Honoring the gods
If many of them are of recent construction (don't be fooled by their delicate patina which is, in reality, only the result of the erosion of the soft stone in which they are carved!), the temples or pura echo ancient traditions. Most of them are erected on ancient animist sites, some of them occupied since prehistoric times, as the presence of imposing megalithic steles and standing stones suggests. Another key influence is that of the Hindu-Javanese culture which was notably conveyed by the Javanese priest-architect Dang Hyang Nirartha, who, in the 16th century, had a large number of temples built or rebuilt. It is to him that we owe the Kerobokan or temples of the sea, a series of buildings along the southern coast in particular. But the most important temples of the island are the Kahyangan Jagad or directional temples marking the cardinal points and ensuring a total protection of the island. In addition to these state temples, there are large mountain, lake and agricultural temples. No detail of their conception is left to chance. Everything is based on the philosophy of the Tri Hita Karana, aiming at a harmonious relationship between the celestial (swah), human (bwah) and subterranean (bhur) worlds, as well as on an order of purity which is translated by precise directional axes: from the pure and divine upstream, kaja, symbolized by the sacred mountain, to the negative and impure downstream, kelod, symbolized by the sea; from the East (kangin) to the West (kauch), birth and death of the sun. These pura are sacred enclosures organized around 3 courtyards with ascending levels of sanctity. One enters the outer courtyard, jaba pura, through a candi bentar, a monumental stone porch with a split silhouette symbolizing the sacred mountain divided between positive and negative forces. The middle courtyard, jabah tengah, where various utilitarian pavilions (bale) and secondary sanctuaries are built, is connected to the inner courtyard or jeroan, the most sacred place of the temple, housing the altars dedicated to the great deities, by a kori agung, a monumental porch of finely chiseled stone, embellished with a staircase and a double door. These courtyards contain various altars and shrines, some of which are distinguished by their unique forms. The padmasana, the lotus throne, is located in the most sacred corner of the temple and erects an empty seat towards the sky symbolizing the supreme god, often supported by the symbols of the turtle carrying the universe, embraced by naga snakes. The meru symbolizes both the sacred mountain of the Hindus and the deity worshipped in the pura. It is characterized by thatched roofs with floors, always with an odd number which can go from 3 to 11. The most elaborate have roofs made of black sugar palm leaves, a very expensive material. The pelinggih are altars composed of a masonry base and a niche mounted on stilts and topped with thatch; while the candi, very rare, are characterized by a square structure overhung by a pyramidal roof reminiscent of the temples of ancient java. A watchtower, or kulkul, placed at a corner of the enclosure wall, protects the whole. The ornamentation is another key element of these temples, whose decorative abundance has sometimes been described as baroque. Everywhere are displayed sumptuous and astonishing sculptures. Celestial or demonic figures, floral interlacing, bas-reliefs recounting the great divine epics, and inlays of Chinese porcelain... the decoration of the pura is incredibly rich. Just like the materials they use, which allow for a magnificent play of colors and textures, such as red brick, pink sandstone, coral with gray or iridescent hues, or paras, a gray, porous and light volcanic stucco used by the sculptors of Batubulan. Some temples are sublimated by an alternation of white limestone and black volcanic stone, recalling the complementarity of opposites in a checkerboard pattern. There are hundreds of great temples in Bali, so it is difficult to name them all! But among the most astonishing, let us note: the great religious complex Besakih, Pura Maospahit in Denpasar, Pura Luhur Uluwatu, or Pura Puncak Pulisan, the highest of Bali!
Balinese art of living
In addition to respecting the rules of the Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese also rely on the advice of the Undagi, priest-architects, who design houses according to precise measurements ensuring harmony between the house and its occupant. To do this, the Undagi establishes a standard measure from the proportions of the owner! The Balinese villages are organized, like the large temples, along the axis kaja/kelod and are divided into three parts, symbolized by three small temples. The Pura Dalem, temple of the dead, is located downstream from the village, on the impure side, where they are next to the cemetery. In the center is the Pura Desah or communal temple dedicated to the protective deities of the village; while the Pura Puseh, where the founding ancestors are venerated, is located upstream. Village life is also organized around key communal spaces: the wantilan, a large communal courtyard that can be recognized by its multi-story pagoda roofs resting on numerous pillars; the bale agung, a large sacred meeting pavilion, inherited from the Javanese tradition of pavilions built on piles of stones; the bale banjar, a rectangular pavilion; and the pasar or market, which also has its pura. The residential space of the village is divided into domestic enclosures separated from each other by clay or brick walls. Protecting the privacy of families, this wall also has a symbolic function, as evidenced by the aling-aling, a recessed section of wall requiring a bypass and thus protecting from evil spirits who can only move in a straight line! These walls house different whales or pavilions organized around the courtyard or natah, the symbolic center of the family microcosm. The kitchen or peacock is located the furthest south, in the impure zone, while the bale meten, the pavilion of the masters recognizable by its closed structure and its many pillars, is located the furthest upstream from the enclosure. Another key element is the lumbung, a rice granary on stilts. Each pavilion is flanked by niches intended to receive protective offerings. Stone or clay gates with a simple thatched roof or woven alang-alang leaves, or elaborate brick gates, finely carved stones and tiled roofs... the entrances to the enclosures illustrate the standard of living of the owners. These villages are also witnesses to the rich potential of the natural materials used. In the region of Mengwi and Tabanan, the brick walls are built without mortar. Taking advantage of a particular property of the clay of the region, the masons rub the bricks together until they produce a fine dust which, once soaked in water, acts as a powerful glue. The lontar palm is extremely resistant. Its ribbed leaves are used to make woven mats, roofs and fences. Vetiver is also very strong. Its leaves can be woven and its young shoots used for roofing, while its fine wavy roots are used to make scented blinds. But the most important material is bamboo. It is used for posts, beams and rafters, movable partitions or shingled roofs. Traditionally, it is always cut vertically and laid out in the direction of the cut so as not to break the flow of life. Among the most beautiful traditional villages, do not miss Tenganan and Penglipuran.
