature of the deity to whom the structure is dedicated and the status of the person responsible for its erection. For example, a raja who dedicates a meru to Siwa is entitled to build the maximum number of tumpang-eleven.

Raja`s Residential Quarters

The most important of the three residential courts that occupy the central row of the palace complex is the middle one, which is where the raja and his family live. A wall bisects the court along an east-west axis and symbolizes the division between the public and private lives of the ruler.
The kelod half (pelataran rangki) is the public domain and is reached by members of the public from the kelod end the palace complex. This court has a bale gede where important lifecycle rituals relating to members of the royal family take place and there is also likely to be a pavilion to house important guests.
The kaja half of the central court is called the saren agung and this is occupied by the ruler and immediate family. The main building here is the living quarters (ukiran) of the raja himself. This should ideally be located exactly in the middle of the palace complex where it is divided in two by the wall that separates the central courtyard into its kaja and kelod halves. In this respect, the ukiran is located on the border of the public and private domains. The ukiran`s distinguished status is signaled by its pointed roof; all the other buildings have hipped roofs, except for the family shrines and the meru towers.

The Royal Family Members

To the east of the most central court lies the saren kangin, the residential quarters for the royalty not in the ruler`s immediate family-usually an order branch of the incumbent royal family. The basic layout of the saren kangin resembles the typical residential compound, arranged around a central natar, with family shrines in the kaja kangin corner, an umah meten to the west of this and a bale gede to the east. The western counterpart of the saren kangin is the saren kauh, where junior members of the royal family live-for example, the raja`s younger brother.

Read More......