Goodbye to a Bali holiday

In last week’s column I wrote that we were going to Bali  and concluded that we would be in a Muslim country but it turns out that the island of Bali is an exception. The minority Balinese Hindus adapted and declared their form of Hinduism to be monotheistic, and presented it in a form to be politically eligible for the status of “agama.”

Unlike any other island in largely Muslim Indonesia, Bali is a pocket of Hindu religion and culture. ... Although Balinese Hindus worship the same gods and goddesses, perform similar rituals, and build sacred temples, there are certain elements that make Balinese Hindus different from Hindu practices in India.

In the first precept which says “Ketuhanan yang maha esa,” it is explicitly referring to believe and worship only one God/ Goddess. ... However, unlike polytheistic Indian Hinduism, in the belief of Balinese Hinduism they only worship one God, called Sang Hyang Widi or Sang Hyang Widhi, Acintya or Sang Hyang Tunggal.

Balinese Hinduism (Indonesian: Agama Hindu Dharma; Agama Tirtha; Agama Air Suci; Agama Hindu Bali) is the form of Hinduism practiced by the majority of the population of Bali. [1][2] This is particularly associated with the Balinese people residing on the island, and represents a distinct form of Hindu worship incorporating local animism, ancestor worship or Pitru Paksha, and reverence for Buddhist saints or Bodhisattava.

The population of Indonesian islands is predominantly Muslim (about 90%).[3] The island of Bali is an exception where 83% of its people identify as Hindu (about 1.7% of the total Indonesian population).[3]Upon independence from the Dutch colonial rule, the 1945 Constitution of Indonesia guaranteed freedom of religion to all citizens.[4] In 1952, states Michel Picard – an anthropologist and scholar of Balinese history and religion, the Indonesian Ministry of Religion came under the control of Islamists who severely constrained an acceptable definition of a “religion.” [4] To be acceptable as an official Indonesian religion, the ministry defined “religion” as one that is monotheistic, has codified religious law and added a number of requirements. Further, Indonesia denied rights of citizenship (such as the right to vote) to anyone not belonging to an officially recognized monotheistic religion.[1] The minority Balinese Hindus adapted and declared their form of Hinduism to be monotheistic, and presented it in a form to be politically eligible for the status of “agama.” Balinese Hinduism has been formally recognized by the Indonesian government as one of the official religions practiced in Bali.

(Sourced from Wikipedia)

But we were on holiday – and the freedom of religion was not in my mind. When my daughter suggested Kaba-Kaba I was thinking of peace and quiet to heal mind and body. No beaches please. She chose the right place for that – the Kaba-Kaba estate.

The house sits in the middle of rice fields – and is about an hour’s drive from the Denpasar Airport. This is the first airplane ride I will take since my illness of broken bones (knee fractures). Will I make it after a three-hour airplane trip plus an hour drive without pain? I did.

For such a big group as we were Kaba Kaba was cheaper than  a luxury hotel. It would house my children, their spouses and grandchildren in the middle of rice fields and trees. It was late night when we arrived and we drove around a semi-circle driveway to the main doors with the spotlight on a Balinese sculpture. A Balinese sculpture was spotlighted at the center of the driveway.  The rest of the family who came ahead were asleep and we had no one to greet us at the door except the member of the staff.  The brochures describe the Kaba Kaba as among Bali’s most exclusive villas. It has a “spectacular eight-bedroom estate leisurely spread over more than three acres, staffed by a large professional team including a private chef, and designed for regal entertaining, multiple family gatherings and romantic weddings.”

That is the physical structure but Kaba-Kaba was more than that. We were far away from shops and traffic. It was a surprise that the villa could be luxurious ensconced in the middle of rural rice-terraces.

By morning with the light there were panoramic views. It is a well-designed villa with holiday treats. It was complete in itself with rooms with antiques. The staff were too discreet to tell us who owned the villa but we could guess that the owners remained true to Balinese design and luxuries, antiques-filled interiors, fascinating art collection and no-expense-spared a facilities – including four pools, a tennis court, home theatre, games room, spa and gym – create an unmatched experience for up to 18 guests.

There was no need to go outside the villa for hotel amenities. It had manicured lawns and all around the villa on the southern coast of Bali.

We could guess the owner’s family life which is Balinese and international. It has a library leading to the master’s bedroom. At the center was a huge cloth poster with a printed map and a description of Bali we could not translate because it was in ancient German.