Admiral Cheng Ho (1 of 2)

Admiral Cheng Ho : From Eunuch to Folk God

In 1371 the famous Ming Admiral Cheng Ho was born in Yunnan into a Muslim family. At the age of 10 he was captured by Ming troops and brought to Beijing where, after his castration, he entered the service of a prince who later became the jongle emperor, and rose through the ranks to 'Chief Eunuch.'

His illustrious naval and envoy career lasted rom 1405 until 1433, the year he died during he return of the 7th voyage. Afterwards he became deified as the folk god Sam Po who was not only worshipped in Java, but also in other parts of South East Asia including Aceh, Melacca, Thailand, Vietnam.

A Ming physiognomist described him as ‘Nine foot tall with a waistline of ten feet and teeth like a white shell, walking like a tiger and speaking in a sonorous voice.' This description is probably a little exaggerated. Since when does castration lead to a sonorous voice? And a waistline of ten feet probably impairs the walking. This benevolent description of Cheng Ho probably aims at depicting him as a very extraordinary person.

Based on an imperial edict his first of seven or perhaps eight voyages in Asian waters took him from 1405 to 1407 first to Java and Sumatra and from there to Sri Lanka and India. At that time a Chinese pirate controlled Palembang (Sumatra) and the remnants of the Srivijaya empire. As this was endangering the vital control of the Melacca Strait, Cheng Ho captured this pirate and had him brought to Beijing where he was beheaded. An officer of Cheng Ho's fleet succeeded him. In general, however, the fleet did not interfere in the affairs of foreign countries.

The arrival of Cheng Ho's fleet anywhere must have been an awesome sight: More than 300 ships, the prows painted with fierce dragon eyes, with around 28,000 sailors and soldiers on board who needed water and food wherever they arrived. The provisioning must have been a nightmare for one or the other foreign ruler. Yet this formidable fleet was not the biggest one ever assembled by China. Once Kublai Khan assembled a fleet of 4500 junks and 1 50,000 men against Japan.

(Source : article and photo by Garuda-Indonesia.Com magazine)

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Lampung : Elephants in The Heart of Town

Lampung has long been known as the Land of Elephants, and Way Kambas as the best known elephant training center. But don't imagine that getting there is easy these days. Getting to the National Park takes at least two hours from the center of town, on a road in terrible condition. This trip is only for the truly adventurous, or tourists with a lot of time on their hands.

But not to worry - now there's Taman Wisata Bumi Kedaton (Bumi Kedaton Tourism Park), located in the Batu Putuk area, only 20 minutes from the center of Bandar Lampung. This park was created especially to make it easy for tourists, and the local people of Lampung, to enjoy a family holiday with Sumatra's favorite beasts.

Built on an area of 9 hectares, Bumi Kedaton is like a miniature zoo, with various animal attractions: bears, porcupines, many types of birds, and monkeys. The park is only 75% complete at the moment, but soon it will also feature a crocodile park. Visitors can also see pythons and king cobras, horses perform­ing martial arts, and of course the perennial favorite, the elephants.

The afternoon I was there, the elephant show was just starting. Five elephants were ready by the side of the arena, while one little one had been left behind, having too much fun playing in the river. Once the formation was complete, the attraction started with an elephant parade led by Karmangun, a big 25-year-old male, circling the arena, then all bowing to respectfully welcome the audience.

The various elephants then each had their turns to display their special skills. One raised a flag, another stood up on two legs; they counted, danced, played the harmonica, and so on. Would you allow one of these huge creatures to walk over you? You can volunteer to lie down in the arena for just that purpose. But don't panic; of course they are properly trained not to crush you. You can also ride an elephant while trekking up the river.

So next time you visit Lampung, take the time to have an adventure with the elephants. The park also offers accommodation in 3-bedroom bungalows in traditional Lampung style.

