Your Bali Photos of the Day ~ Lake Reflection of Temple in Bali ~ Balifornian Villas and Tours

Sangeh village, about 20 km north of Denpasar, houses the Pura Bukit Sari Temple built around the 17th century. A shrine or plankiran reflects in the lake of Bukit Sari Temple located in Sangeh, Bali.  Inside The Bali Sangeh Monkey Forest in southwestern Bali grow enormous nutmeg trees over 40m high. The trees are a mystery as they grow nowhere else in Bali and are believed to be sacred.  The monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) of the forest are also believed to be sacred and they interact with those paying their respects at the beautiful temple.

The Temple in The Sangeh Village Monkey Forest in Southwestern Bali. Balifornian Villas and Tours 2011.Balifornian Villas and Tours wishes you the most joyous and prosperous Holiday Season and safe and exciting journeys in the New Year.

Ngaben; The Traditional Balinese Cremation Ceremony

These photos are from a traditional Balinese cremation ceremony, or Ngaben, in Sangeh, Bali, Indonesia from our 2011 Balifornian Culture Tour.  Sangeh is located about 40 minutes north west of Ubud in the Badung Regency and home to Bukit Sari monkey forest and Temple, Pura Bukit Sari which dates back to the 17th century.

Ngaben, The traditional Balinese cremation ceremony

According to Balinese tradition, this village is revered in The Ramayana. The epic Hindu poem discusses the legend of the monkey god Hanuman who must kill the evil demon Rawana who has taken over the colossal cosmic mountain named Mahameru. Mahameru was home to large Nutmeg trees filled with happy monkeys. One day a section of the mountain fell to earth onto the village of Sangeh and there have been monkeys here ever since. The tall nutmeg trees that surround the temple are found nowhere else on the island and have remained a sacred mystery.

Our good friend, Gung Adi, who’s family has lived in Sangeh for generations, invited me to partake in The Balinese Hindu cremation ceremonies taking place in his village. 

The Ngaben ritual which is executed to return the deceased soul and the five elements to heaven by burning the dead body in an elaborate ceremony which is followed by Hindu ritual procession.  It is among the most renowned cultural activities in the world for adhering to its ancient roots, dating back over a thousand years. The fortunate exception that has thankfully broken from ancient tradition is that the wives of the deceased no longer throw themselves onto the flaming funeral pyres as their dead husbands are cremated.

The ceremony and traditions involved in this powerful and striking ritual are covered in depth and stunning footage in the upcoming Balifornian Film’s documentary.

The strangest monkey photos you have ever seen

These photos were taken on our Balifornian Eco-Adventure Tour while in heavy traffic in the heart of "The Big Durian", AKA Jakarta.  While we do not condone the poor treatment of these inteligent animals, we felt it was important to share these bizarre images.  Street peddlers will set up in high traffic areas where cars must slow to a crawl in a city plagued with dense traffic.  These poor monkeys dressed in human clothing will perform various acts such as riding small fake motorcycles, play fake instruments or sometimes forced to sit in human-like positions in an attempt to collect money from passing motorists.  Occasionally these unfortunate creatures will be bondaged to assmue these unconfortable positions.  We wanted to bring this cruel practice to light and share it with you.  We obviously encourage passers by not to donate to these inhumane practices.

All images  © 2010 Michael Doliveck http://www.balifornian.com ~ A photo essay. Bali Travel Blog

Balifornian Tours Photo of the Day 12/18/2010

Huge surf crashes below as a king long-tailed macaque protects sacred Uluwatu Temple.

Monkeys are held sacred by the Balinese.  They help generate the forest and protect temples such as Uluwatu Temple.  There are thousands of long-tailed macaques dwelling in the dry forest near Uluwatu Temple. They are divided into three groups of monkeys that cover three separate regions of the temple. Each territory is lead by king monkey that monitors their area and protects it from outsider monkeys.
Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia 2010. Balifornian Tours

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Copyright © 2010 Mikaku ~ Michael Doliveck