Philosophy of divine harmony put into practice

Retno K. Djojo ,  CONTRIBUTOR ,  KARANGASEM   |  Thu, 04/09/2009 12:26 PM  |  Surfing Bali

Magnificent monument: A tiered water fountain in the shape of lotus flowers. JP/Retno K. Djojo

Mechtild Conradz, a tourist from Norway, had the exhilarating once-in-a-lifetime experience of getting close to a school of goldfish, some of which even brushed against her feet as she stood on a stepping stone in the middle of a pond.

With the fresh breeze, the gurgling water, the playful fish, the chirping birds, the wide expanse of a Balinese garden at the Tirtagangga water park surpassed even an image of the Garden of Eden.

The accompanying guide patiently explained to her the Balinese way of life, which stresses the importance of environmental preservation.

The harmonious and balanced relationship between human, nature and the Divinity, known as Tri Hita Karana, is the age-old philosophy at the center of daily life in Bali.

Conradz confessed that, as a first time visitor to Bali, the culture’s concept initially sounded very unreal to her, familiar as she is with the modern city life of her country, whose catchwords are economic and industrial growth.

Although environment issues receive attention in her society, she said, the approach there is quite different: It was quite revealing for her to experience personally how closely humans could interact with nature, and she found herself admiring Balinese hospitality and spiritual expression.

And when the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana is put into practice, as it is at Tirtagangga water garden, visitors can perceive the world afresh by experiencing firsthand this harmony between humanity, nature and spiritual life.

In an annual festival, a priest performs prayers at the Rejasa natural spring, about seven kilometers north of Amlapura. It is a belief held by many that the gods dwell in water sources, signifying the close presence of the Divinity in the human environment.

Part of Rejasa’s water, a precious gift from the gods, is channeled to fill the ponds at Tirtagangga, through ornate statues, spouts and a multi-tiered fountain.

Bali’s refined art gives prominence to the beautiful relationships between humans and their creator.

The embodiment of Tri Hita Karana in this part of Bali is the work of the late king of Karangasem, Anak Agung Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, in 1948.

Covering an area of some 1.2 hectares, the garden is surrounded by terraced rice fields that open up to the surrounding mountains and the deep blue sea, with Lombok visible in the distance.

The king named it Tirtagangga for the healing powers attributed to the holy waters of the Ganges river in India. It is believed that humans who bathe at Tirtagangga during the full moon will be bestowed with lasting youth and a cure against illnesses.

The late king often took his grandchildren to Tirtagangga to instill in them the principles of Tri Hita Karana from an early age. Locals are welcome to join in, particularly during religious festivals, thus demonstrating the harmonious relationship between the common people and the traditional lifestyle of the royal family. Tourists also join in the colorful religious processions, walking alongside villagers carrying flags, golden umbrellas and flower offerings to the accompaniment of musicians playing the cymbals, flute and gongs.

That the Tri Hita Karana philosophy is firmly embedded in the people’s subconscious has in some way shielded Bali from the worst onslaught of severe environment damage.

Although Bali can’t entirely resist the drive of opening up to economic and industrial growth, Tri Hita Karana provides a screen to help Balinese communities remain selective in making changes and prevent overexploitation of the environment.

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