BESAKIH TEMPLE
Besakih Temple is the biggest temple in Bali, which is considered the mother of all temples available. It is located 40 Km from Amlapura the Capital City of Karangasem Regency. A climb north, through the astonishing landscapes of Bukit Jambul, ascends over 900 meters up the slopes of Gunung Agung to Pura Besakih, the holiest of all temples in Bali. It originated most probably as a prehistoric terraced sanctuary where worship and offerings were made to the god of Gunung Agung, the dominant landscape element in the Balinese world. Over a thousand years and more, it was enlarged and added to until it grew into the present complex of about 30 temples.

In the 10th century it was apparently a state temple. According to inscriptions kept here, an important event took place in the year 1007. If can only be guessed that this was associated with death rituals for Queen Mahendradatta, Udayana's co-ruier who died the previous year. Since the 1 5th century it was the state temple of the Geigel-Kiungkung dynasty which built a series of small temples in honorof itsdeified rulers. Now it isthe state temple for the provincial and national governments which meet all expenses. Today, Pura Besakih is revered by all Balinese as the "mother temple" of Bali.
Within the Besakih complex, the paramount sanctuary is the Pura Panataran Agung which rears its lofty merus on a high bank of terraces, Steps ascend in a long perspective to the austere split gate. Inside the main courtyard stands the three-seated shrine enthroning the Trisakti, the trinity of Brahma, Visnu and Siwa, During festivals the shrines are wrapped in colored cloth symbolic of the deities. The Pura Panataran Agung and two other important temples higher up the slope likewise together symbolize the Trisakti. In the center Pura Panataran Agung is hung with white banners for Siwa; to the right, Pura Kiduling Kreteg vyith red banners for Brahma; and Pura Batu Mddeg, to the left, with black banners for Visnu. These latter two temples are taken care of by . the Karangasem and Bangli regencies respectively, certain other shrines being the responsibility of the other regencies. All of Bali comes together at Pura Besakih. Religiously, oneness is symbolized in the padmasana in Pura Panataran Agung, dedicated to Sang Hyang Widdhi, the Supreme God.
Pura Besakih is most fascinating at festival times, but it is grand and impressive whenever you go there. The drive up the mountain to Besakih, with a stopover in Klungkung for sight-seeing and shopping, takes a full day. To resume the tour of East Bali, if you are staying in Denpasar, it is best to leave early in the morning the following day. By passing through Klungkung before noon, you may choose a site to lunch on the beach or in the shaded countryside and visit the Bat Cave, tshing villages and Tenganan before reaching Karangasem in mid-afternoon. Now that the new road linking Rendang and Karangasem has been finished, it is possible to make a Besakih- Karangaserm round trip comfortably in a day. You may be lucky to arrive in Bali during a time when eastern villages are holding ceremonies. Festivals, unique to these villages, should not be missed, so check the calendar of events at your hotel to find a good time to visit.

