BHAKTI IN BALI
By Dhanesvara dasa
Bali in the 1970s was a slow-paced, tropical island with its Hindu culture based around Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Its verdant rice fields, temples, gamelan music, dance, art and peaceful rural villages and social and religious life centred on the supporting family units. At this time it attracted around 300,000 international tourists.
Fast forward to 2020, and you have 5 million tourists arriving in Denpasar annually, which has significantly changed the Balinese lifestyle – and at a great loss.
However, many positive changes have occurred, although that original tranquillity is not readily found these days. Bali’s economic growth and opportunities have increased, there are ISKCON temples now, with more prasadam and Srila Prabhupada’s books being distributed. There are currently eight ISKCON temples and of course thousands of other temples scattered throughout the island.
The natural devotion of the Balinese people to spiritual concepts and the unique way they do things is very attractive for presenting bhakti-yoga. The inspired kirtanas with their exotic gamelan music and devotees’ colourful expressions and clothes with their natural style make the temples very attractive to all visitors.
People from all over the world want to visit Bali. Why? It is basically because you can glimpse what an integrated spiritual life was once like. Art, music, temples, dance, yoga and natural vistas surrounded by seas, mountains and cool breezes – what more could you want? After all, the old Balinese consider their island non-different from lord Indra’s very own planet!