Stepping on The Holy Stairs

Penataran Agung Besakih--Anny courtesy Universe, with colourful variety of turbulence and circulation for every living creature. Everything that happens and continues over time will be able to create energy for the cycle of life. Space and time only means to support the souls who are build social interaction around it. Although scientists can tell how the universe was formed, even though archaeologists can trace the development of world history, and although one can easily access the entire history by using sophisticated technology. But it only managed to get the answers of worldly question; this is also the one who encourages people to be more curious about things outside world that hope could lead to thoughts of spiritual things which might have more explaination of how this universe formed. Learning process spiritual encourages a human being to find a way to get closer to spiritual answers, and sometimes be able to give a way to enlightenment spiritual mind.

It is not hard for people who actually live or lived in Bali or just visit one particular time to find the spiritual life. Spiritual activities and holy buildings are specially built as a place to anchor spiritual learning. When the step is set up at spiritual place of Besakih Temples, there are found the union variety of holy temples, objects and sacred symbol that reflects the greatness of Hindu spiritualism life in Bali. Besakih Temples in each of its parts present and whispering spiritual reflection Hinduism sourced from Hindu scriptures themselves. The parts of the temple area had their meaning in accordance with the function and history of the temple. Largest and widest complex where the place of God as the embodiment of Tri Kahyangan; Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva is a place where held so many answers to spiritual knowledge. This place is called the Penataran Agung Temple, and is often used as the center of several major ceremonies at Besakih Temples.

When began to set foot on the first steps of the Penataran Agung stairway, people who climb these stairs one by one, will feel the spiritual ambience in an effort to align ourselves with the enlightenment. On the right side are standing a few stone statues that as reflection of Ramayana characters and the left side of this can be found reflection of Mahabrata figures. Ramayana and Mahabrata is an epic famous in the history of Hindu’s world, where all events in the universe as a reflection of each chapter in those epic, and frequently also able to inspire the spiritual learning. Foot steps up the stairs of Penataran Agung is reflected the living struggle of a human since being born into the world, and when people finally thought to look for a spiritual presence at Besakih Temples, give the sense that humans began preparing themselves to leave the earthly attribute existence and stepped through the gate of First Mandala at Penataran Agung Temple. What was waiting for the end of the steps is to teach people that the earthly attribute only as a supplementary factor in dealing with life and even the main thing that must be achieved in the future is grounded in the spiritual life of purity and freedom from all worldly darkness.

And in the end, when spiritual soul calling and is like the largest magnet to you in this Besakih Temples area, up the stairs of First Mandala at Penataran Agung, Besakih Temples  then will giving you the biggest challenge of the enlightenment process, you will be challenged.

Kama Jaya and Ratih, All Together in Sang Hyang Semara’s

Bumblebee Dance--courtesy of Neka Art Museum by Anak Agung Gede SobratThroughout the history of human civilization, along with the age of the universe in achieving modernization, Love is being well known for all the creatures on the planet earth. Universally meaning for all human beings, even Love could transforming the simplest desire into the deepest feeling of resignation. Love might be a form of reason for all occurrences which sometimes could not describe logically or mathematically.  If Love placed as a word with its limited meaning, then she will said as a tenderly deep feeling of caring somebody or something.  But none of those strands word could be boundaries to prison Love. Every place in this world has different way and manner to express love and affection. Love sometimes could answer to many questions which ended with one main reason; what reason would you imagine when you do something, what is your reason pointed when you start dislike something, or when you are stuck in a thinking to re-find the cause of reasons why you decided to release something, then Love in the form of power could forced you doing something, Love against something provoke you to understand every detail of it then you might be able to find out the things you don’t like and raise boredom and hate, and love will bring you to learn on how to release something you’d really like. Those are a deep speculation about love because she can not be limited and confined in a special sense.

