Procession: A jovial group of gaily clad Balinese women head to the temple with offerings of fruit piled high above their heads.Bali brims with a ceremonial splendor that never fails to mesmerize the traveler. The Balinese take pride in their religious festivals and really go the extra mile in holding each event. The biggest Hindu celebrations, Galungan and Kuningan, happen 10 days apart every 210 days and commemorate the creation of the world. At this spirits are believed to descend upon the island, and believers make merry by holding numerous feasts and grand processions. Among the lesser festivals, Melasti is a somber purification rite held before Nyepi (the day of silence), while Hari Raya Saraswati sees processions and mass exorcisms enacted in honor of the goddess of knowledge, Saraswati.
Picture: Kecak DanceNo Balinese festival is complete without the performance of traditional dances, which are best enjoyed after the sun goes down. In Ubud, the island’s cultural heartland, the Legong, Ramayana, and Kecak are performed nightly in and around town, the most accessible venue being the Puri Saren Agung (Ubud Palace) on the main road. Head to the nearby Agung Rai Museum of Art for renditions of the famous Legong and Baris dances every Saturday night. The center also runs two-week gamelan courses, which are open to all levels of experience.
Picture: Legong DanceAlternatively, if you fancy an after-dinner performance, the Oberoi Resort in Seminyak is recommended for its beautiful beachfront setting, showing classical dance on Tuesdays and Ramayana epics on Thursdays. The Yayasan Polos Seni (Foundation for Pure Art) in Klungkung offers Balinese dance and music classes for those wishing to try out the moves for themselves.
Picture: Puppet showApart from music and dancing, puppet shows are popular nighttime draw in Ubud: make your way to Oka Kartini to catch a wayang kulit play, where painted and gilded leather puppets enact stories full of myths and legends of the spirit world. Plays can go on for several hours, sometimes ending in the early hours of morning. Another exciting way to experience Ubud is by visiting the smaller villages around it: here, one can find groups of artisan families that have kept traditional Balinese arts alive for many generations.
In recent times, Bali has also been harboring a love for the more contemporary arts scene: the Bali Arts Festival and Bali Nusa Dua Festival are some of the large-scale events that have brought major international attention to the island. And each year in October, the Ubud Readers and writers Festival sees world-famous authors gathering in the magical setting of upcountry Bali for a series of workshops, discussions, and recitals.
