The black and white checkered cloth
standard of Bali's netherworld is nowhere more aptly hung than
on the ancient coral statues and shrines of Bali's largest traditional
village: Sanur. This was Bali's first beach resort a place of
remarkable contrasts.
Sanur today is a golden mile of Baliesque hotels that has attracted
millions of paradise seeking globetrotters. And yet, within the
very grounds of the 11-story The Grand Bali Beach Hotel, a war-reparation
gift from the Japanese, nestles the sacred and spiky temple of
Ratu Ayu of Singgi, the much feared spirit consort of Sanur's
fabled Black Barong.
Sanur is famous throughout Bali for its sorcery. Black and white
magic pervades the coconut groves of the resort hotels like an
invisible chess game. And yet the community is modern and prosperous.
Sanur is one of the few remaining brahman kuasa villages in Bali
controlled by members of the priestly caste - and boasts among
its charms some of the handsomest processions on the island, Bali's
only all female keris dance, the island's oldest stone inscription,
and the hotel world's most beautiful tropical garden. Even the
souvenirs sold on the beach - beautifully crafted kites and toy
outriggers are a cut above those found on the rest of the island.
Traditional Sanur
Just a stone's throw from any of Sanur's beachside hotels lies
one of a string of very ancient temples. Characterized by low
coral walled enclosures sheltering platform altars, this style
of temple is peculiar to the white sand stretch of Sanur coast,
from Sanur harbor in the north to Mertasari Beach in the south.
Inside, they are decorated with fanciful fans of coral and rough-hewn
statuary, often ghoulishly painted but always wrapped in checkered
sarong.
The rites performed at the anniversary celebrations of these temples
are both weir and wonderful the celebrants often dancing with
effigies strapped to their hips, while the priests are prone to
wild outbursts launching themselves spread-eagled onto platform
of offerings and racing entrance pell-mell into the sea.
The Sanur area, with traditional Intaran at its heart, has evidently
been settled since ancient times. The Prasasti Belanjong, inscribed
pillar here dated A.D. 913, is Bali' earliest dated artifact now
kept in a temple. in Belanjong village in the south of Sanur.
It tells of King Sri Kesari Warmadewa of the Sailendra Dynasty
in Java, who came to Bali to teach Mahayana Buddhism and the founded
a monastery here. One may presume that a fairly civilized community
then existed the Sailendra kings having built Borobudur in Central
Java at about this time.
It is interesting that the village square of Intaran is almost
identical to that of Songan village on the crater lake of Mt.
Batur - particularly the location and size of the bale, agung,
the wantilan community hall and associated buildings. The priests
of Sanur-Intaran are often mentioned in historical chronicles
dating from Bali's "Golden Age" the 13th to the 16th
centuries. It was not until the early 19th century, however, that
the king of the Pemecutan court in Denpasar saw fit to place his
satriya prince lings outside the village's medieval core.
Before that, Sanur consisted of Brahman griya (mansions) in Intaran
and several attendant communities the brahman banjar of Anggarkasih,
the fishing village of Belong (which still holds a yearly baris
gede warrior dance at the Pura Dalem Kedewatan temple near the
Grand Bali Beach Hotel), and the village of Taman, whose Brahmans
have traditionally served as the region's chief administrator
or perbekel. Taman is also home to an electric barong troupe complete
with an impish telek escort, a pas de deux by the freaky jauk
brothers and a spine-tingling last act featuring the evil witch
Rangda all amidst fluttering poleng checkered banners. |
