Satbir Chadha
The scorching Delhi temperatures made us seek some relief, and we flew to the island of Bali, a famous holiday destination, as yet unexplored by us, a pristine green land fanned by cool sea breeze. The magic of the land manifested immediately upon landing at the airport, as we were greeted with fragrant garlands made with colourful frangipani flowers.
An unconventional start to my ‘Bali Diaries’is with the rare statue of Ghatotkach, the son of Bhima of the Mahabharata, a breathtaking structure surrounded by beautiful gardens, located at an important intersection on the highway at Satria. It is the first I have ever seen, but as we drive on to Kuta, the part of the island most vibrant in energy, we see the province is dotted with statues of several characters from the epics, Rama and other Hindu gods like Vishnu and Ganesha, and depicting scenes from mythology. These are widely quoted, revered and loved, but not worshipped. Yes, it is true, the object of worship of the Balinese people is formless, whom they meditate upon, and to whom they offer fresh flowers arranged in a square with a green centre, sprinkled with drops of holy water that they get from the eternal springs at the Tirta Empul Holy Springs.
In Bali, we are transported back by centuries, not only by mythological thought and lore, but also the vista of colonial architecture, rows of brown houses and markets, with red tiled roofs, with teak framed doors and windows, no structure higher than two floors. Added to the lush greenery and the balmy sea breeze, you are enchanted by this island, and know why it attracts thousands of tourists every year.
The golden beaches and tranquil blue sea, open skies and friendly people add to the charm. As tourists we travel in coaches to see the important monuments, like the Tirta Empul Temple. The next day we see the ‘Bajra Sandhi’ monument, devoted to the struggles of the Balinese people through history, their oppression and their battles, being crushed and rising again. This is a stone’s throw from the Bali governor’s office. We drive around the area housing the ministerial blocks and offices and it is refreshing to see them lined as double storey with brown brick facades, sloping roofs and acres of green lawns around. We are told that no structure in Bali can be built taller than fifteen metres. This area has been spruced up and decorated with flowers and buntings made of bamboo strips, as the ‘Bali Annual Cultural Week’ is to be inaugurated the next day by the President of Indonesia. Our local guide Nina proudly tells us that her teenage daughter is playing an important role in the dancers’ parade. Here in this picture we see her in the second row.
The ‘GWK’ Park is a towering statue, a monument of modern ambitious Bali, the third highest such in the world, depicting the Hindu god Wisnu atop his mount the mythical mount Garuda, hence the name Garuda Wisnu Kencana.
My major take away from this trip is the sojourn to the villages, en route to the coffee plantation, where there were over fifty flavours of coffee to taste, for free, but we were warned not to have more than two, for it was pure coffee and could cause the Blood Pressure to rise. It was interesting to see different villages specializing in different crafts, like the Goldsmith’s village, Wood Crafting village, Silver smith’s village, and Batik painting and ‘Ikat’ printing, and so on. These serve to teach the traditional crafts from childhood onwards, to gradual perfection, and marketing and profiteering of the products. An ancient concept kept fruitfully alive.
An engaging read, could visualize the picturesque places so well!
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