Religion and Beliefs in Bali
The first attraction of Bali is the prominence of local beliefs, which makes Bali 'unmistakable' compared to other places in the Land of Thousand Islands.
Indonesia is the largest Muslim country on the planet. Although located in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has 280 million Muslims (accounting for 93% of the total population). Yet, Bali Island - the tourist heart, the pearl of this country - is a holy land of Hinduism, with more than 10,000 temples.
The strong imprint of Hinduism throughout Bali
In the past, the geographical location made the islands of Indonesia an ideal stopping place for Indian and Chinese merchants. From there, it was natural for the Balinese to adopt the philosophies of Hinduism from the Indians and Buddhism from the Chinese. A few centuries later, when sea transport became more developed, Arab traders flocked here, bringing with them the belief in Allah to this area. By the 17th century, most of the small states in the West and North of the archipelago were completely Muslim.
Sacred temples always attract many tourists.
Geographically, thanks to being "shielded" from neighboring islands, Bali was not much influenced by the wave of Islam, becoming a rather "closed" area culturally and not assimilated with the surrounding islands. Furthermore, thanks to being outside the Islamic trade routes, Bali was not influenced because their leaders had no reason to convert to Islam.
In the past, communities in Southeast Asia tended to follow the religion of their leaders. At that time, leaders advocated conversion to help promote trade and commerce. At that time, the Muslim trading system was thriving, bringing great economic benefits and welcoming anyone who wanted to participate. As a result, many leaders in communities in this region converted to Islam.
Hindu temples are found in every corner of Bali.
Bali Heaven's Gate
The symbol of the Island of Ten Thousand Temples (another name for Bali) is the gates of heaven - The Gate of Heaven, locally known as Candi Bentar. The most famous of these is of course the Gate of Heaven at Lempuyang Temple, but you can find this symbol almost everywhere in Bali, from small temples, to restaurants, hotels, and even local homes.
Candi Bentar symbol in a Balinese temple
Hindus in general and the Balinese believe that mountains are sacred places, the abode of the Gods. Therefore, these Candi Bentar represent split mountains, leading mortals to the sacred land, connecting the two worlds. Moreover, the symmetry of this structure also symbolizes the opposing energies that create the balance of life, such as day-night, good-evil, male-female, sadness-joy, and many other parallel concepts.
Candi Bentar symbolizes the split mountains, guiding mortals into the sacred land.
Balinese people
Every morning from dawn, they have offered Canang Sari and burned incense in almost every location of the house: temples, cars, motorbikes, gates on the walls that have the function of separating different living spaces. Canang Sari in small, pretty khaus including flowers, candies, incense is a symbol of gratitude and prayers for peace sent to the Hindu God - Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (the supreme god in Hinduism in Bali).
Balinese people make offerings every day
Interestingly, you can find offerings everywhere, even on the sidewalks and corners of old temples.
The Balinese way of life is “slow and steady”, the most beautiful part of their faces is probably their smiles and serenity at every moment of the day. The locals here pay attention to cleanliness and privacy at every moment. They love open and natural spaces, they also prefer wooden furniture, rustic materials but still maintain the traditional architecture in the way of building houses.
Religious beauty in Bali
When I came to Bali, I spent time visiting other religious buildings, such as Catholic churches, Buddhist temples, and mosques, all of which have their own unique features. One thing is for sure, they are very harmonious and do not make things difficult for each other. Many locals have told me this and I have also felt it very clearly during my days here.
Love nature
Although tourism is the strength and the main economic sector in Bali, nature still plays an important role, and is preserved and conserved like a breath on this island. Balinese people love nature and are always connected with the forests and green fields here.
Passing through Canggu, one comes across endless green rice fields, this is also the land of yoga and meditation classes, where visitors from all over the world, make them live slower, appreciate gratitude more and return to wild nature.
For a long time, Balinese Hindus have been learning yoga, studying scriptures, arts, sciences, and living a simple, disciplined life. They practice truthful speech, work without forgetting the spirit of Dharma, serve the elderly, and respect their parents, teachers, and honored guests as if they were gods.
Bali's nature will make your feet want to stop and rest.
The story of the female protagonist Liz in "Eat, Pray, Love" - who found love and happiness and reconnected with herself in middle age after her days in Bali - is a great inspiration, a famous testament to the charm, uniqueness and authenticity of Bali.
And finally, while we are still fascinated by the island and trying to decode it, Bali is still there, welcoming adventurous souls who want to breathe in the sacred air and go within, connect more deeply with themselves and create a bond with the nature around them.
Lush green rice fields in Canggu
About the author:Thinh, a geopolitics and culture writer, currently lives and works in Ho Chi Minh City. Thinh is a visual storyteller in a reportage style. The author's stories are very personal shares from his personal perspective and feelings during his journeys around the world.