For further information, contact Taman Wisata Bumi Kedaton, Jl. Dr. Setia Budi Batu Putuk, Bandar Lampung Tel +62 (721) 7465450,251617.

(Source : article and photo by Garuda-Indonesia.Com magazine)

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Yogyakarta and Central Java

Yogyakarta and Central Java are the heartland of the Javanese, Indonesia's largest ethnic group. Here, you will see awe-inspiring stone as well as the dance, music, painting and batik of the court and of the many artists who have been drawn to the town.

In Yogya, most areas of interest centre around Jalan Malioboro, whose wide, canopied sidewalks offer shelter from the mid-afternoon heat and by night turn into a colourful street market where you can buy leather goods, textiles, batiks, wayang puppets and much more. Delicious food in many styles and cuisines is available throughout Yogya but the city is most famous for lesehan-meals of local delicacies taken sitting on straw mats in simple restaurants or directly on the sidewalk. Close to the extraordinary monuments of Borobudur and Prambanan, the silversmiths'village of Kota Cede and the beaches at Parangtritis, Yogyakarta offers a feast of culture and history plus nature in all her majesty, from rumbling volcanoes to pounding surf. Yogyakarta is well served by a wide selection of accommodation, suitable for anyone from a Head of State to a young backpacker.

Kraton: The Royal Palace
The Javanese regard Java as the centre of the world, and the kraton (royal palace) as its heart. The Yogya kraton, home of the current Sultan, Hamengkubuwono X, is open to the public and is the city's premier tourist attraction. Entering the palace is like stepping back in time, into a place where a moment of past glory is preserved like a butterfly caught in amber. The layout of the royal complex, with open courtyards surrounding low pavilions and the keraton at the centre, is a microcosmic representation of the world. Every component of the structure or grounds is charged with mystic significance. The Javanese believe that by arranging the kraton's components in harmony, the order and harmony of the universe could be main­tained. Attached to the kraton complex is Taman Sari, a two-century-old water palace and pleasure garden built by Yogyakarta's first Sultan for his wives and concubines. The narrow alleys near the kraton walls which once housed the families of palace retainers, now support a vibrant colony of batik artists and artisans.

Silver City
Virtually untouched by modernity, the silver trade is still thriving in the picturesque centre of Kota Gede, just seven kilometres out of the city centre. Silver workshops have existed here since the 16th century, and to the present day not much has changed in production methods.
Most of the small showrooms have a workshop attached. This is where craftsmen and women apply their expertise in producing jewellery, ornaments and household cutlery, a process consisting of six separate stages. First, the pure silver beads, usually mined in West Java, are melted and mixed with copper and set in bars. The bar is then hammered to the correct thickness for the intended product. It is then forged into shape.

The shaped piece is then carved and engraved with traditional motifs and designs, and all different parts are subsequently assembled into the final design. The object is then roughened with sandpaper, washed in warm alum water and polished until it achieves the desired shine. The finished object is then dried in the sun covered by sawdust to avoid damage. Being so close to Yogya, the silver shops at Kota Gede are definitely worth a visit. Quite apart from being a museum of living local history, you will also find some superb souvenirs and gifts at out-of-town prices.

Merapi
To the North East of Yogyakarta is the famous Merapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes. Safety allowing, the energetic may wish to try the guided night climb from Kaliurang resort. It takes a few hours, and arriving in the early hours will offer views of the sunrise over the smoking caldera. The Volcano Observation post in Jrakah, near Selo, is the best place to observe the spewing beast from a safe distance. Going beyond this point is often not an option for safety reasons. Occasionally the volcano belches a large cloud of hot sulphurous gas which literally roasts villages.

Museum of Indonesian Fine Arts
Yogyakarta is well-known as one of Indonesia's art centres, and within an hour's drive from the city lies the impressive Haji Widayat Museum, with over 3,000m of space devoted to the subject. It is located at Sawitan, in the town of Mungkid just a few km from Borobudur. The Museum opens daily (not Monday) from 9.00 am - 4.00 pm.

