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Introduction: Bali: The Island of the gods is still a unique experience
'Bali is Bali forever'. Though coined by the tourism sector, the words reflect the resilient character of this little island that could well have fallen off the tourist map after terrorists blew up a nightclub last October, killing tourists and residents. But it has survived the blast. Tourists are trickling back to the island that Jawaharlal Nehru called 'the Morning of the World'.
At the Bali Intercontinental Hotel, on Jembran island, the 350-odd rooms are not full, but the tourists are having the time of their lives (and not just because of its six swimming pools, lagoon and private beach). "Bali is unique because of its cultural character," said Gide Pittana, head of Bali Tourism Board. "There is history around every corner and rituals in daily life."
The 10,000 temples that dot the 5,600 sq. km island have given it the name 'the Island of the gods'. Religion in Bali is a mixture of Hinduism and animist beliefs. I saw women and children taking offerings to the temples in the morning, and I also saw trees decorated with coloured cloth to propitiate the spirits. There are deva heads at every street corner-Brahma and Arjuna alongside heads representing good and evil spirits-and statuettes galore in homes, hotels, even bathrooms. And what can be more unique than Bali's new year, called Nyepi or seclusion day. Usually falling on April 2, the day is marked by the 'four nos': amati geni (no lighted lamp or stove), amati karya (no working), amati lelungan (no visits) and amati lelanguan (no entertainment). No vehicles ply on this day and electricity is switched off. People stay home, meditating and praying for the new year.
As even tourists are expected to follow this, many have not witnessed the festivities that precede Nyepi. People carry around huge papier mache monsters called ogoh ogoh accompanied by loud music. The belief is that this will rouse the demons, who will come out and feast on the food kept outside every gate and at every junction, and leave the people in peace on Nyepi.
For Indians, Bali offers a flavour of home-a craze for Hindi films. People moon over Shah Rukh Khan, rave about Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and talk animatedly about Ajay Devgan and Kajol's holiday there. "We would love to have Indian films shot here," said Setyanto Santosa, chairman of Indonesian Tourism Board. India is so hot here that one of the first public shows held after the blast was a festival of India. The tight-security do was a morale booster for tourism.
"Since the blast, we have had more Asians than Europeans," said Danny McCafferty, general manager of the Sheraton Nusa Dua Hotel. The hotel has the best spa on the island, and I had an excellent Balinese massage with four massage oils and scrub (a mixture of yellow lullur herbal powder, brown poreh [rice] and ilang ilang flower).
Bali has something for everyone. Its beaches are a surfer's paradise. But my visit to Kuta Beach was more for its shops that sell everything from clothes to handicraft. It also has some of the best nightclubs and golf clubs around. For gourmands, my recommendation is babi guling (grilled pig), a local speciality. Here a whole suckling pig (whose intestines and belly are cleaned and filled with vegetables and seasoning) is roasted over flames for several hours. We were served the sliced meat on low tables, accompanied by a salad and hot sauce.
Many of Bali's dances have themes familiar to Indians, especially dances from the Ramayana. They are a visual treat of grace, rich costumes and vibrant music. For the art buffs, there are villages like Kemanu, Batubulan, Tegalalang and Celuk, which specialise in wood and stone carvings, masks and gold and silver work. And nothing can beat a visit to Mt Batur, Bali's active volcano (which last exploded in 1963), for a taste of adventure.
And to think all this could have been destroyed by the twin blasts at Sari Club! I was horrified by the damage that was still in evidence when I visited the place. "The blast was heard 10 km away," said Frans Sidharta, who operates Merdeka Tours. But tourism is picking up, mostly thanks to word-of-mouth publicity.
Isn't it wonderful that the Island
of the gods is still accessible to mortals!
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