Bali Photos of the Day ~ Bali Cremation Ceremony ~ Balifornian Villas and Tours

Today we have more images from a Ngaben or Balinese Cremation Ceremony that took place near Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Pendanda blesses women during ceremonyThe Pendanda (High Hindu Priest) blesses the women during the cremation ceremony.  While it is a sad and serious ceremony, you will often see people smiling and enjoying themselves. 

Beautiful Balinese woman laughs with friendsPrayers for the deceased at a cremation ceremonyVillagers give offerings and pray for the deceased during the ceremony

The body is burned during a cremation ceremony in Bali, IndonesiaThe body is burned .the ashes and fragments will be collected and ceremoniously placed in a nearby river.

Photo of the Day ~ Gentle Street Vendor ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

This gentle older woman was selling sweets in Yogjakarta.  Our Eco-Travel Tour stopped to get some provisions before we headed off to the increadible Water Castle and underground tunnel system in Yogjakarta.  I have been asked what equiptment I use for these shots and this was taken with a Canon 7D, handheld.  If you have any questions, we would love to hear from you! 

Copyright © 2010 Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ Michael Doliveck

Are you a photographer or just like to take pictures?  Contact us to find out about our special tours for photographers.  Take a look at the images in the gallery as they are good examples of the types of images you will be able to create on our tours.  The tours are led by Michael, a professor of art and photography as well as some very special guest teachers and pro photographers.  Contact us at photo@balifornian.com today for more information.

Have great images from your Indonesian travels you would like to share? Want to submit your photo for the Balifornian Tour and Travel Blog Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG, location and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Happy travels!

Michael and Maryam ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ The best Bali website.  Your best option for Bali and Indonesia Travel information.

Bali's Mother Temple – Pura Besakih shines again

Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog brings many of its tours to Pura Basakih.  If you would like a life changing visit to the increadible temple, please contact us today about our art and wellness tours.

Steps Underway to Clean Up the Image of Bali's Mother Temple – Pura Besakih.

Bali's Mother Temple of Pura Besakih sits high on the slopes of Bali's Mount Agung. On a mountain viewed by the Balinese as the "belly-button" of the universe,Besakih is indisputably Bali's most sacred temples, dating its history back to the 14th century.

In fact a complex of twenty-two temples set on parallel mountain ridges, the distinctive tiered meru roofs of the tens of lesser temples lead the eyes to the main structure or Pura Penataran Agungwhich, in turn, immediately draws the mind and the eyes to the nearby sacred caldera of Mt. Agung.

While Besakih remains a major tourist and spiritual destination on the island of Bali, a Karangasem Regency religious leader recently expressed to Bisnis Bali his view that all parties involved with the sacred temple, both religious devotees and tourist visitors, need to achieve a shared view of the site and the important role it plays in the island's cultural and religious life. I Wayan Arthadipa, the Chairman of the Majelis Madya Desa Pakraman (MMDP) for Karangasem, said that Besakih's sacred status in Balinese society tends to mute the many deficiencies surrounding the daily life of Bali's Mother Temple. Branding it as unwise to remain silent while the image and reputation of the Temple suffers, he urged local leaders and those charged with safeguarding the Temple to have the courage to take the steps necessary to restore Besakih's spiritual and moral standing. Driving home his point, he said that guides leading people through the complex must always respect the sacred nature of the Temple, obey all rules already in place and not defraud or coerce those visiting the site.

He also said that the conditions prevailing inside the Temple are no less important, pointing to criticisms that are often heard from devotees regarding questionable fees demanded for mandatory offerings. Arthadipa called for transparency in how the funds flowing in from various source toBesakih are handled. "Besakih has be managed well, be organized, and handled in a neat and professional manner," he said. To do this, he added, the regency of Karangasem and the provincial government must both be involved in order to oversee the complex issues that involve Bali main religious site.

