|
Bali
is a state of Indonesia, a secular country with the biggest Muslim
population in the world. But the majority in the state of Bali,
over 93 %, is Hindus. Bali is home to 4.22 million Hindus whose
ancestors had to flee from other islands of Indonesia, after the
great Indonesian Hindu Empire Majapahit was defeated and most of
Indonesia was converted to Islam.
Here
are some interesting facts about Bali that every Indian Hindu must
know.
1. Nyepi day, a day of total silence (mauna) once a year, when even
the Ngurah Rai International Airport of Denpasar is closed from 6
am to 6 am. No cars, no traffic, no entertainment, no TV. Sit in
the house, do contemplation, do prayers. Can we introduce that
Nyepi Day in our noisy country?
2. The culture of Bali was begun by the Rishis of India, whose
names are no longer taught in the schools of India but which are
common in the schools of Bali-Markandeya, Bharadwaja, Agastya - the
names we hear in the Puranas but they are part of the way the
history of Bali is taught in the schools of Bali. How many Rishis
can you name? Do you remember any one of the 402 names of the Rishis
and Rishikas (female Rishis) from the Rig Veda (the most ancient
and most sacred text of Hinduism), which are our ancestors and the
forming fathers of our religion - Vaidika Sanatana Dharma?
3. The national Balinese dress for both, men and women, girls and
boys, is Dhoti. No one can enter a temple without wearing a Dhoti.
Except in some parts of South India, Dhoti is laughed at in India
today. Why are we so ashamed of our heritage? Even most Indian
priests change their dress after they are finished with the worship
because they feel ashamed in a Dhoti??
4. The social, economic and political system of Bali is based on
the principle of tri-hita-karana.three benevolent, beneficent
principles- that every human being has three aspects .the duty, the
relationship that we have with God [Parahyangan]; the relationship
that we have with human beings [Pawongan]; and the relationship
that we have with nature [Palemahan] and these are the three
principles on which the entire culture of Bali is built. This was
all established by the Rishis whose names are just about forgotten
in India which are taught in the schools of Bali.
5. Trikala Sandhya (Sun worship three times a day) is practiced in
every Balinese school. The Gayatri Mantra is recited by every
Balinese school child three times a day. Many of the local radio
stations also relay Trikala Sandhya three times a day. Can we even
think of introducing something like this to our schools in India?
How many Indian Hindus are aware of their duty of Trikala Sandhya?
It is as central to our religion as the 5 times Namaz is to Islam,
yet?
6. In the year 1011 AD, at a place which is now known as
Purasamantiga. there was the first interreligious conference of
three religions: Shaiva Agama, Bauddha Agama and Baliyaga, the
traditional pre-Buddhist, pre-Hindu, Balinese religion. The
scholars and the leaders sat down and worked out a system by which
the three religions should work together and exchange forms with
each other and that is the religion of Bali today.
7. In Bali every priest is paid by the government. Despite the fact
that Indonesia is a secular country with the biggest Muslim
population in the world, the priest of every religion is paid by
the government so every religion is supported by the government.
That is the Indonesian form of secularism. Can we even think of
this in India?
8. The national motto of Indonesia "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. One
is many, many is one." is inspired by an Indonesian Hindu
scripture Sutasoma Kakavin. The complete quotation is as follows -
"It is said that the well known Buddha and Shiva are two
different substances; they are indeed different, yet how is it
possible to recognize their difference in a glance, since the truth
of Buddha and the truth of Shiva are one? They may be different,
but they are of the same kind, as there is no duality in
truth." Why can't we have "Ekam Sad Vipra Bahudha
Vadanti" (The truth is one, but the wise express it in various
ways - Rig Veda) as our national motto?
9. Bali is one of the world's most prominent rice growers. Every
farm has a temple dedicated to Shri Devi and Bhu Devi (Lakmi the
Goddess of wealth and mother earth - the two divinities that stand
on the either of side of Tirupati Bala ji in India). No farmer will
perform his agricultural duties without first making offerings to
Shri Devi and Bhu Devi. That is called culture, that SubakSystem.
The agricultural and water irrigation plan for the entire country
was charted in the 9th Century. The priests of a particular water
temple still control this irrigation plan. And some World Bank or
United Nations scientist did a computer model that would be ideal
for Bali. And when they brought the model the Balinese said 'we
have been practicing this since the 9th century. What are you
bringing here?' And I don't know how many million dollars these
WTO, these World Bank people, United Nations people, spent on
creating that chart which was already created in the 9th century
without any computers.. and that Subak System still continues. Such
systems were in place in various parts of the country. Its remnants
are still visible here in India. I have visited areas where there
is no water for miles due to drought, yet the well at the local
temple still provides fresh water.
10. In Bali Hindus still don't read a printed book when they
perform Puja (worship). They read from a Lontar, which have
traditionally been scripted by hand on palm leaf. When they recite
the Ramayana Kakavin. where the book is kept, worship will be
performed. There is a special ritual of lifting the sacred book,
carrying it in a procession, bringing [it] to a special place,
doing the bhumi puja, worshipping the ground there and consecrating
the ground, then placing the book there. Then the priest will sit
and recite the Ramayana.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment