Hindu Religion in Bali

Hindu Religion in Bali - A majority Hindu island in an overwhelmingly Muslim nation, Bali is perhaps the most culturally unique island in Indonesian archipelago. Known as the island of a thousand temples, religion plays an important role in everyday life for the local Balinese. A faith that that withstood countless attempts of subjugation over the centuries, Hindu Religion in Bali arose out of an amalgam of traditional Indian Hindu traditions, Balinese animist practises and pre-Islamic Javanese faiths. The village temple is the focal point of spiritual life. Regarded as a meeting place between man and god, the temples in Bali burst into life with elaborate decorations during the many festivals and temple anniversaries.

Hindu Religion in Bali

Hindu Religion in Bali - There are temples to celebrate nearly every aspect of Balinese life use gamelan balinese :  family temples, village temples, house temples, banjar(neighbourhood) temples, subak(crop irrigation) temples, cave temples, temples honouring the ancestor, and even a temple honouring the monkeys on the island. The main temple for the entire island is Besakih Temple, or Mother Temple. Unlike most of Muslim-majority Indonesia, about 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism Hindu Dharma, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. Minority religions include Islam (4.79 percent), Christianity (1.38 percent), and Buddhism (0.64 percent). When Islam surpassed Hinduism in Java (16th century), Bali became a refuge for many Hindus. With an estimated 20,000 puras (temples) and shrines, Bali Culture is known as the "Island of a Thousand Puras", or "Island of the Gods".

Hindu Religion in Bali

Balinese Hinduism has roots in Indian Hinduism and in Buddhism, and adopted the animistic traditions of the indigenous people. Balinese Hinduism is deeply interwoven with art and ritual. Moreover, Balinese Hindu priests are invited to perform rites alongside a Chinese priest in the event of the death of a Sino-Balinese.