Temples at Prambanan
Situated in Klaten, on the road between Yoyakarta and Solo, these Hindu temples were built by the Sanjaya Dynasty in the ninth century. There are three temples, representing the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Particularly interesting are the Ramayana perform­ances which take place on full moon from May to October.

Borobudur Temple
Built during the 9th century by the rulers of the Syailendra dynasty, this massive stupa is the largest Buddhist monument in the world. It was left to ruin as the dynasty fell apart, and only recognised as a global treasure by Stamford Raffles in 1 814. It has subsequently been restored to its former glory - its 10 exquisitely carved levels reaching 42 m in height. Borobudur's 40km North West of Yogyakarta, near Mungkid in the Magelang regency. Two Hindu temples - Candi Mendut and Candi Pawon - are also conveniently on route from Yogyakarta to Borobudur.

Solo
Surakarta, or Solo, is the second city of the Javanese cultural heart­land. Although smaller than Yogyakarta, Solo is a centre of the arts and home to two keraton, or royal palaces. The larger, Keraton Kasunanan, is a large and fascinating complex which easily deserves a full day visit. The junior branch of the Solo royal family occupies Pura Mangkunegaran, an attractive, more intimate complex which blends European elegance with Javanese architectural styles. In Solo, you'll find a huge textile market, a bird market and flea market, plus a choice of dance and cultural performances. (Source : article and photo by Garuda-Indonesia.Com magazine)

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Around Bali

Bali, the fabled "Island of the Gods", has been enchanting visitors for centuries with its rich cultural traditions and spectacular panoramas. From lofty, mist enshrouded volcanoes and cool mountain lakes down through terraced rice fields to a golden strand lapped by azure waters, every square inch of Bali offers a fresh and unforgettable image.

No less enchanting are its people, some 2.7 million souls whose artistry and piety are recognized throughout the world. Balinese Hinduism, a complex fusion of Indian cosmology, Tantric Buddhism and homegrown mythology, is the primary faith of Ball's inhabitants, and so deeply woven into the fabric of their daily lives that the line between the spiritual and the material is blurry at best.

Those of you keen on delving into the island's fascinating culture
have plenty of opportunities, as colourful ceremonies and traditional performances occur with the regularity of sunrise. Most hotels offer nightly dance shows of one form or another, tailored to tourist audiences but none the less exquisite. The hill town of Ubud, the island's premier arts centre, also has a full schedule of performances, and the nearby stone-cutter's village of Batubulan is famed for its Barong lion dances.

The shoppers among you will find Bali a treasure house of handicrafts and fine works of art. The Balinese are incredibly gifted artists and [raftsmen, and their material creations are imbued with the same sense of wonderment with which they regard their universe. Stone and wood carvings, traditional and modern paintings and intricately designed jewelry in gold and silver are readily available in shops and galleries throughout the island.

As for recreation, there is no shortage of options. Nature walks, lorseback riding, diving, surfing - even bungy jumping and white water ;afting - await the adventurous here.

Places of Interest in Bali :

Bali Barat National Park
Ball's largest nature reserve encompasses 70,000 hectares of rainforest and 7,000 hectares of coral reefs and is home to many rare species of fauna.

Batur Caldera
The enormous crater basin of Batur is a spectacular sight. Dominating its centre is Mt. Batur, a brooding, blackened cone that erupted four times last century. Six small villages eke out an existence within the walls of the caldera, peopled by a simple mountain folk known as Bali Aga ("original Balinese".)

Bedugul
The cool highland resort of Bedugul on the shores of Lake Bratan has become a popular retreat for tourists and residents alike.

Besakih
Bali's "Mother Temple" is a sprawling complex of shrines and pavilions set high on the slopes of sacred Mt. Agung.

Goa Gajah
The ancient hermitage of Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) near Bedulu is one of Bali's most intriguing archeological sites, comprising a man-made grotto, elaborate stone carving and Buddhist stupas.

