Sunday, April 1, 2012

My Bali Trip 3

Went on a trip to India and could peep into neither my own blog nor those of others for nearly ten days.
Baisakhi Temple:





The Baisakhi temple , also known as the Mother Temple, is situated at the foot of Mt Agung, an active volcano . The temple survived unscathed during an eruption of the volcano in the 1960's and hence it is highly revered by the locals . The volcanic rock used for the construction gives the structure a unique black shade .It comprises of 7 ascending levels, the 7th most being at the summit of the mount and hence not accessible to the regular tourist.There are three main temples here dedicated to the trimurthis Brahma,Vishnu and Shiva. Exploring the temple's premises involves a whole lot of climbing steps , a point to be kept in mind when deciding to go there . A tourguide can be arranged for around 50000 Indonesian Rupiahs . Our tour guide doubled up as our photographer there and was highly helpful in getting some family snaps .Unlike the temples in India the sanctum Sanctorum of the temples in Bali remain closed throughout the year except on selected days when there is a ceremony in the temple as per the Balinese calendar.






Just like the temples in India, their Balinese counterparts have their own sanctity and some rules. People wont be allowed to enter in shorts. If you are dressed in one, you would need to buy or rent a 'sarong' a local garment worn by the Balinese and tie it around your waist. Also, in all temples there would be a board that women are not allowed to enter during menstruation.



The murals of Shiva and Vishnu within the temple were very fascinating. Shiva with a moustache and mounted on his nandhi, Vishnu with a discus on his Garuda.


Picture Of Shiva In the temple






Tanah Lot Temple:


The Tanah Lot temple is located on the West coast of Bali, beautifully located atop a cliff on the seashore. This temple offers some breathtaking views and is a feast to the cameraman's lens.




There is a structure located at the foot of the cliff as well. In times of high tide, worshippers just go to this one at the lower altitude. When we went it was a high tide and the waves leapt to heights I have never seen before. Tanah Lot Sunset is very famous. Our guide told us that the Uluwatu temple is similar and that it offers equally great views. As it was a little cloudy we did not stay back for the sun set. Even with the sun perched high up in the sky during the afternoon it was a beautiful experience.



7 comments:

  1. i thought i read part 3 already. lovely post again and pictures are breathtaking.

    "Also, in all temples there would be a board that women are not allowed to enter during menstruation." this is something which i ll never endorse.

    hey ur humor posts r supercool. why don't u write one?

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  2. Thanks for stepping in and for leaving your comments....Will try to come up with a humor post soon...Your comment made my day :D

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  3. It is so nice to see a place of worship so tranquil and serene, beautiful clicks and interesting information to go along :)

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    1. Thanks a lot Arti. When we went the weather was perfect and it added to the tranquility!

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  4. Very picturesque temples, not heard of by me so far.
    Lovely photographs too.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Thanks for stepping in Vetri....Thats a nice name!!! Daughter Of Victory :D

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  6. Came across your posts on Bali while researching for my trip! Going there in October for 10 days and after reading your posts I'm looking forward to it even more!
    I wanted to ask about the car rentals there, since I've read on other forums that your driver can possibly make or ruin your trip. Any details that you can share regarding this would help a lot.
    Thanks :)
    P.S Amazing snaps!

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