Balinese Hinduism
“Temples in Bali, unlike places of cult in most parts of the world, are simple walled open yards from which men can communicate directly with their gods and ancestors. Gods and ancestors normally “visit” their human worshippers - or their descendants - during temple festivals (odalan), which take place every 210 days or every lunar year. They then reside in miniature houses set in the temple, the pelinggih shrines, and alight in effigies of gold, coins or “offerings.”
Temples in Bali, unlike places of cult in most parts of the world, are simple walled open yards, from which men can communicate directly with their gods and ancestors. Gods and ancestors normally “visit” their human worshippers, or their descendants, during temple festivals (odalan), which take place every 210 days or every lunar year. They then reside in miniature houses set in the temple, the Pelinggih shrines, and alight in effigies of gold, coins or “Offerings”.
During the whole length of their stay, one, three days or more, the gods and their “companions” are not only welcomed, but also symbolically bathed, fed, put to bed, and presented with dances, as if they were human visitors.
Meanwhile the members of the congregation come and go with the required offerings and get their share of holy water sprinkled during the collective prayer. All these activities, of a stunning beauty, have done much to establish the reputation of the island.
Balinese religion is experiencing important changes. Its caste system is being revised and there is no recognition of status differences. Under its new name of Agama Hindu Dharma, Balinese Hinduism is not anymore a merely ethnic religion for the Balinese alone. It now lies under the universal umbrella of Hinduism. There are other groups in Indonesia which claim the same common Hindu heritage, albeit with different customs. Agama Hindu Dharma is now one of the official faiths of the Republic of Indonesia, and present all over the country.