Travellers who visited sacred temples on the island of Bali are being banned from wearing bikinis

News24xx.com -  Recently, a photo of a Danish tourist sitting on holy shrine Linggih Padmasana at Pura Luhur Batukaru temple recently went viral, because it was seen as deeply offensive. 

For Balinese, the shrine, which is shaped like a throne on top of a pillar, is reserved for the most important deity in Balinese Hinduism, known as the supreme god. 

And since September 25 2018, travellers who visiting the sacred temples on the island of Bali, Indonesia are being banned from wearing bikinis.

The rule is being made because police have seen a recent rise in disrespectful behaviour at hundreds of ancient Hindu sites on the Indonesian island. And as the result, the westerners are warned they won’t be able to pose at sacred sites in skimpy outfits or clamber over ancient buildings.

Bali deputy governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Sukawati aka Cok Ace, told as quoted from The Guardian, September 25 2018,  the move is being made as part of an attempt to protect temples on the island. 

"As we know, the temples need to be preserved since they are the spirits of Bali’s cultures and customs. So, we must kept the chastity," he said.

He later added nowadays, the island had become ‘too open with tourists’ so too many were flocking there. Indeed,  the quality of tourists is now different from before.

"They are too open with their body" he said. 

Bali attracted over 5 million visitors in 2017 and known as the ‘island of 1,000 temples’, many are drawn there for its unique Hindu sites.

And for the case of a Danish tourist, the Indonesian Hindu Religious Council said they have instructed the police to investigate the incident at Linggih Padmasana.
 

 

 

 

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