古老的神话 (Mythical Bali)

巴杜尔火山，是巴厘岛上的其中一座活火山，曾经在1917与1926年爆发过。举凡有山的地方，就有本土的古老神话，使得原本就高深莫测的山峦更添加了一些神秘色彩。

话说好几个世纪之前，兴都教之神西瓦发现巴厘岛的居民思想单纯，却对大自然虔诚的膜拜并都具有佛心 ，于是选择了巴厘岛宣扬兴都教教义。

西瓦的爱女，妲驽却抗议巴厘岛没有高山作为归宿。于是西瓦就从爪哇东部把三座山移到巴厘岛。最大的那座山，西瓦把它分成一大一小的两半，自己住在大山的山峰（这是阿贡山）上，把小山峰（这是巴杜尔山）让给女儿住。

妲驽分得小山，心有不悦，因此巴杜尔山偶尔还会冒烟喷火。

无论如何，妲驽最终成为巴厘岛居民信奉的水神。巴厘岛每年农作物与稻米的丰收，都是靠水神引用巴杜尔湖水所灌溉的结果。

拍摄着浓雾笼罩的巴杜尔山，心灵上深深感受到大自然的巨大魔力。

According to myth, many centuries ago, there was no mountain on Bali Island. Siva, Hinduism’s deity found that the Balinese people, even though still savage at that time, seemed to exhibit a reverence to such deities. Hence Bali was chosen by Siva to be the special place where he would bestow the wisdom and teachings of Hinduism and bless the island with the presence of gods.

However, the daughter of Siva, Dewi Danu, objected moving to the island, as there was no mountain suitable for the residence of deities.

Siva then proceeded to break off three mountains from Eastern Java, and move them onto the flat land of Bali. The largest of these mountains, Siva split into two parts and gave the smaller one, named Gunung Batur to Dewi Danu to reside on. The larger peak, known as Gunung Agung, was to be the residence of Siva.

Dewi Danu went on to become the Balinese Goddess of water who ensures timely irrigation of Balinese crop and paddy fields every productive year.

The images of Gunung Batur above were shot from Kintamani during a misty day, however the mist does make the final images look more mysterious and mythical.