LEMPUYANG TEMPLE
At the beginning of the creation, when earth was only 70 years old, the island of Bali was instable; earthquakes happened everyday for months, torrents rains, with constant lightning and thunders was the only weather. The god Pacupati, who resides in Mount Sumeru saw this condition and sent his three children to stabilize the island of Bali. His three children Hyang Gni Jaya, Hyang Putra Jaya and Dewi Danu came to Bali and reside in three different places; Dewi Danu resides on Mount Batur, Hyang Putra Jaya resides on Mount Agung, and Hyang Gni Jaya resides in Lempuyang Luhur. Lempuyang Luhur temple is a sacred temple which is located on the top of Belibis Hill, northeast of Mount Agung, in Karangasem regency. Lempuyang is one of the six major Temple in Bali besides Andakasa Temple, Uluwatu Temple, Watukaru Temple, Ulun Danu Batur Temple and Besakih Temple. In Balinese cosmogony, Lempuyang Luhur is considered temple of the East, the abode of god Iswara, keeper of the peace.
The meaning of the word “lempuyang” which serves as the name of this sacred temple has long been a subject of dispute. Some said the word “lempuyang” is derive take from the word “lampu” (light) and “hyang” (God), the word “lempuyang” means the “Light of God”. Some say the word “lempuyang” means a kitchen seasoning that can be used for some traditional medicine. And other said that the word “lempuyang” is derived from the word “emong or empu” that means “guardian”. Compare to other six major temple of Bali, Lempuyang Luhur is quite small and has only few shrines which are a padmasana or the shrine of God, two shrines which are similar to padmasana and share single foundation, dedicated to Hyang Gnijaya, the founder of Lempuyang Luhur temple and his sons. A piyasan, or pavilion serves as a place for place offerings, and for the priest who officiate the ceremony, and a gedong, a masonry building to store equipments for ceremony.
The main reason for the Balinese to make a pilgrimage there is to obtain the sacred holy water. This sacred holy water is obtained by cutting a yellow bamboo plant which grows in shrubs in the inner courtyard of the temple; the holy water drips from the fresh bamboo cutting. Unfortunately not all the pilgrims get this holy water only the lucky ones. Climbing the Belibis to reach the temple is worth to be called an exercise, considering the number of the steps, it gives also a picturesque view of the surrounding forest and mountains. In the rainy seasons the steps are slippery and infested with leeches. Balinese usually pay homage to this temple at night especially during the full moon.

BATUR TEMPLE
Commonly called Ulun Danu temple is situated at 900 meters ,above seal level of Kalanganyar Batur village, Kintamani District o
Batur temple or commonly called Ulun Danu Temple is situated at 900 meters above sea level of Kalanganyar, Batur village, Kintamani District on the eastern side of the main road leading to Denpasar or Singaraja Via Bangli.
The temple faced west ward where mount Batur and remains of its solidified black laves serve as backdrop and lake Batur stretches far down the slope, enchased the beauty to nature around the temple.
Formerly, before it is in its present location Batur temple is located on the south western slope of mount Batur. Since the devastating eruption in 1917 which destroyed everything, including the temple its self, then initiated by the head of the village along with other prominent figures, they brought the surviving shrines with them and rebuilt Batur temple to the higher place at Kalanganyar on its present location. The ceremony in this temple is held annually commonly called Ngusaba ke Dasa
In 1927,the people of Batur began rebuilding Pura Ulun Danu, the temple which once lay at the foot of the volcano. It was an ambitious project. The majority of the 285 planned shrines are yet to be completed. At present, the temple is finely and simply designed. Two august gateways, severe in contrast to the elaborate split gates of South Bali, open onto spacious courtyards laid with black gravel.
Rows of meru towers silhouette against the sky in full view of the smoking volcano. The bale gedong, a storehouse of precious relics, contains a bell of solid gold. As the story goes, the bell was presented to the treasury of the temple by a king of Singaraja in atonement for his having insulted the deities. The ritual in this temple is closely linked with the veneration of Lake Batur and supplication for the blessing of irrigation water. The mountain, lakes help regulate the flow of water to he fields find villages through the many natural springs lower down the slopes.

BATUKARU TEMPLE
The temple is surrounded by thick vegetation and invigorating fresh air. In this temple there are old Balinese remains.
Luhur Batukaru temple is situated at Wangaya Gede village about 21 km North-west from Tabanan town. This temple includes one of Sad Kahyangan or Six Holy National Temple in Bali. The temple is surrounded by thick vegetation and invigorating fresh air. In this temple there are old Balinese remains. Many visitors come to visit this temple, both local and foreign, especially on its temple festival, which is usually held on Umanis Galungan, one day after Galungan.

