The balinese... and their holy temple celebration...
Rice plantations wherever you are watching. Whatever they have to transport - is it the harvest they have to carry to the market, the food for their animals, purchased items from the market or alms for the gods - the women carry it on their heads!
Pura Taman Pule
The biggest temple in the centre of Mas. It was build upon what has once been the house of the wise Hindu Danghyang Nirarta (a priest who travelled throughout Bali in the XVI century), who is held to be their ancestor by most of the balinese Brahmans. Rajas daughter has become his wife later on. Danghyang Nirarta came to be the wise advisor and highest priest of the king of Gelgel.
Every 6 month there is a big festivity which takes 5 days. It's one of the biggest events of the whole year. Large processions of women in traditional dresses move along the streets.
The streets are lined with food- and drink-stalls to provide the mass of people. When the night falls begins the party - and balinese people seem to not get tired. Theater- and dancing groups take care of fun.
There is such a mass of people you barely notice the temple any more. They are celebrating ceremonies at several places. Loudspeakers roister without stopping ever. Several priests are leading prayers or are reading stories from sacred writings. At the inner side of the ceremony-area are some white-dressed priests throwing holy water and rice over the groups of pilgrims. Children, old people, men and women in festivity-dressing, alms, gamelan-music and a flair of festiveness takes control over the ambience. A huge banyan-tree uprises from the middle of the temple. The most holy place is located in the upper east corner of the patio and it is tabu for the unbelieving.
THE HOLY TEMPLE CELEBRATION
The celebration of the anniversary of the temples inauguration is called Odalan. It is celebrated because of the visit of their gods. If you see a village whose streets are decorated with tall bamboo bars carrying carved characters (called Penjor), then you know they are celebrating the temple festivity. With those rites they banish the bad spirits while banding together the community of inhabitants. Nearly every morning they do some cock-fighting.
Each temple has its own Odalan, which means that there is barely a day without festivity at any of the villages. Tourist should care a lot about their dressing and take in consideration their rules! Sarong and a temple-scarf is a must and you should definitely avoid wearing T-shirts and shorts.
