After visiting the predominantly-Muslim islands of Lombok and Sumatra (and Istanbul), I can honestly say I am not a fan of the sunrise call to prayer. While I get that in the old days the masses would need the mosque to inform the correct time and sun position for prayer, it seems unnecessary to continue the tradition in the current age of smart phones. One "call to prayer" app could not only increase property values near mosques, but allow tourists to get more than two hours' sleep after their late-night partying!
Balinese Hinduism, however, is the colourful, incense-smelling and flower-laced darling of Indonesian religious life. In Balinese Hinduism, which differs from its Indian cousin, each family has a temple and each temple has 7 shrines oriented toward the sacred volcano of the island. On a bike ride through the Ubud countryside, I saw fields of flowers to be used for offerings and visited temple manufacturers: religion remains, as always, big business, as not only are offerings given daily (and really all over-in your car, at your house, in your temple, in your business), but any wealth the family accrues is typically used to improve the family temple first and foremost. This last point was given as a reason the Balinese don't travel more often. Hmm, by similar logic, perhaps those travelling have more money for it as they are irreligious hedonists...at least on Gili T!
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