TANAH LOT TEMPLE
Tanah Lot, with its solitary black towers and tufts of foliage spilling over the cliffs, recalls the delicacy of a Chinese painting. If hearsay is to be believed, there dwells inside one of the shrines at Tanah Lot a huge snake, discreetly left undisturbed by the Balinese.  Although a small sanctuary, Tanah Lot is linked to a series of sea temples on the south coast of Bali: Pura Sakenan, Pura Ulu Watu, Pura Rambut Siwi and Pura Peti tenget. All these temples are related to the principal mountain sanctuaries: Besakih at Gunung Agung, Pura Batur at Batur and Plura Luhur at Mt. Batukau. The upland temples venerate deities associated with mountains and mountain lakes, while the sea temples include homage to the guardian spirits of the sea within their ritual. These main temples are often listed with the sad-kahyangan the six holy "national" temples, which exact tribute from all Balinese. The chronicles attribute the temple at Tanah Lot to the 16th century priest Nirartha. During his travels along the south coast he saw the rock-island's beautiful setting and rested there. Some fishermen saw him, and bringing gifts, invited him to stay at their hut. Nirartha refused, saying he preferred to spend the night on the little island. That evening he spoke to the fishing folk and advised them to build a shrine on the rock, for he felt it to be a holy and fitting place to worship God. The villagers kept their promise. The beaches of Tanah Lot are ideal for relaxing, especially in the late afternoons, when the temple on the rock dissolves into a striking silhouette against the evening sky. Target out of the landscape by tides, wind and rain, the high off shore sentinel rock of Tanah Lot. Supports a picturesque see temple, which cans small here ached by a scramble over the wet rocks.

This Temple was built in the 15th century by the priest, Pedanda Bahu Rawuh or Danghyang Nirartha from Majapahit Jawa. Near this Temple there are several small and big shrines, the biggest one is Pekendungan Temple. There is a spring considered sacred not far from this temple. Tanah Lot is 13 km from Tabanan is Beraban village. When the tide is low people can walk to the temple. It looks like a floating one if the tide is high. There are many caves under the temple lived by the peaceful sea snakes, which has white and black colors. It's located 16 kilometers west of International Airport Ngurah Rai, or a 20 minutes drive through Sunset Road. Coming in from Java Island through Gilimanuk, and arriving at the Kediri intersection, at the Wisnu Murthi statue, turn right. In front of the Kediri police Station, turn left, and keep following this smooth road. In less than 10 minutes you will be there. Admission is Rp 1,000.- per person

GOALAWAH TEMPLE
The road continuing east parallels lovely seascapes with a full view of Nusa Penida, inviting sunbathing, picnics and refreshing swims. One passes close to the sinister Goa Lawah, the Bat Cave, whose walls literally vibrate with thousands of bats-their bodies packed so close together that the upper surface of the cave resembles undulating mud. The sight would be more eerie if it weren't that whenever the creatures venture out of the cave into daylight, their radar sense directs them back into their murky dwelling place. Being an extraordinary phenomenon, Goa Lawah is considered holy. Atemple with shrines protects the entrance. The cave is said to extend all the way back to Besakih, and may,contain an underground river, which comes uiX it is said, at Pura Goa (Cave Temple) within the Besakih complex-a temple associated with the mythological naga or serpent Basuki which is also honored at Pura Goa Lawah, where 'a snake is said to live, feeding on bats.

TIRTA EMPUL TEMPLE

The hallowed spring of Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring dates from legendary times. In popular folklore, it was made by lndra when he pierced the earth to create a spring of amerta, the elixir of immortality, with which he revived his forces who were poisoned by Mayadanawa. The waters are believed to have magic curative powers. Every year people journey from all over Bali to purify themselves in the clear pools. After leaving a small offering to the deity of the spring, men and women go either side to bathe. On the full moon of the fourth month each year, the villagers from nearby Manukaya take a sacred stone to be cleansed at Tirta Empul.
When the weathered inscription found qp the stone was deciphered, it gave the bate of Tirta Empul's foundation as A.D. 962 and described the cleansing ceremony. For a. thousand years these villagers had been abiding,. by this tradition without having been aware of the meaning incised on the stone! In 1969 the temple at Tampaksiring was completely renovated. Many of the shrines were built anew and painted in bright colors. Outside the temple are rows of sales stands where you may buy souvenirs-the bargain being carved bone jewelry. On the hill above the sacred spring is the Government Palace built in 1 954. Once a resting place for Dutch officials, the site was chosen by former President Soekarno as his residence during his frequent trips to the island. South of Tirta Empul, on a line joining with Gunung Kawi, is Pura Mengening. There is a definite connection between these three places. At the latter temple there is a freestanding candi similar to those candle the facades of which are hewn from the rock at Gunung Kawi. Like Tirta Empul, the temple has a spring of pure water, which is also a source of the River Pakrisan. Pura Mengening might be the commemorative temple of King Udayana.

