SHRI SAI LEELA - Under Construction

SHRI SAI LEELA – APRIL 1986known till recently. This was a gift to the Buddhists of the CholaKingdom and also a friendly diplomatic gesture towards the Cholas.Though Indonesia is an Islamic state the island of Bali which is a partof that state, is even today essentially Hindu. It has been Hindu fromtimes immemorial. Hinduism came to Bali in the early centuries ofthe Christian era. It was bought by Hindu businessmen whocame to the archipelago for purpose of trade. Some of them settledon the island and they arranged for a few priests and other learnedBrahmans from India to join them and officiate at their cycle of rituals.This began a process of Indiani-zation. "On Java we findHinduism only amid the ruins of temples, images and inscriptions,on Bali in the laws, ideas and worship of the people." Buddhism toohad come to Bali in these early centuries. The clay stupas and clayseals discovered were certainly made in Bali by Buddhist monks fromIndia. But this influence was tenuous, it was Hinduism that was thedominant creed. The reason may be that in Java till the decline of theHindu Majapahit dynasty Hinduism prospered and manyHinduized Javanese settled in Bali and though Islam prevailed inJava it did not go to the island of Bali. In Bali Sanskrit continued tobe studied and Ramayana was held in high regard as in all Southeast Asia." There is hardly a child in Bali today who does not knowthe general story of Rama's life... Rama for them is a Balinese Princeand Hanuman a wonderful Balinese monkey. Bali has achieved foritself a synthesis of Hinduism with its own culture and so it"represents a unique and perfect example of what Indian culturecould mean to people wholly different from the Hindus themselves."29WWW.SAILEELAS.ORG