T

he Bali government says it is ready to receive a scheduled visit from UNESCO, whose team of experts will inspect and review four sites nominated by the Indonesian government to be declared as World Heritage Sites, a senior offi cial stated.

“We have completed 90 percent of the on-the-ground preparations at all of the sites. Now all we have to do is improve the cleanliness around the sites,” provincial cultural agency head I Ketut Suastika said Friday.

Suastika also heads the provincial board tasked with managing the sites and is the coordinator of the campaign to ensure the sites pass UNESCO’s inspection. The board was established a few months ago by Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika. “We have informed the traditional communities around the sites and coordinated with the local leaders to welcome the visit of UNESCO’s representatives and team of experts,” he added.

Suastika said the administration was quite optimistic that UNESCO’s team would fi nd that all of the nominated sites met the requirements to be named World Heritage sites. “We are optimistic, the rest we leave in the hands of the Almighty,” he said.

The four nominated sites are the Batukaru mountain reserve in Tabanan, the Pakerisan watershed in Gianyar, the Taman Ayun royal palace in Badung and Lake Batur in Bangli.

The Batukaru mountain reserve boasts a well-protected forest and a hilltop mountain revered as one of the six Kahyangan Jagat (World Temples), the major temples revered by all Balinese Hindus. The gem of the area, however is the vast and well-kept terraced rice fi elds in Jatiluwih village.

The Bali administration views Jatiluwih as the best real-life model of subak, the island’s famed traditional irrigation and farming association.

The Batukaru mountain reserve is also the best illustration of the intertwined, mutually infl uential relationship between the island’s rice growing culture and its spiritual belief system.

The Pakerisan watershed boasts many majestic archaeological sites, including Gunung Kawi — the royal tombs of ancient Balinese kings.

The tombs are beautifully carved into a soft stone wall. The Pakerisan watershed and the archaeological sites along the river are a testament to the island’s past glories.

Taman Ayun royal temple was constructed in the 17th century during the reign of Tjokorda Bima Sakti Blambangan, a feared warlord and the founder of the mighty kingdom of Mengwi.

The garden temple was designed by Kang Choew, an architect of Chinese descent and the king’s close confi dant. A wide moat encircles the temple compound and another, narrower moat encircles the inner sanctum.

Lake Batur, which is actually a caldera lake, occupies an important place in Balinese Hinduism as the seat of Dewi Danu, the goddess of fertility and prosperity. Batur and its neighboring town of Kintamani are also among the island’s earliest tourism attractions.

An American expert on subak and Balinese culture, Stephen Lansing, reminded the administration that the sites’ managing board should include representatives from all traditional institutions related to the respective sites.