TAMAN AYUN TEMPLE

A turnoff toward the mountain leads to the principality of Mengwi which, until 1891, was the center of a powerful kingdom originating from the Gelgel dynasty. These kings continue to be venerated in the state temples of Mengwi, in particular Pura Taman Ayun. In Bali, each social unit-of increasing size beginning with the family-possesses a temple wherein they worship deified ancestors. The family ancestors are worshipped in the house temple, the clan ancestors in the clan temple, the founders of a village in the Pura Puseh, and previously the ancestors of a royal dynasty were collectively worshipped by a kingdom in the state temples. State temples include mountain temples, sea temples, and those at the heart of the kingdom, such as Mengwi's Pura "Taman Ayun".
Among the rows of palinggihs, (shrines that serve as "sitting places" to receive visiting deities during temple feasts) is a bri-ck b4ilding facin,g east: the paibon, a royal ancestral altar. In the surrounding pavilions, priests recite prayers, village elders hold council, offerings are prepared, furniture and the temple's musical instruments are stored. For those interested in traditional woodcarving, the small doors of the shrines here are beautifully carved. The moat gives the impression of a sanctuary in the middle of a pond, explaining the name taman, "garden with a pond". The waters are a symbolic place of contact with the divine through widadaris, celestrial nymphs who bathe there. Beyond the moat, the temple lies on slightly rising ground. The grassy expanse of the outermost courtyard, the fine array of merus and pavilions in the inner courtyard, and its well-kept appearance make it one of the most beautiful temples in Bali. Originally dating from 1634, Taman Ayun was restored and enlarged in 1937. On its festival day (odalan) hundreds of women file into the temple bearing colorful offerings, which they place together before the merus.

OTHERS

CLOTHES & TEXTILES
Bali has basically 3 indigenous textiles: Endek, Gringsing and Tenun Ikat. That being said most of the swaths of cloth and fancy printed apparel on sale in Bali are really Batik and native to Java, not Bali. FYI, the intricate designs on Batik cloth are made by applying wax to the fabric prior to dying each time another color is added.

Inasmuch as Endek is really only popular with the Balinese it is not mass produced - so it is quite safe to say that any endek you purchase will have been hand made. It is a laborious affair. The horizontal threads are laid out and pre dyed with a desired pattern in a tie dye type of operation ( the fabric may be dyed several times with different colors ). Once dyed the threads are dried then woven into the vertical threads on the loom. These vertical threads are only one color -usually black. It is not until the weaving is complete that one knows for sure the quality and clarity of the designer's work. This is just a rough idea how the process works, it's actually much more complicated than this with several people - men included - to make just one bolt of cloth. The finished bolt is about 20 feet long by 3.5 feet wide. It takes about 10 days just to weave one bolt of cloth - so think of the value !

Now, if you think that's tricky try it with both the vertical and horizontal threads at the same time. Imagine a weaver must come up with a design then "tye dye" both the horizontal and vertical threads separately 2-3 times depending on the number of colors used. Even the slightest miscalculation when dying the yarn or a mistake by the weaver and months of work are lost. This is basically how Gringsing is produced in the Balinese Village of Tenganan - one of two or three places in the entire world capable of producing this extraordinary textile. As mentioned many times in BaliHotels.com this is one of the best souvenirs available to visitors to Bali.

The third cloth, tenun ikat is also popular in Bali. Like endek the horizontal threads are dyed and woven into a solid vertical thread on the loom. The difference is that the patterns are solid colored blocks or simple crossing patterns. This cloth is also mostly produced by hand and is very popular in fashionable circles for clothing, home furnishings and accessories.

PAINTINGS

Traditional Kamasan Art
This is the most traditional of all Balinese paintings. Originating in the Klungkung Regency during the reign Kingdom of Gelgel it was widely admired throughout Bali. The artists specializing in this art form are known as "Sangging". In days gone by these Snagging artists would often be commissioned to travel to other kingdoms to decorate a palace or temple with this style of painting.