One day on February known as day to reflected Love and affection meaning, that day called Valentine’s Day, as said before that every part in this green planet has time to written Love power. Bali as a unique civilization with many history and culture of the Hinduism since ancient times has the day to reflect love and affection as well. According to a source, Wuku Saniscara Kliwon Krulut or commonly referred to as Tumpek Krulut is used as a ceremony of Taksu. In this case, Taksu is a person or object that could cause a pleasure of others nearby, and from this joyful affection could raise Love. God with the form as Sang Hyang Semara Jaya and Sang Hyang Semara Ratih in Balinese Hindu communities is as a symbolic worship used in ceremonies such as marriage, manhood, or potong gigi. Symbols of Sang Hyang Semara Jaya and Ratih are always a facilities and infrastructure in providing a sense of affection through all the ritual; it is more about vertically connection between humans and The Creator and horizontally dealings among humans. Sang Hyang Semara Jaya and Ratih is a symbol of God’s fusion deploying to every human being and able to give the history of the love and affection formation between humans. Dance procession called Oleg Tambulilingan is a form love of art that has managed to describe the form of how Sang Hyang Semara Jaya and Sang Hyang Semara Ratih meet each other in every soul of man and a woman. Originally, Oleg Tambulilingan only perform by woman dancer but later in their development then add male dancer to give more meaning to the reunification of Sang Hyang Semara Jaya and Sang Hyang Semara Ratih.

These realism of  Love in culture and social life has lead Bali as a small island filled with glorious cultural heritage of his ancestors and proving that Love and Compassion in the realm of cultural preservation reiterated that Love couldn’t be limited only by having understanding of the words itself but rather about Love limitless.

RANGDA AS BALINESE MYSTICAL FOLKLORE

Rangda mask taken from Bali Art Festival 2009Javanese ancient mention that “Rangda” came from the word “Randa” = Widow. Rangda usually use by noble to mention a widow which is no longer a wife to a husband. Written in Mpu Baradah Sanskrit, once upon a time there was a young pretty girl named Nyi Sadya who able to attract King Erlangga, King of Daha. Erlangga brought Nyi Sadya to the palace and became wife of Erlangga. When pregnant, Nyi Sadya wants to be provided with seven human hearts from various classes of dynasty. Because of this impossibility request, then Erlangga decided to banish Nyi Sadya to the forest of Girah. Then officially, Rangda Girah became a widower of King Erlangga.

Nyi Sadya’s magic figure was came from the studied of Pragolan bible, from this bible, Nyi Sadya also got her black magic knowledge. Because revenge sense due to being isolated by the King of Daha, then Nyi Sadya began to spread a terror and disaster to people all around Kingdom of Daha. Nyi Sadya’s magic was very known to mention her as a witch lady and the queen of black magic, and she was titled as Rangda Girah or Rangda Dirah which is meant a widow from Girah. Terror and disaster caused by magic of Rangda Dirah was annoying King Erlangga, and he was try looking for ways to stop his peoples night mare.
When Rangda Girah daughter, Ni Diah Ratna Menggali, grown up into a beautiful girl. Many boys were trying to attract her, but fearing of Rangda Dirah magic was made them scared to purpose Ratna Menggali. Peoples also react to isolated Ratna Menggali, which was made Rangda Dirah revenge sense and angriness became stronger, Rangda Dirah raised the intensity spread of terror and disaster to peoples of King Daha. However, the effort of blocking all black magic from Rangda Dirah was begun to found when Mpu Baradah, spiritual and religious leader, dispatch his student, Mpu Bahulu to attracted Ratna Menggali. Ratna Menggali falls in love with Mpu Bahulu, then all the black magic secret of Rangda Dirah being known by Mpu Baradah which caused Rangda Dirah being surrendered by Mpu Baradah.Rangda mask solo - taken from Bali art Festival 2009

Rangda Dirah folklore is very famous among Balinese people. Story contain of a mystic is being transform into mystical beliefs in ancient and modern Bali. Rangda Dirah as a queen of black magic was illustrated as scary woman who has a long hair like shown in this article pictures.
In Balinese Hindu society, mystical beliefs are still remaining until now, proved by Rangda’s attribute which is found in the temple all over Bali. In particular period will be performing Rangda & Barong dance as media to give spiritual understanding to Rangda’s folklore. Rangda Dirah figure that will continue to spread a terror and disaster to people will be destroying by Barong as a figure of Mpu Baradah, the embodiment of goodness.

