Workers in the field
fotografie: Roy Tee

Rice is one of the most important crops on earth. It is daily food for more than half of the world population and more rice is needed every day. On Bali rice is not merely on your plate, it is all around you. In fields, in temples, on foreheads. Rice here is a wealth, the centre of culture.

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But, what a view!. Below in the valley expanse, a river winds its way through there, terraced padi fields symetrically line the faces of the mountains and fields, emerald green and the sheaths of padi swaying in the light breeze.

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On the way back from Mount Batukaru, you took the left turnoff at Wongayagede where the 14 kilometers road leads to my amazing destination in Bali, Jatiluwih.

The process of growing and harvesting rice is just one fragment of the unique Balinese culture that is guarded by the Goddess Dewi Sri. It is a culture that signifies a customary way of life where rice and all of its stages of process is a powerful driving force behind all form of activity within the community. Food, medicine, art, hope and the ideologies that exist within the village are all directly related to the rice field. The Goddess Dewi Sri symbolizes fertility and prosperity as well as the cycle of human life. The practice of planting rice, maintaining the crop and harvesting is a definite parallel to the full circle of life from birth until death. In Bali there is a real relationship between man and the environment, which follows the Hindu philosophy of maintaining a harmonious balance between all living things to appease the Gods as well as unseen entities.

Jatiluwih was recently listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its preservation of traditional Balinese farming techniques. A day trip is highly recommended as it enables visitors to observe the realities of rural Bali. The opportunity to wander through the fields and watch the birds as they attempt to pilfer rice grains from immature stalks is an enriching experience. Another interesting aspect is the organized irrigation system where farmers share water in a tradition that dates back centuries and has united generations of farmers in their common need for this highly valued resource.

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Tabanan Map

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Cows are common tool to plough muddy paddy fields in Bali, however these days are getting harder and harder to find this rare activities. Famers prefer to use machine instead.
This picture was taken at Belimbing

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Nearest Villa

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In order to produce an optimum quantity of rice a complete farming tools is necessary. Balinese farmer has a wide selection of farming tool based the activity in the field. For example:
1. Land preparation
Land preparation is first step of rice growing phase; these are the tools which are used for land preparation:
a. Hoe (with one tooth, two teeth, four teeth, and six teeth)
b. Sorok (spade)
c. Tulud (leveler)
d. Penampad (long knife)
e. Tengala (plow)
f. Lampit (leveler pull by bull)

2. Seed plantation
After land preparation was finished, the farmers are ready for seed plantation, various tools they are used are:
a. Arit (sickle)
b. Penyepitan Bulih (seed germ pincher)
c. Tempeh (seed basket)

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One and half-hour drive from Denpasar to Sibetan village is not a waste time. The winding road to Sibetan through palm-leafed fenced terraced rice fields offers breathtaking sceneries. Rows of the rice fields perch on the slopes of the hills border here and there with bamboo and snake fruit plants create a stunning view to behold that makes one and half-hour drive seems to last only a few moments.

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The general Balinese philosophy guiding the subak system adheres to the principle of Tri Hita Karana which emphasises that happiness can only be reached if the Creator (God), the people (the farmers) and nature (the rice fields) live in harmony with each other. Based on this philosophy are the ceremonies which are a substantial part of the rice cultivation cycle. The ceremonies are carried out at the various temples which are associated with the subak.

They are organised hierarchically as follow: the simple shrine (chatu) at the individual water inlet, Bedugul temple at the dam or tunnel intersection, Ulun Suwi / Ulun Carik temple at each subak area, penyungsungan subak temple ’sanctuaries which were originally desa temples that one or more subaks helped to worship, after which in the course of time, all the expenses connected with the temple services and offering ceremonials have, gradually fallen to the subak or subaks and Ulun Danu temple, the Baliwide inter-subak temple at the crater lake Batur, the most sacred lake in Bali. For all the temples and other places of worship there are certain times when religious ceremonies are held, either periodically or as occasion demands.

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The name of Bukit Jambul was firstly given during the Dutch invasion in Indonesia by a tourist, who was inspired by a high hill standing on the south of the main road connecting Klungkung regency and Besakih of Karangasem regency. There is a Hindu Temple called Pura Pucak Sari on the top of the hill, which is surrounded by big trees. Below the temple complex there is a stunning panorama of rice fields. This makes the trees look like a tufting hair from a distance ( Bukit = hill, Jambul = Tuft of hair).

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Situated on the foot of the majestic and still active Mt Agung, Sibetan is a quiet and traditional village, with cool temperature, and clean air. This village is well known among the Balinese as the “Home of Salak (snake fruit),” Thousands of salak trees from 14 species grow here due to the agreeable climate and extreme fertility of the soil. The Sibetan village owes this extreme soil fertility and abundance of salak plants to the Mount Agung that erupted in 1963, blanketing the village farmlands sending volcanic dust and rocks, making a return to normal agriculture impossible.

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Subak Museum is definetely one of the most interesting museums in Bali. It is located in Sanggulan village two km east of Tabanan. The Subak Museum houses exhibits on the history and development of Bali’s unique Subak irrigation organization. This is the only museum in Bali to focus on agriculture, provides all information on agricultural life of Bali and all its related aspects.

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