Kamasan is easily distinguished in the market. The paint color is predominately orange (sometimes blue) and the theme always depicts Hindu epics and are based on the Javanese Wayang characters. The characters are divided into two camps: Good, ( those with refined facial features and slim bodies) and Evil, (those with distorted faces, red color and distended bodies). The painting is a large canvas divided up into panels with each panel telling the story of a well known adventure. Years ago Kamasan art was placed primarily in temples as wall hangings, used as curtains, or as banners during festivals. (Go to the Kerta Goa Hall of Justice in Klungkung to see fine examples of this style). The paintings are used much the same way today with restaurants now often using the canvas for menu covers.

Kamasan still today has Sangging artists dedicated to painting in the traditional Kamasan style. Easily the best known Kamasan artist is I Nyoman Mandra who has his own school, and does restoration work. Bpk. Mandra can be found in Klungkung.

Modern Art

As mentioned earlier starting this century Balinese artists came under more direct influence of Western artists with the arrival of European artists. The most famous of these were German, Walter Spies and Dutchman, Rudolf Bonnet. These two painters taught the Balinese painters new, more realistic and expressionistic art - scenes from every day life, landscapes and the like - which now dominates the paintings produced on Bali. Later on and together with local artist Gede Agung Sukawati the Pitamaha Painters Association was established. Styles which sprang from this effort are briefly described below. When looking to buy keep in mind that prices vary widely depending on the size and the amount and clarity of detail.

Batuan

These large paintings are easily identified because every square inch of the canvas is filled with tiny figures going about life's daily activities (some quite graphic if you look hard enough). Usually bright colored, these paintings seem to be getting funnier and funnier (or sarcastic depending on your view of video camera tourists being painted into village life) as the years go by.

Keliki
Keliki paintings are generally the very small paintings you see hanging on pillars and odd spaces in different shops. These too are crammed with little images but look closely though and you will see that the subject matter is very different - usually the subject is the supernatural with fantastically detailed demons. 

Ubud
With highly stylized human features -strong lines, long necks, proud posture, and the like identify these paintings to have been influenced by Walter Spies. The paintings are usually large and colorful without being bright. Such artists as Dewa Putu Bedil are always in demand and you may well have to commission the best and wait quite some time before you own one of this style.

Modern

Nowadays there are many Balinese and Indonesian artists who practice what can best be described as Modern Art. Some like Made Winata, Krijono, and Joko amongst others have achieved a great deal of commercial success combining their Indonesian perspective with abstract figures and new colors.

KERIS

These daggers with their wavy blades are famous the world over. Going back as far as Hindu Javanese of Majapahit in the 13th century, these beautiful daggers are much more than a weapon - they are a revered symbol of the man who owns it and each Keris is deeply believed to have a life and spirit of its own. Indeed there are stories of kings, too busy with affairs of the palace to attend their own weddings, letting the Keris stand in as the groom. And not just any will Keris will do, a Keris must be matched spiritually to its owner to protect him from harm.

Since the Keris is found in many parts of Indonesia, there are correspondingly many different styles of blades, handles and sheaths - none any better than another just personal preference. In Bali the Keris is usually quite large and has a wavy double edged blade ( be careful when you unsheathe it, it's sharp! ) with an ornately carved handle (or hilt) representing one of the gods from the Ramayana epic. Also with the Balinese Keris the area connecting the blade to the handle is embedded with semi precious stones as is the sheath. As a comparison, the Keris from Java are usually smaller and less presumptuous and the Keris from North Sumatra are usually with straight, one sided blades.

An old, valuable Keris can easily fetch US$ 5,000. but an average Keris is about US$ 200 - US$ 500. When buying, attention to detail is everything. Look closely at the area that joins the blade to the handle, does the handle look new and the blade old?, is the blade intricately forged? etc.