Kerta Gosa
The Kerta Cosa Hall of Justice is a small pavilion adorned with fantastic ceiling murals. In the 18th century it was Bali's highest court of law.

Kuta
Kuta Bay, with its long stretch of white sand and brilliant sunset, has attracted swarms of visitors since its rediscovery by surfers and sun worshippers in the 1970s.

Lovina Beach
Lovina is an 8km strip of black sand on Bali's arid northern coast, renowned for its serenity and a local school of dolphins.

Nusa Dua
The beautifully landscaped beach resort of Nusa Dua is home to no less than 15 five-star resort hotels, the 18-hole Bali Golf & Country Club and excellent shopping facilities.

Nusa Lembongan
A small island off Bali's southeast coast, Nusa Lembongan is popular is for its white sand beaches and quiet pace of life. Several cruise operators offer day-trips from Benoa Harbour.

Sangeh Monkey Forest
Populated by a large troupe of monkeys, this thick stand of nutmeg trees is believed by legend to have fallen out of the sky during a mythic battle between the gods, carrying with it a battalion of | Wisnu's monkey army.

Sanur
The resort area of Sanur has grown up around Bali's largest traditional village and today boasts excellent facilities for the international visitor.

Tanah Lot
Tanah Lot (Earth from the Sea) is a stunning 15th century sanctuary located on Bali's south coast, built atop a rocky mound that at high tide is completely surrounded by water.

Tulamben
Some of Bali's most interesting diving is found at Tulamben, where the shallow wreck of a WWII US cargo ship is now festooned with colourful corals and schools of tropical fish.

Uluwatu
Perched on a limestone cliff 70 metres above the Indian Ocean, this 11 th century temple is one of Bali's holiest sites.

(Source : article and photo by Garuda-Indonesia.Com magazine).

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Jakarta’s Great Restaurants (3 of 3)

MODERN ASIAN

-cinnabar-

Jakarta has come a long way in terms of Modern Asian cuisine. The trend was started by Cinnabar. In a modern Chinoise dining room, adjacent to one of Jakarta's best bars, hip expats and Indonesians gather for warm pita, foie gras, Japanese inspired pasta or a Thai influenced meat dish. Ingredients are taken from across Asia with some European influences. Presentation is impeccable, the wine list excellent and the dining room 'the place to be'on a weekend evening.

SEAFOOD
Seafood restaurants seem to have taken a more innovative approach. The staples of prawn cocktails and lobster mornay are still easily found, but Asian-influenced fare is more common (daren't use the word 'fusion' or they'll get really miffed). Palm Beach is a long-time favourite, located miles from the coast but still draws in the punters by the busload. Massive platters of everything are splashed across tables in a convivial atmosphere which encourages sharing and socialising.

NOODLE BARS

-chopstix-

Lunchtime is an enjoyable affair with Jakarta's numerous noodle bars. In addition to a number of simple, honest joints, here are trendier outlets that span most Asian countries with minimalist surrounds serving individual dishes like ramen noodles and pad thai plus appetisers like fried wontons. Of these, Chopstix is particularly well known and liked, and has outlets in food centres like Setiabudi and Cilandak Town Square.


Kinara :
Jl. Kemang Raya No. 78 B, Jakarta Selatan
T.62+21+7192677

Dapur Babah Elit :
Jl. Veteran I No. 18-19, Jakarta Pusat
T. 62+21+3855653

Koi :
Jl. Mahakam I No.2 Blok M.
Jakarta Selatan
T. 62+21+7222864

Tokio Joe :
Mandarin Hotel
Jl. MH Thamrin, Jakarta
T.62+21+39838888

Anatolia :
Jl. Kemang Raya No. 110 A, Jakarta Selatan
T. 62+21+7194658

La Na Thai :
Jl. Dr. Kusuma Atmaja No. 85, Jakarta Pusat
T. 62+21+31925037

Cinnabar :
Plaza Cani Djemat
JI. Imam Bonjol No. 76-78, Jakarta Pusat
T.62+21+3903615

