The Balinese Lifestyle - Culture and Tradition on a Spiritual Island

It doesn’t take much to understand why Bali is considered a magic island. The profound devotion of the Balinese people to the Gods, to whom the women make daily votive offerings, marks the time of every passing day. Whether floral compositions, food or incense, every corner of the island bears the colours and fragrances of these humble gifts - from the shops to the homes, on the sidewalks, in front of the temples, in niches and, of course, in the numerous holy places. The men, with traditional clothing and swathes of cloth around their heads, chant songs and lead the numerous religious ceremonies and processions throughout the days of the Balinese people. Whether a matrimony or a funeral, any occasion is reason to dance and celebrate with sounds, song and Hindu rituals where tourists are quite welcome. The amazement never ends in discovering the oddities and beauty that pervades every corner of the island, quite small but full of temples - twenty-thousand approximately - but also places for meditation among the island’s volcanoes, lakes, cascades, mountains, beaches and the houses themselves where there is almost always a space dedicated to prayer. One example of the many holidays is Nyepi Day, the Balinese New Year, a holy day which occurs on a different date each year, during which, for 24 hours, absolute silence reigns on the island. No activities are allowed and everybody meditates on their relation with others, life, the future and their role in the world.