19 Feb 2014

One diver found dead, one still missing

One diver found dead, one
still missing 

One of the Japanese divers who went missing during a dive in Blue Corner (also known as Blue Point) off Nusa Lembongan was found dead Tuesday evening.

She was found floating in Serangan waters near a watersport area at 6:10 p.m. by a local.

However, the victim has yet to be identified as she suffered injuries to her face and is hard to recognize. It is suspected that the victim is Miyata Ritsuko, 59.

The body was evacuated from the waters at 6:35 p.m. by boat and immediately taken to Sanglah Hospital.

The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Denpasar head, Didi Hamzar, said that the victim was found wearing a wetsuit and a buoyancy control device (BCD) used for diving.

The last remaining diver still missing is Takashi Shoko, 35.

“Tomorrow morning, we will continue the search for the one other diver,” Didi said.

On Monday, five of the seven Japanese divers lost at sea were found alive. The five are Furukawa Saori, 37, Yamamoto Emi, 33, Tomita Namomi, 28, Morizono Aya, 27, and Yoshidome Atsumi, 29.

The survivors were first found by a local at 3:52 p.m. around 300 meters from Manta Point, a Nusa Penida dive spot located between 14 to 16 nautical miles from Blue Corner, where the women had vanished Friday.

As of Tuesday, four survivors were still being treated at Sanglah Hospital, while one other was being cared for at Kasih Ibu General Hospital.

The seven Japanese divers vanished Friday while diving off Nusa Lembongan, one of three small islets off Bali’s southeast coast known collectively as Nusa Penida.

The search and rescue team involved members of Basarnas, local police and military personnel, fishermen, as well as a helicopter and a search boat from the Basarnas local office on neighboring Lombok Island.

Previously, Basarnas had stated it would stop the search and rescue operation on Tuesday, in line with standard operating procedures, however the situation has now changed.

“Because we have found five victims alive and another one dead, we will continue to search, deploying all personnel and equipment on Wednesday. If we don’t find the victim, we will start only monitoring on Thursday,” Didi said.

Meanwhile, Basarnas also denied that the two missing divers had already been found alive on Monday. “The two people reported by a local as the victims were actually rescuers from Basarnas who could not be evacuated after they had helped the evacuation process of the five living divers,” Didi said. 

On Monday evening, Nusa Penida Police chief Comr. Nyoman Suarsika revealed that local fishermen had reported spotting the two missing divers near Batu Bolong off Nusa Penida, but had not been able to evacuate them.

Taken from Jakarta Post

Conservation workers remove ash from temples

Conservation workers remove
ash from temples 

Cleaning up: A volunteer cleans volcanic ash from a Buddha figure at the ancient Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java on Monday following the eruption of the Mount Kelud volcano. Borobudur, a Buddhist temple and Indonesia's national treasure built between the eighth and ninth century is located about 200 kilometers west of Kelud volcano, was blanketed by ash and temporarily closed to the public. (AFP/ Suryo Wibowo)

 

The Central Java Cultural Heritage Conservation Center (BPCB) started on Monday to clean several temples affected by the Mount Kelud eruption.
The temples include Plaosan, Sewu, Sojiwan and Merak, which are located in the Prambanan temple area and are badly affected by volcanic ash.
Meanwhile, the cleaning of other temples in the province, such as Sukuh and Cetho in Karanganyar and Gedong Songo in Ungaran, is being carried out by each management unit.
The Borobudur, Mendut and Pawon temples are handled by the Borobudur Conservation Agency.
The BPCB deployed some 20 workers to clean the temples under its jurisdiction using sharpened bamboo sticks to loosen the ash before hosing them down with water.
The method is deemed effective in cleaning the temples.
"We are manually cleaning and hope to finish the job by Thursday or Friday," BPCB protection, development and utilization section head Gutomo said on Monday.
PT Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko spokesman’s, Martana Eka Rahardi, said Borobudur and Prambanan temples were still closed to the public on Monday.
He said the cleaning was carried out by workers from the BPCB while those of PT TWC were cleaning the supporting facilities in the tourist park area, the so-called Zone Two.
The main temples are in Zone One, which is under the jurisdiction of the BPCB.
Martana said he could not yet determine the losses inflicted at the park by the natural disaster.
He hoped tourists would be able to visit the tourism parks around Prambanan and Borobudur temples by Wednesday, although the temples themselves would remain closed.
Yogyakarta BPCB protection, development and utilization section head Wahyu Astuti said it would take about two months to clean Prambanan.

Taken from Jakarta Post

 

18 Feb 2014

Besakih Temple

Besakih Temple
Karangasem Bali

Besakih Temple is the biggest Hindu temple in Bali which the local people call Pura Besakih. It owns beautiful view from the top of temple area where we can see the wide nature panorama until to the ocean so that way this temple is many visited by tourists from all over the world. Besakih Temple is located in Besakih countryside, Rendang sub district, Karangasem regency, east part of the island. It is located in southwest side bevel of mount Agung, the biggest mounts in Bali. It is because pursuant to Agung Mount confidence is holiest and highest mount in Bali Island.
Besakih Temple, The Biggest Hindu Temple in Bali

Besakih in Mythology

Besakih Temple, Mother Temple, Karangasem BaliThe Besakih's name is come from the word of Basuki, the old language from Sanskrit Wasuki, and then it become the Ancient Java Language. In this Sanskrit, the Basuki means congratulation. In mythology of Samudramanthana has mentioned that Basuki is a dragon that twines the Mount Mandara. The omission has come from tradition megalithic which had been indicated that it had to be sanctified place. It seems, the Besakih is coming from very old era which is far before the existence of Hinduism influence. Hereinafter, an Ancient Bali king of Sri Kesari Warmadewa found the Merajan Selonding Temple in this temple complex area. He also commands to build the Blanjong Monument that is located in Sanur Village. The Besakih Temple complex is built pursuant to cosmos balance. It is based on the nature conception which is disseminating the fundamental temple complex that is arranged to pursuant of the way direction. So, this building can deputize nature as symbolic of the world balance existence.

