Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ramayana
Hugely influential Hindu epic, essentially a morality tale of the battles between good and evil.
Rangda
Legendary widow-witch who personifies evil and is most commonly depicted with huge fangs, a massive
lolling tongue and pendulous breasts.
Rawana
The demon king who represents the forces of evil (Rama's adversary in the Ramayana).
raya
Main or principal (“Jalan Raya Ubud” is the main Ubud road).
saka
Hindu calendar, which is divided into years made up of between 354 and 356 days and runs eighty years behind
the Western Gregorian calendar.
Sanghyang Widi Wasa
The supreme Hindu god; all other gods are a manifestation of him.
Saraswati
Goddess of science, learning and literature.
sarong
The anglicized generic term for any length of material wrapped around the lower body and worn by men and
women.
sawah
Ricefields.
sebel
Ritually unclean.
shophouse
Shuttered building with living space upstairs and shop space on ground floor.
Siwa (Shiva)
Important Hindu deity; “The Destroyer” or, more accurately, “The Dissolver”.
sok
Square-lidded basket used for offerings or storage.
songket
Silk brocades often woven with real gold or silver thread.
subak
Irrigation committee or local farmers' council.
suttee
Practice of widows choosing to burn themselves to death on their husbands' funeral pyres.
swastika
Ancient Hindu and Buddhist symbol representing the wheel of the sun.
teluk
Bay.
Topeng
Masked dance-drama, performed with human masks.
tuak
Rice or palm wine.
wantilan
Large pavilion, usually used for cockfights and dance performances.
wartel
Phone office.
warung
Food stall or tiny streetside restaurant.
wayang kulit
Shadow-puppet play.
Wisnu (Vishnu)
Important Hindu deity - “The Preserver”. Usually shown with four arms, holding a disc, a conch,
a lotus and a club, and often seated astride his vehicle, the Garuda.
wuku (or pawukon)
Complex Balinese calendar system based on a 210-day lunar cycle.