"BESAKIH : A BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE WITH UNWANTED DRAMA" Besakih by RAVINDRAN72

MY SISTER HAD BEEN TO BALI BEFORE BUT HAD NOT BEEN TO BESAKIH. SO ON THIS TRIP SHE WAS SET ON SEEING THE OLDEST, BIGGEST AND PROBABLY HIGHEST TEMPLE IN BALI. HAVING READ ABOUT THE TEMPLE IT WAS A MUST SEE.

ONLY PROBLEM WAS THIS TEMPLE HAS CARETAKERS WHO ALSO DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN ACHIEVING HIGH HONORS IN LESS POPULAR CATEGORIES.

HOWEVER , HER LOCAL GUIDE ON HER PREVIOUS TRIP WAS NOT AT ALL ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS ITINERARY BUT REFUSED TO ELABORATE......

THIS BEING PERFECTLY UNDERSTANDABLE. AS WOULD ANY OF US, ESPECIALLY IF WE WERE IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY , SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT OUR OWN COUNTRY WHICH MAY AFFECT THE LIVELIHOOD OF FELLOW COUNTRYMEN.

WE ARRIVED AT THE PARKING LOT AND THE GUIDE TACTFULLY INFORMED THAT SOME SERIOUS NEGOTIATION WOULD BE REQUIRED BUT HE REFUSED TO BUDGE FROM THE PARKING LOT , NOR FOLLOW US. WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT TOURIST GUIDES MAY GET INTO TROUBLE IF THEY TRIED TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF TOURIST AT THIS SPOT...

WE PROCEEDED TO THE WALKWAY EXTENDING TO THE TEMPLE BUT WAS OBSTRUCTED BY A FEW GUYS , WHO POINTED TO A COUNTER FOR .....TICKETS!

A GUIDE WAS A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT AS FOR.......HINDU CUSTOMS. I DULY INFORMED THE GUY AT THE COUNTER THAT MY ANCESTORS WERE HINDUS FOR AT LEAST 50 GENERATIONS !......AT WHICH HE DROPPED ALL ARGUMENTS ABOUT RELIGIOUS REQUIREMENTS....BUT KEPT INSISTING WE WOULD STILL NEED A GUIDE FOR......????.....FOR WHAT?

THIS GUYS WE ASKING SOME ABSURD SUM 80 US..... 100 US....CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT AMOUNT , AS OUR MIND HAS A WAY TO DELETE ABSURD DATA/INFORMATION.....AT WHICH POINT WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE WALKING SINCE THEY DIDN'T GIVE US ANY PLAUSIBLE ARGUMENT NOR ATTEMPT TO BE REASONABLE . ANYWAY I HAVE HAD, HAD ENOUGH OF THIS AFTER LIVING HERE FOR SO LONG !.........A SIMPLE TEMPLE MAINTAINCE FEE COULD HAVE BEEN REQUESTED LIKE OTHER PLACES LIKE TANAH LOT BUT NO.........

WE CONTINUED TO IGNORE A SOLITARY GUIDE......STILL INSISTING ON BEING OUR GUIDE BUT NOW WITH A DISCOUNT......THE RATES WILL BE IN LOCAL CURRENCY.......WE SHOULD HAVE ACCEPTED....BUT AT THAT POINT WE WERE QUITE

• Pros:A BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE WORTH THE VISIT!
• Cons:CARETAKERS WHO ARE CLUELESS AS TO THEIR ROLE !
• In a nutshell:A BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE THAT NEEDS BETTER CARETAKERS!