Bali is known for it unique culture and when I think of what makes Bali special I think of the people and their displays of religious observance and colorful parades and offerings.
Religious life in Bali is centered around the temple and for an outsider it can be confusing trying to figure out the relevance of all the different temples. When you ask someone how many temples there are in Bali the answers you get could range from 20,000 to several hundred thousand. Why is this so? The reason is there are 2 main categories of temples, Sanggah or family temples and Pura or public temples.
Every Balinese family has a family temple contains shrines dedicated to their ancesters.
In addition to the Sanggah there are the larger puras which are found in every village and also in strategic locations around the island, such as Besakih temple on the slopes on Gunung Agung.
Village pura’s are divided into 3 main categories: 1) Pura Puseh, the ‘temple of origin’ which is dedicated to the Hindu god Brahma the Creator and is located at the upper or kaja end of the village, 2) Pura Desa, the village temple which is dedicated to Vishnu the Preserver and is located in the village center, 3) Pura Dalem the ‘death temple’ dedicated to Siwa the Destroyer and located lying near the cemetery and cremation grounds at the lower or kelod end of the village.
The Pura Desa is where the meetings and everyday ceremonies are undertaken and in Seminyak the Pura Desa is close to my house so I wanted to take a close look. Pura Desa Seminyak is located at Jl. Dhyana Pura and Jl. Seminyak and is rather small, I think because until recent years Seminyak wasn’t so heavily populated.
I am not allowed to go in but peering over the wall I got an idea of the layout with and rectangular bale pavilion in the front courtyard, a traditional gate or ‘ candi bentar’ separating the outer and inner courtyards.
The tall thatched structure in the right of this picture is the ‘kul kul’ or drum tower that is used to summon villagers. The kul kul is a long chunk of circular woof split down the middle which makes a dull but recognizable thump when hit with a mallet.
On the night before Nyepi day, the Ogah ogah parade passes Pura Desa Seminyak and is a good place to be to get a taste of how Balinese celebrate.
I will be writing a guide article on temples and will find one that will let me enter so I can go into more detail as to the significance of the shrines and decorations.
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Perhaps because it is a Sanggah temple??
We’ll know where you’ll be for the next few months, or longer.
Happy templing, Nick.
Nick, yeah let us know…WHY you were not allowed to enter…!
At the end of my gang (alley) that joins the main street (Jl. Seminyak) is another temple like structure which is the banjar meeting place. I went over there and asked where Pura Desa Seminyak was and said I wanted to visit and already had my sarong with me. They told me where it was but said ‘but you cannot go in’. I don’t know why.
G’Day Nick,
You are better off approaching the family itself rather than take the word of somebody you asked.
When you meet with the family, just express to them that you wish to pay your respects to their shrines and to sit peacefully and not bother them. Works for me!.
Or, if you wanted to do a series on Sanggah temples in Bali, then tell them where your from etc. I think you will find most families are obliging.
G’Day Nick,
You didn’t give a reason why you weren’t allowed to go in?. I certainly will look forward to your ‘guide article on temples’. There’s a lot to cover mate!