BALI PAINTING AS A CULTURES REFLECTION

Bali Painting - Solo DancerA process of drawing something in a flat form using paint or ink is called a painting. Have a closer meaning with aesthetic and art makes a painting as an object fully contain with creativity implementation. A painting can represent someone imaginer feeling to amused art curator or a person who loves painting or just to eyes sight seeing. Naturalism and representative is a way of painting creativity, these two themes can be a painter narrative act to pour a story of everything at their painting.

Firstly, a history of painting is detected through cave paintings which were found in several countries such as in French, Spain, Portugal, China, Australia, India etc. Cave painting is a reflection of life in prehistoric era and will be a record for modern era. When a man start to recognizing a cultures, then painting development is not just using cave wall as media to paint but its already use other media; canvas, fabric, board etc. Natural color from a charcoal and limestone are also turning to a modern media use such as paint or ink which is vary in type. Spiritual motif giving a big influences for all development history of a painting in both Western and Eastern country, other motifs also derive from painter creativity.Painting - Trio Dancer

When culture began to touch Bali, especially in ancient of Hinduism era, painting is being introduced as an art. Proved that in Bali’s Sanskrit is a form of hand painting brushed at a stone, most of these painting are depiction of Kingdom or spiritual leader on that year, so their movement and their history could be detected on Bali’s heritage. First Bali’s painting was found at Kemasan (Klungkung regency) as form of a puppet painting, this painting was purposes as a gift to procession of proposing King’s Banyuwangi (a region in Eastern Java) daughter. First puppet painting is being inspired by stories of Ramayana epic. Simple character of painting combined with natural media giving a new era in Balinese painting. Then painting was developed and began spreading to other places until founded some painting style in accordance of a place where it began to make. Kemasan, Batuan, Ubud are native region in painting style and be direction style to Bali’s painter on their painting. Uniformity style of two dimension painting is also affected by traditional Bali’s culture of ancient Hinduism.

Painting - Old Lady SmileSince inclusion of Western culture in Bali’s life in year 1926 and 1928, Bali began to introduce with painting in three dimension look. This style had been brought by Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet. Lighting, coloring, and arrangement of space in Bali’s painting are begun to modernize. Painting object orientation is lead to become freedom choice in a painting. Effort in earning standard and quality of Bali’s paintings is about to find its way.

How far does standard and quality being developed? We could find the answer by exhibited on Bali’s paintings.

LEKO, ANCIENT DANCE (BALI ART FESTIVAL 2009 NEWS HIGHLIGHTS: SATURDAY, 27 JUNE 2009)

logo-Pesta-Kesenian-BaliIn the review of the cultural event Pesta Kesenian Bali 2009 this time, will be appointed on the theme of dance “Leko”.  This dance is one of so many Balinese ancient dances which might has already rare to be performed and not much known by Balinese society. Today, Leko dance could be found only at Jembrana, regency at Western area of Bali.

In journey of Leko dance, the dance was come from a sacred art entertainment for the kingdom and noble. Like “Joged Bumbung” dance, Leko dance also using a traditional music “Rindik” to accompany the dance. Rindik is a Balinese traditional music made from bamboo. Leko dancing also involve with a dancer which is taken from the audience, and this dancer known as “Pengibing”. Leko dance using two female dancers while in Joged Bumbung only using one female dancer, this made a different between Leko dance and Joged Bumbung dance.

Leko dance was predictably inspired by “Gandrung” and “Gambuh”, appear in year of 1915 at Pendem village, Jembrana regency. Leko at that time was only a traditional music of “Gerantang” accompaniment with some traditional music device. Then in its evolution, Leko had equipped with a dancers who dance along with a traditional instruments. Leko was a traditional performance tribute to a royal and a king’s family, and a way of villagers to reassure the palace. Leko dance had gone through an upside down existence, where on a colonialism era in Bali, this Leko dance couldn’t perform again, but then raise and still exist until now.

The existence of Leko dance couldn’t detach from a cultural preservation synergy between traditional artists and others related community to protect ancient cultures. Through Bali Art Festival 2009, again Leko dance performance promotes to an audience in purpose of re- introducing this ancient dance for every younger generation. Hopefully, this promotion could lift up again the existence of Leko dance as one of Balinese heritage which deserve to be protect from extinction.

Quick Source : Bali Post (Saturday, 27 June 2009)