Royal Palaces and Gardens
From the great kingdoms that shared the island, sumptuous palaces or puri have come down to us. Lush vegetation and purifying water are also omnipresent. Many of these palaces have a floating pavilion, bale kambang, proudly standing in the heart of a vast pleasure pool. Passionate about architecture, the rajah of Karangasem built the Taman Tirtagangga, organized around a sacred fountain. Its gardens, tiered in three levels, offer a rich decoration of statues, sculptures and ornamental basins. A candi bentar decorated with china even marks the entrance! A decorative richness that can be found in the Puri Agung Karangasem whose enclosure and the imposing pyramidal porch let us imagine what it was in the time of its splendor, when its doors and woodwork were gilded with fine gold and that its red brick walls were inlaid with china. The Taman Gili - Puri Semarapura bears the mark of the wealthy kingdom of Klungkung. This immense palace, called "the garden of the island", was the symbolic center of the kingdom and its original organization was inspired by the mandalas, a system establishing correspondences of letters, forms and colors with the cardinal points and the great venerated deities.
External influences
Singaraja still has some interesting witnesses of the Dutch presence in Bali. In the old port, you can still see sheds with sober and pure lines reminiscent of Art Deco and colonial houses with clay tiles. But the most amazing witnesses of this European presence in Bali are undoubtedly the villages of Belimbingsari and Palasari, both founded in the 30s. The first is the Protestant village. It was designed according to an orthogonal plan with wide streets lined with imposing villas mixing Balinese decorative abundance and European classical codes. Its temple is a perfect example of syncretism, its courtyards, its split porch and its diamond-shaped roof supported by 18 white pillars reminiscent of Balinese pura. The second is the Catholic village, built on the same orthogonal model. It has the largest church in East Indonesia, which combines Gothic elements and volcanic stone ornaments directly inspired by Hindu-Balinese temples. Another important influence in Bali is the Chinese community. Besides their numerous and picturesque shops, the Chinese have also built temples that can be recognized by their pagoda roofs with curved ends and their glazed red tiles. The Muslim influence is felt in the elegant mosques of the island, such as the Masjid Agung Jamik with its beautiful minaret and its golden dome, and the Masjid Nur tinted with roses with a resolutely Indian accent, both in Singaraja.
Contemporary Bali
While in the 30s, the Dutch had wanted to make Bali a garden of Eden to preserve at all costs to satisfy the first tourists in search of authenticity, the tourist pressure that followed has radically changed the face of the island .. even though the indignation aroused in the 1960s by the construction of the Bali Beach Hotel, a 10-story structure, had led to the enactment of a law prohibiting the construction of buildings higher than the top of the palm trees and protecting the island from the throes of real estate speculation. Fortunately, some developers and architects have, very early, preferred a sensitive and discreet approach to building. In the 1960s, Wija Waworuntu designed the Tandjung Sari in Sanur, with its 27 traditional bungalows. This model was followed by the architect Peter Muller, who designed the Almandari near Ubud and the Oberoi in Seminyak, both of which use natural materials. There are many ecological and sustainable hotels that echo Balinese traditions. Purilumbung Cottages, for example, offers accommodation in converted rice granaries. More "extravagant", but still in connection with Balinese tradition, do not miss the Bajra Sandhi Monument in Denpasar. This concrete structure covered with andesite facings follows the shape of a lotus flower. Amazing! As is the Plastic Pyramid created in 1993 by the Indonesian painter Teguh Ostenrik and made of bricks made of compacted plastic waste ... an unusual way to raise awareness on environmental issues. Today, Bali is a land of innovation in sustainable bamboo architecture. Elora Hardy has created sumptuous, light and poetic residences, while the Bamboo University attracts architects and engineers from all over the world. Among the most beautiful recent projects, don't miss The Arch at the Green School, a superb structure composed of bamboo arches 14 m high and 19 m long, intertwining in an elegant play of strength and weaving.
Lombok Getaway
The traditional habitat of the island is of an astonishing richness... just like the rules to respect for its construction. The construction must begin on a specific day, which is always an odd date, and the framework must be finished on the same day or great misfortune will befall it! The villages are organized around domestic enclosures surrounded by a wall housing the beruga, open pavilion, the bale tani, family pavilion, and the lumbung, rice granary on stilts. Mostly rectangular in plan, these buildings have a bamboo frame, a thatched or reeded roof and walls made of bamboo or palm leaf ribs filled with a mixture of adobe or compacted mud. This Sasak habitat (the main ethnic group of the island) is to be seen in very beautiful villages like Sade. In Batu Nampar, Sekotong and Tanjung Luar, you can see beautiful wooden houses on stilts. As for the whales of Lombok, you can't miss them... they are everywhere. Small teak or bamboo structures made of a woven wooden platform and a thatched roof, they invite you to relax! Lombok is also home to sumptuous pura and puri of Hindu-Javanese inspiration (Pura Meru, Narmada complex, Pura Lingsar...) and elegant mosques and Arab houses like in Mataram. But the most astonishing site is undoubtedly the Masjid Kuno Bayan Beleq, the oldest Wetu-Telu place of worship on the island. The syncretism operated by this cult between Hinduism, Islam and animism, can be read in its architecture. Placed on a base of large pebbles, its bamboo structure, perfectly square, supports an elegant thatched roof. No decoration comes to disturb the perfect harmony of materials!