MASKS
Practically from the time you step off the plane you will see masks of different sizes, shapes and colors. Whilst these days many masks are produced solely as tourist souvenirs not to take masks seriously in Bali would be a mistake. When a Westerner dons a mask at a party it is to pretend he is someone else. For Indonesians - especially Balinese to don a mask is to begin living the life of the mask. Masks used in performances of sacred dances are sacred and as such revered and kept so in temples. You will not find such masks sitting idly in a store waiting to be purchased. That being said, there are still fine masks - all works of art - that are no longer used available for sale (for a price).

Without going too deeply into (there are entire books devoted to the subject) most masks you will see are representations of Ramayana Epic. The masks with refined features such as a short pointed nose and white face represent Noblemen, while those with garish features - red faces with bulbous noses and missing teeth represent buffoons, idiots, liars and cheats. If you look closely at the eyes you will be able to see Chinese characters as well - they are the ones with the thinner eyes.

Lastly, today masks are being made in modern shapes like a crescent moons and painted abstract colors but these are really only for souvenirs and decoration. A fine mask properly displayed and well lit adds a lot to any home or office. Most of the best masks can be found in the village of Mas.

Stone Carving
Driving around Bali it would difficult not to be impressed with the majesty of the intricate stone carvings that adorn the thousands of temples that dot the island. This stone is known locally as "paras" and is not really stone in the Western sense. Rather paras is volcanic ash mixed with sand and clay and compressed over the centuries into a hard material similar to sandstone or soapstone. As such the material is quite soft, decays easily and moss seems to grow on it overnight - so if you are walking through a rice paddy and happen to see an old, blackened, moss covered statue do not think it is centuries old - it may be 5 or at the most 30 years old !

Traditionally stone has been carved into the shapes of demons and deities to decorate temples and courtyards of royal families - rarely does the average Balinese have any stone relief in his living area. Stone carvers have been around a lot longer than painters and have never been subject to the same strict rules as painters. The imaginations of the stone carvers has always been allowed to run riot i.e. gods with multiple sex organs and even scenes incorporating everyday life with today's technology such as airplanes are now carved into temple relieves.

To get a good idea of the range of items for sale a trip through Batubulan is a nice day spent. Whether or not you are ready to ship a 500 lb. statue back home is up to you but almost any statue would be focal point of your garden.

Wood Carving
Wood carving shares a lot of similarities with stone carving inasmuch as both were used primarily to decorate temples. You can see traditional wood carving used to decorate the pillars and beams used to support the roofs of temples (and lately restaurants as well). However understanding that wood carvings are much easier to transport and have more practical uses in home decorating it should come as no surprise to learn that Westerners have begun to have a strong influence on what is now being produced. Not that that is all bad. Traditionally wood carvers have also had pretty much free reign to experiment and many have become more sculptors than carvers with the best wood carvers turning unusual pieces of wood that most folks would just as soon throw away into masterpieces. However, still the most sought after works are the traditional Ramayana figurines.

There are many varieties of wood used. As a general rule of thumb all things being equal the softer the wood the faster it grows and the easier it is to carve and hence the price is lower. Popular soft woods are merantie, crocodile and hibiscus. Harder woods such as nangka (jackfruit), and kampor are much heavier and can be more intricately carved. Either way a word of caution - The wood is not always thoroughly dry before being carved and if you take it to a climate with less humidity it may crack. So sometimes it's better to take the older carving that's collected its share of dust and polish it up yourself when you get back home.

Other - Kites
Whilst maybe not a traditional art form, in fact kites were only recently introduced into Bali by the Japanese during their occupation of Indonesia in World War 2, the Balinese have quickly turned them into an art form. It is not unusual to see a group of men struggling to put a kite 4 meters (yes, 4 meters - some of these contraptions can be down right dangerous to passing aircraft !) into the back of a truck to take down to the beach. In fact there are laws against flying kites too close around the airport. The shapes can be winged eagles or tall ships complete with main mast and sails ! Truly a delight. And when these really big kites are airborne the wind on the string produces a loud, hypnotic humming sound. Serious competitions have begun to be staged with international competitors trying their best against the Balinese. Airworthy small versions make interesting souvenirs for young children.