EDITORIAL

Eat, Pray, Love is one of the Hollywood movies getting lots of attention from newspaper in Indonesia. This film opened at Ziegfeld Theater, New York, last month. Many Indonesian look forward to watching this movie at the cinema. It’s not just the movie stars famous actress Julia Robert, but something that makes this movie special is that it uses Indonesia, especially Bali, as one of the shooting locations.

As one of the locations, Bali definitely gets promotion, indirectly, through this film. There will be more people watching the beauty of Bali through this movie. This will increase the number of tourists visiting Bali in the future. A classic movie about Bali in 1930s, which was made and then released in the past in Europe, for instance, has made more people eager to visit Bali after they watched the film. That film illustrates how a film can be very effective promotion.

A long time ago before tourism was booming, Bali was an isolated island and home for people with amazing culture as shown in most classical movies about Bali. The beauty of its nature was extraordinary: virgin forest, terrace of rice fields, spectacular view of hills and valleys, beauty beaches etc. The culture was also wonderful, based on agriculture life and religious beliefs, with arts and ceremonies as parts of daily life. Balinese people’s life is in harmony with nature. No wonder that Bali was called “The Last Paradise”.

Today, tourism development has changed some (if we don’t want to say most) of the face of Bali. Modern structure is builds along with economic growth. Tourism needs supporting infrastructure such as hotel rooms, transportation, human resources etc. These all change the landscape of Bali, from agricultural life to the tourism industry. It is not just a change in nature but a change in the people as well. Slow but sure we are loosing the “classic Bali age”.

Of course we do not dream and hope that Bali will be the same as it was before, because change is a must. Nothing is eternal in this world but the change itself. We can not avoid but we can control and direct the change to make it better as we wish. So we hope Bali government and the people, including us, wisely direct tourism development to make our lives and environment better. And let tourism change too much of the culture wherever it is.

Have a nice travelling.

Ruslan Wiryadi

ABOUT US

Ubud residents and small businesses are proud of the cultural and religious activities we share with our international guests each week. You can imagine the behind the scenes energy and planning it takes to put on such a wide venue of events. This publication is no exception.

On September, 2006, the Ubud Community publication was born with my belief that even our short term visitors would be interested in the many local- color events, business offerings and personalities of our area. My first helper was Alek, who now delivers our booklets and will occasionally write an article. Effervescent Juni answers the phone and takes care of technical layouts. Additionally, there are many local contributors of short articles we are so thankful for.

Now, less than 3 years old, we have over 50 advertisers and print 5,000 booklets per month. We are now envisioning a live Ubud Web based bulletin and are beginning to develop programs to help the disadvantaged children in our region.

We’d like to thank our advertisers and our readers for their kind and generous support.

Ruslan Wiryadi
Director, Ubud Community

Ceremonies, September - October 2010

There will be some ceremonies and temple festivals in the Ubud area during the month of September 2010. If you are interested and want to visit or join in with some of them, you should wear traditional Balinese clothing.

September 4 : Tumpek Wayang
The day when blessing ceremony is given to sets of Wayang (Shadow Puppet) play held throughout Bali and devoted to Sanghyang Iswara, Lord of Puppeteers

Temple Festival at:
-Betara Ratu Alit dan Ratu Lingsir Singakerta village district of Ubud

September 8 : Buda Cemeng Klawu.
Offerings and prays to the Betara Rambut Sedana, asking for blessings and good luck at work

Temple Festival at
- Pura Melanting ( Market temple). Ceremony will be held 1 days.
- Pura Gaduhan Jagat, Singakerta Village, Ubud. Ceremony will be held 1 day

September 10 : Bhatara Sri Holiday
The day to pray to Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice, for wealth.

September 14 : Anggar Kasih Dukut
Temple Festival at:
- Pura Pucak Taman-Bedulu village district of Blahbatuh. Ceremony will be held 1 day

September 19 : Kajeng Keliwon Pamelasti
Another very important day celebratedi. People throughout the island present offerings and pray for blessings from Sang Hyang Widhi. Ceremonies at the main temples (Pura Desa, Pura Dalem and Pura Baleagung) and Family Temple

September 23 : Purnama (Fullmoon)
Very important day celebratedi. People throughout the island present offerings and pray for blessings from Sang Hyang Widhi.

Temple Festival at:
- Pura Puseh Singakerta village district of Ubud. Ceremony will be held 3 days
- Pura Pasek Getas Kawan Kedewatan village district of Ubud. Ceremony will be held 1 day
- Pura Penataran, Ubud village district of Ubud. Ceremony will be held 1 day

September 24 : Hari Pangredanaan.
Preparing for Saraswati Day

September 25 : Saraswati
Saraswati Day devoted Sanghyang Aji Saraswati, Goddess of all knowledges and art when blessing ceremony is given to holy scriptures, literatures of sciences and arts, held at every family - compound and temple

September 26 : Banyu Pinaruh.
This is the day to clean oneself with water that has been blessed with incense, followed by eating Saraswati offerings as the sign of the embodiment of knowledge.

September 27 : Soma Ribek.
The day to pray to Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice, for wealth

September 28 : Sabuh Mas.
Presenting offerings to Betara Mahadewa for His blessings in the form of gold, silver, and other worldly wealth

September 29 : Pagerwesi.
The name literally means iron - fance, is the day devoted to Sanghyang Pramesti Guru, Lord of the Universe, When Hindu followers pray strong mental defence in welcoming the upcoming Galungan Holiday, held at every family - compound and temple

Temple ceremony at :
- Pura Labang Sindujiwa, Kedewatan village, Ubud. Ceremony will be held 3 days.
- Pura Gunung Lebah, district of Ubud. Ceremony will be held 3 days.