When I came back to Bangladesh from Bali, a lot of people asked what I liked most, and I had trouble answering. I mean, Bali is amazing for so many reasons! But after a lot of thought, I've come up with my answer: Bali's incredibly rich traditions. From the woodcarving, silver making, and painting villages, to the beautiful ancient temples, to the fascinating Balinese dances and performances. The culture is so different from what I've seen, and I absolutely loved it. Not to mention the beautiful weather, people, spas, and beaches - just to name a few of my other favorite things :)
When I visited Mas, the woodcarving village, they showed me the fascinating and intricate process. I ended up buying a mask of Barong, which is a physical manifestation of the protective spirit in Balinese mythology. Barong defends people from evil influences and is represented by all sorts of animals. The most common one is the lion-like creature that originated in the Gianyar region, where Ubud is located - and where I watched the Barong and Legong Dance.
Sanding the wood
This carving took over 2 years to make! It was at least 5 feet tall, and I can't imagine how much it's selling for...
Now to my favorite Balinese tradition: the dances. The Barong dance centers around the lion-like creature (whose wooden mask I bought) and his battle with Rangda: a story narrating the fight between good and evil. There are monkeys, male and female dancers, and of course the evil Rangda. The Legong dance is more refined with intricate finger movements, elaborate footwork, and expressive faces. I loved the wide eyed female dancers and tried very hard to capture their expressions!
Barong
Rangda
The rest of the photos are from the Legong dance.
The next ones are from a performance on Sanur beach. I love their expressive eyes!
Such beauty!! :)
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