Besakih Temple in Hindu's Philosophy

As we familiarize, that the point direction way like East, South, West, North, and middle as center point and each direction is named by Mandala. In Hindu philosophy, Panca Dewata is manifestation of Siwa God. Like Penataran Agung Temple as center, we find in its courtyard conception show the solidarity conception between the original Indonesia culture namely tradition megalithic in form of Punden Berundak-undak with the Hinduism concept. The ancient omissions which is existing in Besakih Temple complex can be classified into 2 types those are omission pertained by megalithic tradition and classic era. Besakih Temple beside as the altar for Hindu people in Bali, it is also as tourist destination which is a lot of visited by tourists.

Besakih, Place to Visit in Bali

Besakih Temple is located in the plateau area which is covered by the cool atmosphere and Mount Agung as a back drop. From the top of temple building, we can see the beautiful panorama of nature from the temple area to the ocean. It is situated in cool area with the light breeze and unique temple buildings spread out in the temple complex will create the peaceful atmosphere. It is ideally for the people who did the meditation and now, the Besakih Temple is opened for tourist and it is the great place to visit in Bali.

How to locate Besakih Temple?

It is very easy to find this temple in Bali where most of the people have known it in particular the Balinese Hindu. It is about 2 hours away from Bali's International Airport by car to the east part of Bali and right located in Besakih Village, Rendang – Karangasem Regency. You may join the Besakih Temple Tour, the exciting tour package to visit the places of interest on the way to this temple

Sanur Beach

Sanur Beach

Sanur Beach is a beautiful white sandy beach with calm and warm seawater located in east part of Denpasar Town. The beach location in eastside and south part of Sanur Village is an edge of Indonesia Ocean. This place has famous since long time, especially when the happening of the Puputan Badung war on 20 September 1906, where that moment the Dutch colonist land its army in this coast. There is a stone monument found in this place as an inscription of Sri Kesari Warmadewa King with the palace in Singhadwala year 917, whereabouts now there are in Blanjong, southern part of Sanur Beach.

Sanur Beach, a Tourist Place in Bali

Sanur Beach, BaliSanur Beach is first time introduced by Belgium artist called A.J. Le Mayeur and his wife named Ni Polok which remains in Sanur since year 1937. He has performed his own masterpiece painting exhibition and start introduces Sanur as a tourist place in Bali. In south-east side, we can see the bunch of Nusa Penida Island and eastside we can see beautiful panorama of Bali strait with its Agung Mount as a backdrop. The tropical atmosphere sweep entire of Sanur Beach that makes it as an ideal place for relaxation. It is also blessed by the breathtaking view of sunrise that one is the fascination for tourist to visit and stay in this place.

Beautiful Beach Resorts in Bali

Sanur Beach is located only 4 km from downtown of Denpasar and it can be easily reached by car or motorcycle. It is many visited by foreign and local tourists especially on the weekend and holiday season. At the night of full moon, many people come to this place for relaxation, swimming or enjoy the beauty of coast. The Le Mayeur Museum is one of the art museums in Sanur also a lot of drawing the tourist enthusiasm to visit this place. As a tourist place in Bali, Sanur Beach is one of the alternative place to perform the event from local, national and also international. For example events are held in this place like Kite and Jukung Race. Other tourists facilities can be found in this place are the existence of hotels with international standard like The Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Bali Hyatt Resort, Sanur Beach Hotel and more. The various of this tourism facilities are mixed with other facilities for local resident are making the good combination tourist area which is different like Nusa Dua that is a closed area. The art shop, accommodation from cheaper hotels until five star hotels, bar and restaurant are quite a lot available in this place.

Bali Art Center

Bali Art Center

Bali Art Center, Taman BudayaTaman Budaya or Bali Art Center is the culture building complex with the best style of Balinese traditional architecture. It is featuring the good lay-out building of amphitheater to be a place/hall of show performance purpose. It is symbolizing the twiddling of Mandara Giri mount in the milk ocean and spattering the Amerta holy water for the life of endless as according to nature of dynamic culture and stayed alive during the human being still dwell the earth planet. This amphitheater can accommodate up to 6.000 audiences for the show of colossal both for modern and also traditional. This Taman Budaya (Cultural Park) is opened in the year 1973 with the Bali Artistry Party (Pesta Kesenian Bali) within one month. On that month, there are full of entertainment amusement traditional dance, exhibition, and other cultural activities. At the opening ceremony enlivened by artistic parade started from Puputan Park and finish at the Art Center. Its distance is about 2 Km and this parade is followed by entire regencies and towns in Bali by delivering their artistry mission. This event is often followed by other provinces in Indonesia as well as from outside country like Japan, Korea, Europe, America etc. In this culture parade is presented in so many forms those are from the sacral until contemporary traditional. There are also type of marry and custom clothes from each area, instrument of music or gamelan, forms Sesajen (offering) and others
Bali, Art Center, Denpasar, Taman Budaya

Bali Art Center in Bali Tourism Development

In fact this event is not tourist event due to visitor and audience are mostly come from the local resident. But some of tourists can enjoy this party which is every year. The person who is propose this yearly culture event is Mr. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra (who was been a Bali Governor. Taman Budaya or Bali Art Center is published as one of place to visit in Bali or tourist destination in Bali.