Palm Beach :
Wisma 46 Kota BNI, 1st Floor
JI.Jend. Sudirman Kav. I. Jakarta
T.62+21+5742188

Chopstix :
Plaza Indonesia, Ground Floor
Jl. MH Thamrin Kav. 28-30, Jakarta
T. 62+21+39838792

(Source : article and photo by Garuda-Indonesia.Com magazine).

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Jakarta’s Great Restaurants (2 of 3)

INDONESIAN
Where once there were only a couple of restaurants, dishing out themed Ristjaffel lunches for tourists, Indonesian food has taken on a whole new pride of place in the restaurant scene. No visitor should miss a trip to Dapur Babah Elit where you can enjoy colonial Dutch delicacies and Indonesian fare under genuine antiques and photographs spanning decades of Indonesia's history. Similarly, Oasis restaurant has long been the Jakarta destination for colonial elegance and the ubiquitous Risjtaffel brought in by twelve waiting staff.

INTERNATIONAL and EUROPEAN
The best International restaurants do both Eastern and Western cuisine equally well. Koi, of which there are two branches in Kemang and Mahakam, is a perfect example. Popular with arty expats and Indonesians, the restaurant-cum-furniture gallery is run by Belgian Chef Benoit and his Indonesian wife. Koi has all of the elements of a well-run restaurant, the staff are friendly, bilingual and have an in-depth knowledge of the menu and daily specials.

JAPANESE
Tokio Joe has some of the best value Japanese in the city. The fish here is excellent and comes in enormous portions atop ice in big bowls. There are also trendy sushi rolls and dragon rolls and simple Japanese food, with an international angle, in one of the city's best hotels. This place has been a favourite for years. Whether it's a casual dinner or high-powered business lunch, this restaurant caters for all and represents much better value than some conveyor-belt sushi restauraunts.

MIDDLE EAST and MOROCCAN
Chef Sezai Zorlu at Anatolia is the type of chef who will happily step out of his kitchen to suggest an alternative dish, and he has never been wrong, part of the reason this excellent Turkish restaurant is almost always full. Starter dishes include falafel, humous, baba ganoush and tabouleh with fresh warm pitta. The mains here are mostly meat-based. After dinner relax with a sheesha and smoke fruit-flavoured tobacco.

THAI
La Na Thai has won numerous accolades as a fashionable favourite, with elegant interior and fine food. It's got a branch in London and shares the premises with Hazara Indian restaurant and The Face bar. Pricier than many, but with an atmosphere to match. Discovery Channel.

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Jakarta’s Great Restaurants (1 of 3)

Jakarta's great restaurants are hardly even the city's best kept secret anymore - eating is something people in this city do extremely well. There are so many great that it is hard to say which ones are really the best - that is a hotly contested topic, and largely a matter of personal taste! What everyone agrees upon is that the range and diversity are outstanding. Take out an atlas of the world, shut your eyes and stick a pin into the map, and see which country you hit. They may or may not have an embassy here, but there's an extremely good chance that it's represented by a restaurant.

Similarly, Indonesia's many different ethnic groups, each with their own distinct culture, are all proud of their own particular cuisine. While some groups, such as Padang and Sunda are particularly ubiquitous, you can find something from practically every island in the country somewhere in the capital. With so much to choose from, to try and identify the best is perhaps an impossible task. However, below are several perennial favourites from each of the major categories of cuisine that have either stood the test of time or emerged from nowhere to win loyalty and acclaim from a large number of discerning diners.

