Explanations of the most important specific Balinese and Indonesian words found in the descriptions:
| Balinese/ Indonesian | Explanation |
|---|---|
| adat | traditional customary law |
| arca | a sacred statue representing a deity, ancestor or mythological figure |
| bale | an open-sided pavilion used for rituals, meetings, ceremonies, or resting |
| bali aga | indigenous mountain communities of Bali preserving pre-Majapahit traditions and temple culture |
| bali mula | literally “original Bali”, referring to the earliest inhabitants and cultural traditions of the island |
| balian | a traditional Balinese healer or shaman |
| banten | ritual offerings made from flowers, food, leaves |
| banjar | a traditional Balinese neighborhood community responsible for social and ritual activities |
| banua | a ritual community, a set of villages |
| Basuki | dragon snake symbolizing water, prosperity, and power |
| bhuwana agung/bhuwana alit | the “great world” or macrocosm and the “small world” or microcosm. Balinese temples often mirror this cosmic relationship. |
| Brahma | The Hindu god of creation and all knowledge, part of the Trimurti. Often associated with fire and the color black |
| Brahman | the One God in Hinduism, the underlying essence of everything in the universe |
| canang (sari) | a small daily offering made from palm leaves, flowers, ad incense, expressing gratitude and devotion |
| candi | a Hindu or Buddhist temple from the classical Indonesian period |
| candi bentar | a split gateway marking the entrance to a Balinese temple |
| caldera | a large volcanic depression formed after the collapse of a volcano following an eruption |
| cili | a symbolic female figure made from palm leaves representing prosperity and fertility |
| danu | lake |
| desa | village |
| dharma | cosmic order, moral duty, and righteous living in Hindu belief |
| Durga | a powerful Hindu goddess associated with protection and death |
| dwarapala | guardian statues placed at temple entrances in pairs to protect the sacred space |
| Galungan | a major Balinese festival celebrating the victor of dharma |
| gapura | a gateway leading into a temple courtyard |
| geringsing | a sacred double-ikat textile made in Tenganan village |
| gunung | mountain |
| Indra | the Hindu god of storms, rain, warfare, and the heavens |
| jaba | the outer courtyard of a Balinese temple complex, the least sacred zone out of the three courtyards |
| jaba tengah | the middle courtyard between the outer and the inner temple zones |
| jeroan | the innermost and most sacred courtyard of a Balinese temple complex |
| kaja-kelod | the spatial orientation system in Bali. Kaja means toward the mountains (sacred direction), while kelod means toward the sea (less sacred direction) |
| kala | a protective mythological face motif often carved above temple entrances to ward off evil forces |
| kawi | old Javanese literary language widely used in acid Java and Bali for inscriptions |
| Kebo Iwa | a legendary Balinese giant |
| krama desa | members of a village community who participate in temple obligations and rituals |
| kulkul | a wooden slit drum placed in a tower, used in villages and temples to signal ceremonies, meetings or emergencies |
| Kuningan | the final day of the Galunga festival cycle, when ancestral spirits return to heaven |
| lamak | a long decorative ritual textile or palm-leaf ornament used during temple ceremonies |
| lingga | a symbol of the male cosmic principle associated with Shiva and fertility, the male counterpart of yoni |
| lontar | palm-leaf manuscripts containing religious texts, rituals, myths, medicine and chronicles |
| Majapahit | powerful East Javanese Hindu-Buddhist empire in the 13ᵗʰ-15ᵗʰ century whose culture strongly influenced Bali from the 14ᵗʰcentury |
| makna | meaning or symbolic significance within ritual, art, or religious practice |
| mandala | a sacred spatial concept organizing temple architecture into hierarchical zones |
| Melasti | a purification ritual often held at sea or lakes before Nyepi |
| meru | a multi-tiered temple tower symbolizing the sacred cosmic mountain |
| mpu | a respected priest, sage, or religious teacher in ancient Java and Bali |
| naga | a mythological serpent or dragon associated with water, protection, and the underworld |
| niskala | the invisible or spiritual world in Balinese belief |
| Ngaben | Balinese cremation ceremony releasing the soul for its journey to the next world |
| Nganten | wedding ceremony |
| Nyepi | the Balinese day of silence marking the Hindu new year with fasting and silence |
| padmasana | a lotus throne shrine representing the supreme divine principle in Balinese Hinduism |
| pelinggih | shrine or sacred seat |
| pemangku | a Balinese temple priest responsible for conducting rituals and maintaining sacred spaces |
| piodalan | temple anniversary festival held according to the Balinese ritual calendar |
| poleng | a black-and-white checkered cloth symbolizing the balance of opposing forces |
| pradana | the female principle in Balinese cosmology |
| prasasti | stone or copper plate inscriptions recording royal decrees, temple foundations, taxes and ritual obligation in ancient Bali |
| pura | the Balinese word for temple |
| purusa | the male principle in Balinese cosmology, often associated with spirit, mountains, ad divine energy |
| punden berundak | a stepped terrace pyramid believed to predate Hindu influence in Indonesia |
| Rudra | a fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with destruction and transformation |
| Sad Kahyangan | the six most sacred directional temples of Bali protecting the island spiritually |
| saka calendar | the traditional Hindu calendar used in Bali |
| sanggah | family shrine compound in Balinese homes |
| sapta loka | the seven upper spiritual realms in Hindu cosmology |
| Saraswati | the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, arts, and wisdom |
| sekala | the visible or material world in Balinese belief |
| sesajen | offerings made of flowers, rice, leaves, and incense presented daily in households and temples |
| Shiva/Siwa | the Hindu god associated with transformation, mountains, asceticism, and cosmic balance |
| subak | the traditional Balinese irrigation system combining agriculture, water temples and ritual cooperation |
| taksu | spiritual charisma or sacred creative energy believed to inhabit places, performers, artworks, and temples |
| tedung | ceremonial temple umbrella symbolizing divine protection and sacred status |
| tirta | holy water used for purification and blessing in Balinese rituals |
| Tri Hita Karana | the Balinese philosophical principle of harmony between humans, nature, and the divine |
| Tri Mandala | the threefold spatial organization of Balinese temples: outer, middle, and inner sacred zones |
| Tri Murti | the Hindu trinity of Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer-transformer) |
| usap gede | collective gathering |
| Vishnu/Wisnu | the Hindu god of preservation, associated with water and cosmic order |
| wantilan | an open-sided pavilion used for temple gatherings, dances, and ceremonies |
| wayang kulit | shadow puppet theatre using buffalo leather puppets, performing Hindu epics and local myths |
| yoni | the female counterpart to the lingga, symbolizing fertility, the womb, and cosmic balance |
