Friday

The Early History Of The Origin Name Of Bali

The arrival of a Maha Rsi Markandeya , the 7th century had a major impact on the lives of the people of Bali. He is a hemit on mount Raung, East Java.

One day he got the magic wishper of God to reside in the east of the island of Dawa ( the Island of Java now). Dawa means the lenght, because it used to be that the islands of java and Bali were the mainland.

Followed by 800 followers, he began moving toward the east which is still wilderness. when he arrived in the west area of Bali, Now named as jembrana, many of his followers were killed by tigers and snakes that inhabit in the forest. Finally he decided to return to Mount Raung to meditate and seek new followers.

With the strong spirit and determination, he traveled for the second time and arrived at the foot of Mount Agung, where now is the place called Basakih.

Prior to his followers cleared the forest, he carried out the ritual planting of Panca Dhatu, namely the five types of metals that are believed to be able to withstand the hazards.Deforestation was done to bring success to his followers and the are was used for paddy fields, building farms, hauses and temples called Wasukih ( Besakih).


In this place he taught religion to his followers to call God by name Sanghyang Widhiwasa, by the way of worshiping the sacred light ( Solar Sewana ) three time a day, complate with equipment for bebali / offering that contain three elements: Water, Fire and fragnant flowers.

Bali map

gradually, his followers began to spread intothe surronding area, so the area is named as Bali, a region that uses all Bebali (offering)
It can be concluded that the name comes from the word Bebali, meaning Offering

Confirmed again in the book of the Ramayana who complied 1200SM : " There is a place in the eastern DawaDwipa named ValiDwipa, where God is given plesure by the inhabitants of Bebali ( offering)."

DwipaVali, Vali is the name for island which was then transformed into phonemes, or the island of Bali offering. This interpretation is not wrong to see the Balinese did not get away from  in carrying out their daily lives