AMERICAN
The country's politics may not sit well with the stomach but there is a place inside all of us that only comfort food like a big juicy burger or slab of pecan pie can fill. Thanks to a great number of corporate staff and American oil companies, Jakarta has a varied selection of quality American grub, and McDonalds and KFC don't count.
For arguably the best ribs in Jakarta make sure to check out Tony Roma's. Think juicy, soft baby back ribs with big, fresh side dishes like coleslaw, onion loaf, fries and baked potatoes. The portions of quality imported meat smothered in barbeque sauce along with comfortable surrounds and professional staff have won Tony Roma's awards in the past.

CHINESE
Try Crystal Jade Palace which has'all the charisma of a Hong Kong dim sum joint at lunch (take that anyway way you please). But the scores of harried staff are doing something right, and the queues match those outside the Canadian consulate ahead of the 1997 handover. It's a big place and the managers have got its operations down-pat. Reasonable value and efficient but not necessarily warm service. Beware the dessert trolley! Check out The Courtyard. Some say its stylish. This restaurant has been pulling in the masses for a while no, with sedate wood furnishing and subdued lights and staff in almost Maoist outfits out of one of those arty movies. One to put in your Little Red Book.

FINE DINING
For a romantic evening step in to the classically embellished Margaux specialising in French cuisine. Redolent of a side room in Versailles, the restaurant has chandeliers, a grand piano, dramati­cally draping curtains in sombre colours. Expect a perfectionist and super traditional approach to rich, luxury ingredients like silky foie gras, black truffles and amaretto cream. If you are going to eat fatty foods might as well do it and feel utterly satisfied afterwards, at Margaux.

FRENCH
Teetering on the fine dining and French category is Circa. Along with one of the most extensive wine lists in the city compiled by Ponti Young, Circa has a modern edge to it. The boudoir-esque dining room overlooks the city skyline from the 42nd floor of BNI. After a dinner of French and Modern Australian cuisine such as a delightful quail and beetroot, step in to a plush adjoining bar where you can recline on candlelit beds overlooking the city through floor-to-ceiling windows and listen to soft live jazz. A highly recommended restaurant run by a young, international and award-winning team.

-circa-

INDIAN
Thanks to a big Indian community in Jakarta we are lucky to have access to excellent Indian cuisine, nothing like the oily curries one finds in restaurants in the UK for example. For a romantic evening in the South of Jakarta there is naan better than Kinara Indian spices are used to perfection in lentil dishes, biryani and tandoori plus so many more of the chef's specialities. Try the vegetable dumplings and lentil tadka with a sweet lassi. Afterwards go upstairs to the balcony and recline with a cocktail. If at lunch time you pine for Indian, you can order a lunchbox on www.pesandelivery.com. www.kinarafez.com also features upcoming events with regular Indian cultural events held here.

-kinara-

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The Bali Arts Festival

A month of daily performances, handicraft exhisbitions and other related cultural and commercial activities during which the whole of Bali presents its contributions of dance, music and other artistic talents.

-Gambuh Dance-

This year there will be a difference in approach, as there will be performances in the capital cities of all of Bali's eight regencies but the main events will still be focused upon Denpasar. On display will be the traditional performances from remote mountain villages, some maybe too old to remember and some only recently revived. There will be the classical palace dances, contests for offerings and food and performances by well-known stars of Balinese stage, screen and cassette tape! New material will be on offer from both local musicians and choreographers combined with a wealth of contemporary and traditional art from outside Ball and even from outside Indonesia.

The Festival has its roots in the small communities and villages and there is considerable competition between groups to be the ones to represent their regency. This starts in the villages but moves on to larger spheres; culminating in the decision to send the best groups to perform at the Arts Festival. In doing this, the people will be showing the world the uniqueness of their own village traditions and also honouring their ancestors.

The Bali Arts Festival is undoubtedly Denpasar's cultural event of the year and probably the major cultural event of Indonesia. It is a fabulous opportunity to see Balinese village culture still thriving despite the recent adversities that have hit this island so hard.

