SCULPTURESPLAN

.

The sculptures of Tirtagangga represent the following Balinese Hinduism concepts:

Triloka

This concept divides the cosmos into Bhur, Bwah and Swah. Swah is the upper world of Gods, Bwah is the middle world of men and Bhur is the lower world of demons. Similarly, sculptures of the divine world, such as the many Hindu Gods (each represents an aspect of the only God Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa) will be placed in the higher northern part of the gardens. The middle part will be mainly occupied by sculptures of men and other objects of daily life. Sculptures of demons, leyaks and other lower world creatures will decorate the lower southern part of the gardens.

For everyone who wants to know more about Triloka, Mr. Thomas Moog has done a comprehensive study in the German language by explaining the representation of this concept in Tirtagangga. Surf at www.moogbooks.com, or click directly on the chapters below.

Einleitung Götter Geister Krieger

The transition between these worlds is expressed by the 8 sculptures at the meditation centre in the north-west corner of the garden.

Arising from the water of the middle-east pond, the struggle of men between Gods and demons is symbolised by 20 sculptures of Mahabharata figures.

The tension between Gods and demons, between good and bad, is also represented by the sculptures of Barong and Rangda at each end of the middle footpath.

Along the whole footpath around the gardens sculptures will be placed to emphasise the differences between these worlds. Lamps may be combined with these sculptures to light the path according to the lightingplan.

Nawa Sanga

Eight sculptures around the fountain tower in the middle of the gardens represent Nawa Sanga or Sanga Mandala concept of cosmological orientation, a manifestation of the never ending quest for order and harmony. Nawa Sanga delineates eight cardinal directions around the centre point ofSiwa, often represented as a phallus like the fountain tower it self. As shown below, the directions are dominated by mountain-sea axis and sunrise-sunset axis, symbolised by specific colours and deities according to Balinese mythology.

 

Direction

Colour

Deity

Centre (puseh)

Multi colour

Siwa

North (kaja)

Black

Wisnu

Northeast (kaja-kangin)

Blue

Sambu

East (kangin)

White

Iswara

Southeast (kelod-kangin)

Violet

Mahasora

South (kelod)

Red

Brahma

South west (kelod-kauh)

Orange

Rudra

West (kauh)

Yellow

Mahadewa

Northwest (kaja-kauh)

Green

Sangkara

The physical transformation of Nawa Sanga as one of the principles of Balinese architectural design can be best exemplified in the spatial arrangement of a typical Balinese housing compound. The traditional house is divided into nine areas, whereby the Sanggah Kemulan or Pamerajan as the most sacred is located in north(kaja)-mountain direction, aling-aling or the entrance gate, as a dirtiest and the most public, is located in south(kelod) -sea direction; and bale-bale or the working and sleeping places occupy the centre area surrounding Natah or Natar.

In Bali, the most sacred area is always placed in the direction of the holy mountain (mount Agung) in the north, while the most public located seaward at the south. Such being the case, there are many variations due to different geographical conditions, particularly concerning the location of mount Agung as a point of reference. Towns and villages in southern part of the island will have the reverse orientation as compared to those in the northern part of Bali. Furthermore, mount Agung is not the sole point of reference in creating Nawa Sanga ideal orientation. In some mountainous villages for example, the directions are not oriented towards mount Agung but the nearest mountain which is clearly visible.

Mahabharata

Below are the names of the Pandawa and Kurawa figures, which arise from the water of the middle-east pond to symbolise the struggle of men between Gods and demons.

Kunti

Gatotkaca

Krisna

Abimanyu

Srikandi

X

X

X

X

X

Nakula

Bima

Yudistira

Arjuna

Sudewa

X

X

X

X

X

 

 

[]

 

 

X

X

X

X

X

Citrayuda

Dursasana

Duryudana

Citrawangsa

Citragada

X

X

X

X

X

Bisma

Karna

Sangkuni

Dorna

Widura

A path way between the statues allows visitors to walk on the water, crossing the middle-east pond while observing the Pandawa and Kurawa figures.

Transition

To depict the endless transition of men between good (deity) and bad (demon), eight lifelike sculptures have been erected in a circle at the meditation area, the most magical part at the north-west corner of the garden. Clockwise: man-deity, deity, deity-woman, woman, woman-demon, demon, demon-man, man, and back to man-deity.

In Bali Hinduism-Buddhism, the endeavour of life is to follow the path (Dharma) to reach Moksha (Nirvana), the ultimate freedom, even from good, bad, life and other illusions like freedom it self. As Dharma can not be forced, men is subject to a never-ending struggle in the depicted circle (Samsara), unless Moksha is reached.

 

 

The above sculptures were based on my drawings below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meditation floor

 

Between the eight lifelike sculptures that depict the endless transition of men between good (deity) and bad (demon), meditative ornaments have been laid on the floor of the meditation area.

 

 

From centre to outermost circle:

- Padma (lotus), symbol of beauty and purity, encourages meditation free from attachment and desire, just like the lotus it self is unstained while rising from unclean, muddy water.

- Rwabhineda (Rwa = two, Bhineda = different), Balinese black-white poleng decoration on banners, statues, trees etc, expressing dualism, the presence of opponent energies in all what exist.

- Yin-Yang, equivalent to Rwabhineda, basic principle of Traditional Chinese Medicine, T'ai chi, Qigong, I Ching etc, telling us that there is for example no darkness (Yin) without lightness (Yang), that there is always light within dark, and vice versa.

- Chakra (wheel), has many meaning such as Vhisnu's weapon, circle of life, Shiva's wheel, energy nodes in the subtle body etc, refers to the eastern circular logic that opponents are equal, in contrast with the western Aristotelian linear logic that A can not be equal to non-A. Like a wheel, opponents like day-night, happiness-sadness, cause-effect (Kharma-Pala), right-wrong, creation-preservation-expiration (Trimurti), life-death (reincarnation) etc. pursue each other for ever in circles seeking for balance and harmony when they are desired as real, instead of as manifestations of the only, simultaneously full and empty, not by dualism distorted reality (Hinduism: Brahman, Buddhism: Sunyata, Adibuddha,Taoism: Tao, Dao, Zen: Mu etc.)

- Yin-Yang in the shape of fishes, to honour the richness and beauty of those manifestations, represented by the magnificent inhabitants of the ponds of Tirtagangga.