Balinese traditional house

Elders’ quarter: The rustic bale daja is reserved for the respected members of the family: the grandfathers and grandmothers. BD/Pasek Pramana

Visiting an old traditional house might be a unique and interesting experience while you are taking a holiday in Bali.

Located in Batuan village in Sukawati, Gianyar, the house, built around 150 years ago, portrays a genuine Balinese traditional house, along with its traditional architecture, decorations and general utensils.
Made Tama, the owner, said the originality of the house had always been preserved, although some parts of it had been renovated to maintain the condition.

Looking at the thatched roof, plaited-bamboo door and dried mud walls will take us on a journey into the past, far before the modern era. Even the utensils are also very traditional, such as kau, hard coconut shell that was used as a plate, the clay teapot, and cedok drinking glasses. Firewood was the main fuel for cooking, which took place in the bungut paon, an earthenware stove.

Every part of the house has its own name, based on where it was built. In the north east, there is a sacred building called the merajan. This worship place consists of pelinggih stone shrines and bale piasan, an open pavilion where the family presents offerings and sit together to pray.

In the north, there is a building called the bale daja or gedong, which is the sleeping quarters for the family’s elders, in Balinese known as penglingsir. The building has tiny windows to protect its frail occupants from the merciless wind and cold breezes.

The building located in the west is usually called the bale dauh or loji, which is used to welcome guests, while the one located in the east is the bale gede or bale dangin, a place for various religious ceremonies or rituals, particularly those related to rites of passage. The south part of the house is the paon (kitchen), usually called the bale delod.

Not only are its architecture and utensils traditional, visitors can also see traditional Balinese creative arts decorating the house, such as masks, flutes and wood carvings, while some craftsmen create sculptures from wood and stone.

The owner doesn’t set a fixed fee for visitors, donations are on a voluntary basis and there is no per-person charge, but visitors usually pay between Rp 50,000 (US$5.30) to Rp 100,000.

Visitors who want to do a pre-wedding photo session at the house are charged around Rp 200,000.The house was not only a tourist attraction, but could also be viewed as an object of cultural research,
Tama said.

- Photos by Pasek Pramana