Something that isn't often thought of is that this full month of festivities not only serves to maintain the Balinese culture and tradition but it makes all the participants very proud to be -just Balinese!

The origins of the festival date back to long before the first one took place and probably in the 1960s, when tourism started in earnest, there was a move to ensure that it should be cultural tourism (pariwisata budaya)

-accompanying the gambuh dance-

To quote from the website www.baliartsfestival.com : the Balinese said: "Tourism should be for Bali instead of Bali for tourism." In time, this idea became national policy, as part of a larger reviewing of regional cultures for national purposes. The policy owes much to the former Director General of Culture (1968-1978) and Governor of Ball (1978-1988), Ida Bagus Mantra, an Indian-educated Balinese. It led, on the one side, to the creation of enclave resorts such as Nusa Dua, to limit the direct impact of tourism, and on the other, to a long haul cultural policy aimed at nurturing and preserving the traditional agrarian culture while adapting it to the demands of modernity, and in particular of 'cultural tourism'.

To quote from the website www.baliartsfestival.com : the Balinese said: "Tourism should be for Bali instead of Bali for tourism." In time, this idea became national policy, as part of a larger reviewing of regional cultures for national purposes. The policy owes much to the former Director General of Culture (1968-1978) and Governor of Ball (1978-1988), Ida Bagus Mantra, an Indian-educated Balinese. It led, on the one side, to the creation of enclave resorts such as Nusa Dua, to limit the direct impact of tourism, and on the other, to a long haul cultural policy aimed at nurturing and preserving the traditional agrarian culture while adapting it to the demands of modernity, and in particular of 'cultural tourism'.

Local music groups, dances and other cultural events were then listed at village level, and later promoted by a series of contests at district and regency level. The resulting competition energised the cultural life of villages, whose young people, together with their enthusiasm, was already being transferred to the tourist areas in the search for financial advantages.

Schools of dance and art sprang up: in particular the Kokar conservatory and the STSI School of Dance and Music. In addition to research, these schools replaced the traditional master/student relationship by modern methods of teaching; standardised the dance movements, produced new types of Balinese dances for tourism and modern village entertainment. Most importantly, it enabled former students to return to the villages as teachers, where they disseminated the renewed and the new forms of dance and theatre.

Every year, the Bali Arts Festival, in addition to the classical dances of the island, such as the kecak, legong, gambuh, barong, baris, mask dances and the like, is based on a theme, around which new choreography is produced and old village dances and activities are revived. Over the years, the whole range of classical Balinese stories - Ramayana, Mahabharata, Sutasoma, Panji - have thus been turned into massive Sendratari Ballets. Many of the performances are held at the amphitheatre, which can hold up to 6,000 spectators, on a stage that looks like a temple.

One of the major challenges to the continuance of the Arts Festival is finance and this is where readers can assist. The costs involved in attending any of the performances are minimal, especially for those of you who are here on holiday, but by paying a small charge whenever it is requested or even by making donations, you will be helping to ensure that Bali will have a Arts Festival next year.

To paraphrase the website again: Village life is increasingly feeling the strains of monetary problems so dancers, musicians and others cannot be expected to continue participating simply for the pleasure of it. As costs soar, new sources of financing have to be found. The obvious answer is the private sector and, in particular, the tourism industry. The greater task then is to convince the hotels, travel agencies and tourist guides to be more participatory in the Arts Festival rather than to their own sponsored events. Considering the pride the Balinese have in their culture, and the adaptability and dynamism they have always demonstrated, this little hurdle can be overcome. If you are a hotel owner or General Manager, please think about giving some support to the Bali Arts Festival. However, trust the Balinese. They will eventually succeed in transforming their tradition into a modern, Balinese culture of their own.

-Barong Dance-

If you are visiting Ball, consider your self lucky to be here at a time when there is so much cultural and traditional material available. More informations click www.baliartsfestival.com (Source : article and photo by Garuda-Indonesia.Com magazine).

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