English French German Italian Portuguese Russian Spanish

Bali Events & Festivals

Festivals and events are important features in the social landscape of Bali, and also permanent fixtures in the lives of the Balinese. These festivals and events are determined by the calendars of the Balinese from long ago.

The major events in the life of a Balinese is believed to occur on fixed dates, which go according to the Balinese Calendar. Unlike temple festivals, these major events take place nearly every six months or every 210 days!

The Balinese believe in annual cycles and every six months of a Balinese's life is a celebration of holidays and life-cycle ceremonies. Since his conception in his mother's womb, every Balinese passes through certain stages, and this carries on up until marriage. These are the events celebrated to mark the passage of a Balinese as he progresses in his life. But the ritual of utmost importance to the Balineses is the ritual of the funeral rites and cremation.

It is, therefore, extremely obvious that festivals and events are an integral part of Balinese life and a huge part of the mysticism and allure that sets Bali apart from any other land. To help preserve and maintain every aspect of this rich culture, the Provincial Government of Bali holds numerous Annual Festivals. 

The Bali festivals and life-cycle ceremonies stop for a while, until a Balinese boy or girl reaches adolescence...

In this period of life the important and painful tooth-filling ceremony (Mapandes) takes place, preferable before marriage.

By filing away the sharp points of the canine teeth the Balinese believe that human behavior such as lust, greed, anger, drunkenness, jealousy etc. is removed from that specific person.

Read more...

The Mupuk Pedagingan and Pedudusan Agung ceremony is meant to revitalize the temple, making it fit to receive the Supreme God, Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, in his personification as the Destroyer who destroys all things in order to recreate them again.

The significance of this special ceremony is to harmonize the three worlds of Balinese Hindu belief. These worlds are:

1. Bhur – Level of the lower beings
2. Bwah – Level of the humans
3. Swah – Level of the Gods

Read more...

Page 2 of 2

2
Next
End

Culture of Bali

Museum Gedong Kirtya, Singaraja

This wonderful museum in Si...

Museum Le Mayeur, Sanur

The Museum Le Mayeur in Sa...

Besakih Temple

Mother Temple

Over a thous...

Museum Negeri Propinsi Bali, Denpasar

This museum in Denpasar was...

Museum Manusia Purba, Gilimanuk

The Museum Manusia Purba, ...

Goa Lawah Temple
The Bat Cave

Not for the f...

Ramayana Dance

This highly entertaining...

Shadow Puppets - Wayang Kulit

Wayang Kulit, is an Indone...

Museum Antonio Blanco

Philippine-born artist Ant...

Legong Dance

Also accompanied by the Go...

Uluwatu Temple

Pura Luhur

Bali's most spe...

Ulun Danu

No less stunning is the mo...

Bali Events and Calendar

Cornerkick - Visual Art Exhibition - Lodtunduh Ubud Bali
 Cornerkick Visual Art Exhibition ( 5 July - ...
Galungan and Kuningan
Bali's most important festival is the Galungan festival. It is a f...
Odalan
You would think with all the Bali Life-cycle ceremonies, the 10 da...
Saraswati
Bali and the Balinese also celebrate Saraswati, a day devoted to ...
Nyepi
The saka calendar has a major festival called Nyepi, or the final d...
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival will run from October 7-11, 2009
Dear Visitors,If you have an interest in spending a day or two enjo...
Arts Festival
Highly notable is the Annual Arts Festival, which interestingly ...
Bali Spirit Festival 2011
Bali Spirit Festival - The Bali Spirit Festival is an festival hel...

History of Bali

Mighty Majapahit and Golden Bali
1343 AD, is an important date in Bali's history. It was then that ...
Of early traders and olden kingdoms
Bali was busy with trade from as early as 200 BC. The prasasti, or...
Since the Beginning of Time
Bali has been inhabited for a long time. Sembiran, a village in no...
Of foreign tricks and trade
Bali was unknown to Europeans until the end of the fifteenth centur...
Colonial rule and Dutch rules
The puputan caused quite a stir in Europe and the United States and...
Independence
Throughout the 19th and 20th century relations with the Dutch were ...