The Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal is owned by the village of Padangtegal. Village members serve on the Sacred Monkey Forest's governing council (The Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation). The Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation has historically strived to develop and implement management objectives that will both maintain the sacred integrity of the monkey forest and promote the monkey forest as a sacred site that is open to visitors from around the world.
The Monkey
The monkeys within the Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal are commonly called long-tailed macaques. Their scientific name is Macaca fascicuiaris. Macaques are found throughout Southeast Asia and many species of macaques live successfully in areas that are heavily utilized by humans. On Bali, there are Balinese long-tailed macaque troops (populations) that live in areas where they have little to no contact with humans and troops that come into contact with humans on a regular basis. However, despite the fact that many species of macaques thrive in areas that are heavily utilized by humans, there is evidence that the viability of Balinese long-tailed macaques (the ability of macaques to continue to thrive) may be dependent upon the conservation of Bali's forested areas.
Within long-tailed macaque societies, females are typically born into and remain with a single troop for life. In contrast, adult and sub-adult males may migrate between troops (young adult males typically leave their natal troop between the ages of 4 to 8 years). In order for a migrating adult or sub-adult male to be accepted into a new troop, migrating males must align themselves with a troops' females and be accepted by those females. Therefore, long-tailed macaque societies or troops are made up of 'matrilines' ('matri' is a root word that means 'mother').
Monkey And Culture Relation
Within Balinese Hinduism, monkeys can be the embodiment of both positive and negative forces. The dual nature of monkeys is especially reflected in the Ramayana (a very popular Indian epic poem). Within the Ramayana, Sita (the beloved bride of Rama) is abducted by Rawana (an evil king). Rama (an incarnation of Dewa Wisnu) calls upon Sugriwa (king of the monkeys) and Hanuman (Sugriwa's General) to help him retrieve Sita. However, within the Ramayana, there are also antagonist monkeys like Subali that attempt to assist Rawana. In the end, Hanuman, along with his monkey army, defeats Rawana's evil forces and helps Rama to retrieve Sita.
The Temple
The Monkey Forest of Padangtegal represents a sacred Balinese Hindu site. In trying to understand Balinese Hinduism it is important to keep in mind that Balinese Hinduism is unlike Hinduism practiced in other parts of the world today. Balinese Hinduism combines aspects of Animism, Ancestor Worship, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Pura Puseh, Pura Desa, and Pura Dalem
Today, most Balinese villages have 3 major pura (temple) sites. Pura Puseh (temples of origin) tend to be located towards the kaja (upstream) end of villages, are associated with the God Wisnu, and are dedicated to remembering the founders of villages. Dewa Wisnu is also known as 'the sustainer of life' because he has the ability to incarnate as an avatar (God-Man), move freely between the heaven of the Gods and the Earth of humans, and he often appears to save the world by realigning it to the divine.
Pura Desa (village temples) tend to be located in the middle of villages, are associated with the God Brahma, and are places where community councils meet to pray and govern. Dewa Brahma is also known as 'the creator' because he is a reflection of the creative consciousness upon which both artistic creativity (which is a very important part of Balinese villages) and creation itself are founded. Pura Dalem (temples of the dead) tend to be located towards the kelod (downstream) end of villages, are associated with the God Siwa, and have graveyards. Dewa Siwa is also known as 'the destroyer' because his spiritual function is to destroy negativity in the world. Dewa Siwa prepares dead people for reincarnation by judging whether or not a person's karma (actions) have been bad or good. Dewa Siwa destroys negativity by punishing people who behaved badly. The Sacred Monkey Forest is the location of Padangtegal's Pura Dalem.The Forest
The presence of sacred forest is a demonstration of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. In Bali, sanctuaries such as the Monkey Forest are usually in sacred village areas, often surrounded by temples. These cultural sanctuaries are not only an important part of Balinese heritage, but also an important part of everyday live. Temple festivals are regularly held for the villagers and the gods in such areas.
A Balinese temple is more than just a collection of pagodas and pavilions. The area enclosed by temple walls and the forest area surrounding it is sacred. These temples and the forest are essential for renewing contact with the spiritual world. The activities associated with these areas are essential in maintaining harmony between humans, nature and the cosmos. Not only are ancestral spirits and gods given offerings and prayers, but also the spirits of trees and statues in the Monkey Forest are given offerings and prayers by the Pemangku and local villagers. The Sacred Monkey Forest, in conjunction with Udayana Univeristy in Denpasar have identified 115 separate species of trees.
Yadnya
The three basic fundamentals of Hindu Dharma (religious duty or observance) are Yadnya (ceremony), Tatwa (philosophy) and Susila (moral behavior). These interact to form Balinese culture. There are too many ceremonies and rituals in Balinese life to describe all in a short introduction; the following is a brief overview of the basics.
There are five types of ceremony in Bali or Panca Yadnya (Panca : five and Yadnya : 'holy sacrifice with a pure heart'), as follows :
- Dewa Yadnya : Holy sacrifice to the Gods and Goddesses as manifestations of the Supreme Being.
- Pitra Yadnya : Holy sacrifice to our ancestors who gave us guidance in life and the opportunity to be born.
- Manusa Yadnya : Holy sacrifice to protect our lives and those of future generations.
- Rsi Yadnya : Holy sacrifice to the priests who guide us on our spiritual journey.
- Bhuta Yadnya : Holy sacrifice to any other beings (visible an invisible) to ensure the harmony and unity of nature.
Kahyangan Tiga : a set of three major temples present in every village, including:
- Pura Desa : The temple to worship Brahma (God as Creator).
- Pura Puseh : The temple to worship Wisnu (God as Preserve).
- Pura Dalem : The temple to worship Siwa (God as Destroyer).
The village of Padangtegal is not only the home of the Sacred Monkey Forest, it is also known for its tradition and history of talented artisans. Some of its most famous painters or 'Lukisan' of today are still alive from the Pita Maha and Karsa Maha schools made famous in Bali during the 1930’s. Its builders or 'Undangi' are not only architects, but are experts in the spiritual aspects of Balinese own version of feng shui. Its wood carvers or 'Tukang Ukir' are experts in creating the most intricate details for elaborate reliefs. Its sculptors or 'Pematung' are experts with all kinds of wooden statues. Padangtegal is also full of talented musicians as well as dancers.
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