Although classes in the PPLP (Hospitality Training College) started a few weeks ago, University classes started on Monday 5th September. To me this seemed to be a strange day to start - after just one day of classes the campus shutdown for 4 days to mark the major Balinese Hindu festival of Galungan which was followed on Monday 12th by a Muslim holiday (Idul Adha or Lebaran Haji - Muslim Day of Sacrifice). I've stayed on campus over an extended shutdown before and it can be pretty quiet, even lonely, and without the services of the surrounding small businesses (food stores, laundries etc).
"Ti Amo Bali"
To give me some relief from that involuntary "quiet time of personal reflection and deprivation" Pak Sidhi very kindly arranged a short stay in the mountains for me. On Tuesday (6th) we drove northwest from campus, through the regional city of Tabanan to the mountains. After stopping for lunch with his parents we continued into the foothills of the band of mountains which runs roughly east-west through Bali, separating the island into the northern and southern portions.
This may not be the best map of Bali you can find on the internet, but it does show something the others don't. The location of the biggest mountains can be clearly seen, as can the decreasing ridge which runs to the northwest, almost to the very end of Bali. I've marked "Dalung" where the University is located, and also our destination - the village of Penebel near the bigger town of Mengesta.
There are few "tourism objects" (as they are usually) called in Penebel. But there is the Villa "Ti Amo Bali" (I Love Bali). I had no idea what to expect or how I would fill in my time until I was collected on Thursday. I needn't have been concerned - my time there was well spent. I was literally the "odd man out" as the other guests were 4 young(ish) French couples travelling independently through Indonesia. I case you are wondering why a villa in the mountains of Bali has an Italian-inspired name, I can tell you. One of the owners is Italian.
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| Villa "Ti Amo Bali", Penebel, Tabanan, Bali. |
The "villa" is really a small cluster of villas and a service area. In the "joglo" building shown here there are 3 large "premier" bedroms - 2 upstairs with relaxing views across the fields, and one room downstairs. There are two small villas - one with a single room, and one with 2 rooms. In Java the joglo building with characteristic roof indicated status in society and was traditionally reserved for aristocrats. As it was carefully made from high quality wood with interlocking pieces which fitted together without nails or screws it was naturally quite expensive. The joglo style influenced Dutch colonial architecture in decades past, and the influence can be seen in modern public buildings - some airport terminal buildings (but not in Bali) still incorporate the traditional joglo roof.
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| On the balcony outside my room in the joglo house. |
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| I could have brought the family and still had room in the bed. The curtains were a useful precaution against mosquitos from the rice fields. |
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| The joglo at night. The stairs lead to the large decorative doorway ("Gebyok") which opens into living rooms and the stairs to the lower level. The bedrooms are entered from the hall or the balcony. |
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| The paired pavilions are in Balinese style with the roof peak topped with a cement crown. These are the "dining room" although meals can also be taken in the joglo or the two villas on the far side of the joglo. |
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| View of the rice fields from the balcony (looking back down the side of my room) |
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| This band of musicians greets visitors and guests entering the joglo. The stairwell is behind them. |
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| Looking at the outside balcony of the joglo. (I did not realise there was someone on the roof until later). |
My stay at the villa was peaceful except for one thing, and an annoying one at that. In the next valley was a "tourism object" - a track for "quad bikes". At times the sound of revving engines and bellowing, cheering youths spoiled the otherwise tranquil location. I spent several hours over the 3 days sitting on the deck, enjoying the gentle breezes (no air-con needed here), reading and watching the rice grow.
Rice, glorious rice
I find looking at rice wonderfully relaxing. I wrote about this fascination six years ago (was it really that long ago?) See:
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| The view to the south across the fields. |
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| Gently terraced fields drop away to the northeast. The fields had been planted a week or two before my visit. |
When I got up on Thursday morning women were busy planting out another small section of terraced paddy field with the young rice seedlings. "Paddy" comes from a traditional Malay word "padi" meaning "young rice plant".
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| This was the only time I saw that mountain in the background. It was almost always under cloud or obscured by persistent smoke. It is probably Gunung Batukaru but may be one of group beyond Bedugal. |
Batukaru Temple
On Wednesday (the festival of Hari Raya Galungun) the Rasmini family kindly took me on a tour of nearby villages. Bu Rasmini is on the administrative staff of Undhira University. Most of the colourful processions of women dressed in colourful costumes carrying tall offerings were over but people were gathering at Pura Luhur Batukaru Temple. Although listed by that name on many maps, the word "temple" is unnecessary as "pura" means temple.
Pura Luhur Batakaru is one of the larger temple complexes in Bali and although first mentioned specifically in writings from 1605, it is traditionally believed to have been built in the 11th Century as part of a wave of activity which led to the construction of Goa Gajah, Pura Uluwatu and Pura Bersakih. Archaelogical finds certainly confirm its antiquity and its approximate age of about a thousand years. A spring in the outer complex produces water for washing before praying or other activities, and the spring inside the temple gives the "holy water" used in ceremonies.
The temple is located on the southern slope of Mount Batukaru, Bali's second-highest volcano. It is one of nine "kayangan jagat" (directional temples) constructed in auspicious locations (usually overlooking the ocean or on the slopes of volcanoes) to protect Bali from evil spirits. In this location the temple is meant to offer protection against attacks from the west. Originally built during the 11th century, Pura Luhur Batukaru was dedicated to the ancestors of the rajas of Tabanan. It was destroyed in 1604, but rebuilt in 1959. Legends tell that attackers tried to seize the temple as they conquered the region but were attacked by swarms of bees which stung and repelled them. Later the attackers returned and destroyed the temple as an act of revenge.
Most Balinese temples are pagoda-like tiered roofed structures called Meru and these typically (perhaps always?) have an odd number of levels. The central and most important shrine within the temple complex is more like those in ancient Javan temples than the traditional Balinese meru.
We joined worshippers proceeding up the long road (certainly several hundred meters long but it seemed longer in the heat and humidity). Suitably wrapped in a saroong with sash I was able to enter the outer courtyard and approach the gate to the inner courtyards.
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| Worshippers bringing offerings to Batukaru Temple. |
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| Spreading offerings on the road to the temple. |
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| White and gold are the dominant colours for clothing and decorations at this festival. |
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| It's a long walk from the carpark to the temple grounds. |
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| The entrance to Pura Batukaru with the traditional "candi bentar" or "split gate". |
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| Worshippers assembling in the outer zone of the temple which is arranged in mandala shape. |
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| The "bale gong" (gamelan pavilion) |
The zone I was permitted to enter contains several pavilions called "bale" (pronounced as "bar-lay"). The gamelan band was in full flight as I went past. The short video below may be of interest (it's approximately 25MB and 30").
Here is a short video clip of the gamelan band at the temple. The player at front right is the leader - he sets the pace of the performance.
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| The entrance to the inner zone of the temple. The yellow and white unbrellas at the entrance are there to give protection and ward off evil spirits. |
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| Most of the parasols used at entrances are yellow and white. I've seen red and blue parasols but have never seen black before. |
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| I was told that this was the "wantilan" (meeting pavilion) |
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| The "bale kulkul" - in this structure hangs the "kilkul", or wooden drum, which is shaped like a long tube with a slit along most of its length. Some "bale kulkul" are very tall. |
Paul in Bali
Sept 2016
PS - Should you be in Bali and considering a quiet and relaxing time away from the bustling built-up areas, then consider Villa Ti Amo Bali.
Jl.Raya Batukaru - Penebel Desa Mangesta
Penebel, 82152 Bali Indonesia
+62 361 4741900 / +62 85857146734
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