We have something unique in our garden which has a very special importance for Hindu’s people in Bali. It is a tree called “Bila”. In Balinese Hindu’s tradition, almost all of the plants (or part of it) are being used as a means for praying or making an offering.

Shown on the picture is our “Bila” tree in front of Villa Soka, we have this tree in other area of our garden too. This tree called “Bila” in Balinese and “Maja” in Bahasa Indonesia. Bila tree is related to Siwaratri Day or the night of Lord Shiva. On Siwaratri Day the Hindu people in Bali are used to make a “Kwangen” (one of means in praying) using the Bila’s leaf. There is a mythological story behind using this leaf in Siwaratri night. The story is about the life of a hunter named Lubdaka, which got a blessing from Lord Shiva after spending a whole night in the forest. In the darkest night (night of Lord Shiva), to fight against his fear and keep him awake, Lubdaka pluck Bila’s leaves and throw the leaves one by one into the lake, and, unwittingly the leaves fall on the stone which is the Shiva Linnga or the symbol of Shiva. Because of what he did in the forest, after his death, Lubdaka’s spirit were blessed by Lord Shiva.