In response, the coordinator of the management and supervision ofBesakih (KPPKSB), Drs. I Wayan Ardika, told the press that he accepts the legal instructions issued by the Regent of Karangasem and he will no longer tolerate those committing acts that bring discredit to the image ofBesakih. Coordinating the revamp of the Temples image, Ardika has issued warnings to guides, traders, parking attendants and the local people living near Besakih to follow all the rules. As regards efforts to enforce rules of behavior inside the Temple and calling for more transparency in how funds are managed, Ardika is seeking the support of young Hindu intellectuals in rebuilding Besakih's tarnished image.

On an encouraging note, Ardika noted that the number of visitors at the Temple is on the increase after declining for a period.

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com. All images and graphics are copyright protected.

Some basics on Bali and its Culture

Bali Culture

By Eddie Tobey

Bali is an Indonesian island that is rich in indigenous culture. A lot pf people say that Bali culture is unique and that the people of Bali have always been contented with the "now." If you ask a Balinese person what heaven is like, the probable answer will be "just like Bali". This only goes to show that most Balinese people are happy to be where they are and never worry.

One factor that contributes to this laidback lifestyle is the culture of close family ties in Bali. In the Balinese culture, support is always available. Balinese extended families are so tightly knit that all members usually reside in the same complex.

Hinduism is one of the main religions in Bali. The Bali culture is based on a form of this religion, which is called "Hindu Darma". This religion reached the island during the eleventh century. Most of the family customs and traditions as well as community lifestyles of the Balinese people are influenced by this. The religious influence even expands widely into the arts, which makes Bali distinct from the rest of Indonesia.

In spite of the influx of tourists to the island, Balinese people have managed to preserve their culture. Almost every native of Bali is an artist in some form or another. Parents and villagers have passed on their skills to their children, who all seem to have inclinations either to music, dance, painting, and decor.

Another remarkable mark of the Bali culture is the series of ceremonies and rituals known as the Manusa Yadnya. This marks the different stages of Balinese life. Cremation is very popular on this island - and unlike in the West, death is a joyous and colorful event for the Balinese.

Indeed, Bali has a rich culture, making it distinctive from the rest of the islands in Indonesia.

WWF article on Ecotourism in Borneo, Indonesia

Borneo Ecotourism

Community-based Ecotourism

• Kayan Mentarang National Park
• Malinau
• Nunukan
• About Borneo Ecotourism

Heart of Borneo (HoB)

There is one important place remaining in Southeast Asia where tropical rainforests can still be conserved on a very large scale, a place where endangered species such as orang-utans, elephants and rhinos, and countless other undiscovered species continue to thrive. This is theHeart of Borneo.

The Heart of Borneo is positioned within the borders of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Indoensia Malaysia Philipine, East ASEAN Growth Area), straddling the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Within the Indonesian border lies the mountainous interior mainly inhabited by Dayak communities, and still largely covered with tropical forest and a mosaic of human-shaped agricultural landscapes. This area has already established itself as a new frontier for tourism development, especially ecotourism.


WWF:Our Approach to Ecotourism in the Heart of Borneo

The ecotourism pilot project areas described below have great ecotourism  potential in the long term. The beauty of the landscape, natural attractions, archaeological remains,  rich cultural traditions, and the generous hospitality of local people constitute exceptional conditions   for an unforgettable ecotourism experience.

Working with communities, WWF-Indonesia and the field teams in Betung Kerihun National Park and Kayan Mentarang National Park have gradually built local capacity to manage a community-based ecotourism enterprise. Activities have included: capacity building; marketing/promotion; developing homestay system; arranging cross-visits; and /customer care among others.

An important aspect of our work, especially in Kayan Mentarang, has been to create strategic networks with communities and ecotourism initiatives across the border with Malaysia (Sarawak and Sabah), in the Heart of Borneo area. The WWF Kayan Mentarang National Park project has also supported exchanges and cross-training in technical issues and community entrepreneurship in ecotourism.

Fore more info about Borneo ecotourism, visit www.borneo-ecotourism.com/