Though originating from India, the brand of Hinduism known and practiced in Bali differs significantly from the one found in India. Instead of mysticism or philosophy, the emphasis of Bali's Hinduism is more in rituals and dramatic features, allowing the religion and its practice to be incorporated into daily life of Balinese peasants. These rituals and dramatic features have been intricately woven into the lives of Balinese to the extent that one cannot separate the religious life of Bali from its daily life. In fact, one can say every little action of a Balinese has some religious connotation; stone and wood carvings, cremation ceremony, trance dances, vibrant music - all are intended to please the gods and the goddesses. These rituals most often take place in a temple, the most important structure in the Balinese culture.
The Balinese Culture is one of Bali's main tourist attractions as there are not many places in the world where you can find such a rich culture of devotion to traditional values and a unique religion which in this case is an adaptation of Hinduism. Famous for the dances and performances as well as the artwork that is produced in certain villages that tend to dedicate their selves to a certain art for a certain village, such as Ubud is the village of painters and Mas is the village of carvers. Performances include the puppet shows that reenact the legends and stories of the areas as well as costumed performances that are enchanting, beautiful and sometimes sinister. The most memorable of these include trance dancing and violent displays of staged suicide and battles.
Balinese Culture and Religion
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