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Balinese Family Compound

Bali’s heart of culture life is in their family compound. The compound is build to follow the concept of Tri Hita Karana, the central creed of the Balinese cosmos. It demands that the harmony of the universe always be preserved between man and God, between Man and the physical world, and between man and man.

For example, the house shrine is always in the kaja-kangin (north-east), the pigsty is at kelod (south) or the seaward part of the compound. In between are the pavilions for ceremonies, sleeping, and daily activities.

Bali Family Compound

Picture by Bruce G.

Here is the description of each number from the picture above:

  1. Family Temple.
    The house temple called Sanggah or Merajan, is the place to worship the ancestor and the Hyang Guru.

  2. Sleeping Pavilion.
    This building usually a large eight-post structure on a high base. A terrace usually attached for receiving guests at family ceremony.

  3. West Pavilion
    The west pavilion or Bale dauh, is the workhouse of the compound. Serving the variety of purposes, from gathering place to sleeping quarters.

  4. Ceremonial Pavilion
    The east pavilion, or bale dangin is the ceremonial pavilion. The place is where the life rites and death rituals occur.

  5. Sakenam
    The guest pavilion for relatives and children varies in size and number according to the needs.

  6. Granary
    Or the lumbung or jineng is the storage area for rice.

  7. Kitchen
    Or paon is in the south because of the association with Brahma (the god of fire) whose place in the south.

  8. Protective Wall
    Or aling-aling, most behind the gates to deflect the malign influences.

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This entry was posted on Monday, October 30th, 2006 at 1:06 am and is filed under Bali Daily. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

comments 17 Responses to “Balinese Family Compound”

  1. Tjelempung Says:
    June 6th, 2007 at 2:39 am

    hey this rox 4 my project!! thx alot!!
    Tjelempung

  2. Penglipuran - a traditional village | dee-bali.com - Bali blog website Says:
    July 15th, 2007 at 7:06 am

    […] Even thought they live in a simple life, people are so friendly, smiley and real proud of their village by keeping it well maintained. Streets village, the gate house (angkul-angkul) are clean and greens. Roads are not busy with motorbikes, here you can always have fresh air to breath. Their compounds are based on strict of religious rule, for example, family shrines are always in the north-east, kitchen on the south side, etc (please see articles about Balinese family compound). […]

  3. boy Says:
    August 3rd, 2007 at 8:00 pm

    maybe u retards should put a traditional balinese tolite in there duhh

  4. bali-boy Says:
    August 5th, 2007 at 1:34 am

    Its amazeing who they live.
    When i nwas in bali, it was similar to that I admire balinese architecture and balinese people they r soi friendly

  5. Bintang Says:
    August 8th, 2007 at 1:04 am

    What is number 9?

  6. dee Says:
    August 8th, 2007 at 2:06 am

    #Bintang
    No 9 … It’s called angkul-angkul, a gate to your the house. Balinese traditional house usually have this. It has door just like your house door.

  7. REED MINE!!!!!! Says:
    August 10th, 2007 at 11:43 pm

    dis site helpd mi projct SSOOOOOO frikin much, and it woz du da nxt day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!thx soooooo much

  8. whats up wit da directiins man? Says:
    August 10th, 2007 at 11:48 pm

    da directions r al unco u no? try figerin out wich ways nrth bi reedin all da directins. U CANT!!!!!!! any way, it helpd me so much so i ges its alrite

  9. dee Says:
    August 11th, 2007 at 4:07 am

    #direction?
    this is the clue, family temple is always in between north - east of your house.

  10. putu Says:
    August 11th, 2007 at 9:43 pm

    Hey dee, the family temple is not always in the north, isn’t it? But it is built in the direction toward the mountain, since it is the sacred direction. For people who live in North Bali, i.e. the mountains are in their south, they will build their family temple in the south. In north Bali, they will call south as “kaja” because kaja is does not actually mean north but “toward the mountains”. The opposite is kelod which means “toward the sea”. This is in contrast with people who live in south Bali.

    But, anyway, I think there is something wrong with the picture above. If you face north, then you turnright 90 degrees you will face east. So, number 3 is in the east, not in the west like what is shown. North east is between 2 and 3. And, number 4 should be the western direction.
    Thanks, it’s great blog! Keep up the good work.

  11. dee Says:
    August 12th, 2007 at 8:28 am

    #putu
    yes you are right about the \”kaja-kangin\” philosophy, that is why I did not mark the direction in above picture for which are north or east (because of the kaja-kangin thing).
    Anyway, … thanks for the additional info.

  12. Me Says:
    October 15th, 2007 at 2:27 am

    This is OK

  13. Penny Says:
    October 15th, 2007 at 2:30 am

    This website is thoroughly useful. I recommend you go to it! No1 WEBSITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you all LOVE it ! :-) !

  14. The best website Says:
    October 15th, 2007 at 2:31 am

    THE BEST WEBSITE! I MEAN IT 1 :-) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  15. parasara Says:
    January 17th, 2008 at 3:57 am

    I think this web is useful so much. as balinese i want to say thank to make this web so that people are know about our heritage!!!

  16. mortaza Says:
    February 27th, 2008 at 12:07 am

    hi this is okay but can someone tell me what a banjar is

    thx

  17. dee Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 2:19 am

    Banjar is a group of family in a village, in one village there are more than one Banjar.

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