January 6, 2019

Bali – A Walk Along Rice Paddies in Ubud

Bali – A Walk Along Rice Paddies in Ubud

After two months of diving in Indonesia’s Komodo National Park for my Divemaster certification I leave Labuan Bajo, Flores and take a 1.5-hour flight on a prop plane to the island of Bali, where my return flights to the US will originate.  I’ll have an afternoon and morning in Ubud, a town in Central Bali surrounded by rice paddies.

I’ve chosen a small Ubud hotel created from a residence – it sits directly on a narrow stretch of rice paddies, with a pool and grounds that frame a vista that is visual heaven.  I could happily spend a long stay here, looking out at the scene and reflecting on all sorts of things – but all I have time for now is a walk along this stretch of paddies, absorbing the natural and man-made beauty of the environment.  At the end of the walk I get a bonus – an invite to look through a Balinese house compound.

The paddy irrigation systems, called Subak, are managed by ancient cooperatives that maintain the irrigation canals.  The cooperatives are guided by sacred values that reflect harmony between the people, their Hindu gods, and the environment.  The narrow line of paddies by my hotel stretch a little over half a mile (1 kilometer) upstream and is only about 100 feet (30 meters) wide on average – with tall coconut trees lining either side.  At points the paddies are less than 50 feet (15 meters) wide, giving a very intimate feel to this carefully managed landscape.  I step down a little path into the paddy fields, which are 4 or 5 feet (1.5 meters) below the residence grounds, and follow one of the elevated grassy dividing paths to a temple across the way.  Beyond the temple’s gate is a cluster of shrines and pavilions, with several animal sculptures.  There are also small offerings that have been left, made from folded coconut leaves and flowers.

The irrigation system for these fields runs down the side of the paddies in a concrete channel at this point.  Outlets regularly direct smaller streams into the individual paddies.  Little shrines to the rice goddess Dewi Shri stand at the edges of the fields, with offerings placed inside.  A soft rain comes down as I make my way up the paths, shielding my camera with my shell.  The paddies and landscape are lush and green here, contrasting with the arid climate of Komodo, where we saw almost no rain in two months.  Some fields have perimeter lines on flexible stakes.  The lines are hung with strips of cloth and occasional cans, and a farmer can shake the whole line from one point to shoo the birds away from the maturing rice.  I was surprised at one point by a sudden shaking and clatter next to me – and it took me a moment to locate the farmer, who was far away – very effective!

At the top end of the line of paddies the path works its way through forest and over a gorge through which water streams far below.  A short distance later I pass another temple and come into a street lined with Balinese house compounds.  An older woman in one of the compounds sees me through her gate and invites me in.  This compound has a number of structures, including a family temple, a central open pavilion, an open-air cooking structure, and sleeping quarters.  The rest of the family appears and shows me around – some of the buildings are highly decorated, and they have a koi pond with a fountain and a caged dove – beautiful!

I’d would love to come back to Bali and spend more time exploring the rice paddies, landscapes, and architecture!

 

The small hotel/residence where I stayed in Ubud looked out onto a beautiful stretch of small rice paddies.

 

Lush plantings and coconut trees line the edge of the paddies.

 

The line of paddies stretches north for about a kilometer. Terracing follows the gradual slope of the land.

 

The rice in these fields has been growing for some time, and it appears that harvesting may be near. Farmers are shooing birds away.

 

Directly across the paddies from the residence is a temple.

 

The temple has shrines, pavilions, and sculpture.

 

Waterlogged offerings made from folded coconut leaves and flowers are scattered around the temple.

 

The irrigation canal runs down this side of the paddies, with a small platform/bridge providing access to the temple from the fields.

 

A view up the stretch of narrow paddies, with one of numerous field shrines that are used to house the periodic offerings to the rice goddess, Dewi Shri. The irrigation channel runs on the right, next to the temple’s retaining wall.

 

Another field shrine at one of the narrowest points in the line of paddies.

 

This field shrine has been recently dressed up with a skirt, pleated roof fringe, and decorative palm arrangement. Offering(s) are inside the shrine.

 

Looking back down the line of paddies at a narrow point, the soft rain gives the landscape a lush wet character.

 

The irrigation canal is routed around a palm – I like this!

 

Careful terracing near the edge of the fields by a steep gorge creates a nice pattern.

 

A cakangan routes a portion of the water flow off the main channel to the adjacent section of paddy.

 

Lines on flexible poles around the perimeter of a field are set in motion by farmers yanking at one spot, the shaking and clatter driving birds away from the maturing grain. I was surprised by an instance of this, and it took me a while to see the farmer at the far side of the field.

 

A snail was headed in my direction.

 

At the top of the line of paddies the water channel crosses to the other side and runs along a high retaining wall adjacent to a dense neighborhood.

 

This structure appears to have been retrofitted with steel to support the frame overhanging the irrigation channel.

 

A couple having something to eat in their small farm house was very friendly and interested in my little trek – we communicated a bit through sign language.

 

The path continued through forest, crossing first over the irrigation channel, and then a deep gorge.

 

Another small neighborhood temple in a clearing on the other side of the gorge.

 

Although the temple is small, the pavilion has very ornate elements.

 

My rice paddy walk comes to an ends on a lane of Balinese house compounds. I’m met by a small feisty dog with an outsized idea of his defensive capabilities.

 

The house compounds sometimes have elaborate entrances – this one has a sculpture of Ganesha, a Hindu god that is believed to remove obstacles from peoples’ lives.

 

One family invites me into their compound to look around. This ornate structure is one of the sleeping quarters in the compound. Other elements include a family temple, an outdoor living pavilion, and a mostly open-air kitchen. Outdoor space is incorporated into most of the structures.

 

A koi pond runs along part of the back wall of the family compound. The sculpture on the left, which appears to be guarding the pond, is also occupying part of the wall at the perimeter of the family temple.
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Filed Under: Bali, Indonesia, Landscapes, Photography, Travel