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Religion PDF Print E-mail
Although the Balineses are Hindu, their religion is very different from that of the Indian variety. They do have a caste system but there are no untouchables & occupation ungoverned by caste. In fact the only thing that reflects the caste system is the language which has three tiers; 95% of all Balineses are Hindu Dharma & speak low or everyday Balinese with each other; Middle Balinese is used for talking to strangers, at formal occasions or to people of the higher Ksatriya caste; High Balinese is used when talking to the highest class, Brahmana, or to Pedanda, priest. It may sound complicated but most of the words at the low and medium levels are the same and High Balinese is mixture of the Middle Balinese & Kawi, the ancient Javanese language.
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Although the Balinese worship the Hindu trinity Brahma, Visnhu and Shiva, these are seen as manifestation of the supreme God - Sanghyang Widhi. Other Indian gods like Ganesh (the elephant-headed god) often appear but no more commonly you will see shrines to the many gods & spirits that are uniqely Balinese. Balineses believe strongly in magic & the power of spirits and many of their religions are based upon these ones. They believe that good spirits dwell in the mountains & that the seas are home to demons & ogres.

Most villages have at least three main temples: one, the Pura Puseh or temple of origin facing the mountains, is dedicated to the villages founders; another, Pura Desa or village temple, is normally found in the centre and is dedicated to the welfare of the village, the last; the Pura Dalem, is aligned with the sea & is dedicated to the spirits of the dead. Aside from these village temples, almost every house has its own shrine & you can also find monuments dedicated to the spirits of agriculture, art & all other aspects of life. There are some temples, for an example, Pura Besakih is on the slope of Mount Agung, is considered especially important and people from all over Bali travel to worship there.

Offering play of a significant role, is Balinese life as they appease the spirits & thus bring prosperity & good health to the family. Every day small offering trays containing symbolic food, flowers, cigarettes & money are placed on shirnes, in temples, outside houses & shops, & even on dangerous bends in the roads.

Festival is the other great occasion for appeasing the gods. The women bear huge, beautifully arranged, pyramids of food, fruit & flowers on their heads while the men give a blood sacrifice in the form of a cockfight. There are traditional dances & music, and the gods are invited to come down & join in the festivals. The festivals are almost always very exciting occasions and well important things to remember. You should wish to join in celebrations or enter a temple is that there is a number of rules that have to be respected. Please see A World of Advice for Rules.
 
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Nusa Dua Investment

Nusa Dua Investment