As we have seen, measurement and orientation play a crucial role in Balinese architecture, and one of the most important stages in construction is at the very beginning when the overall dimensions of the compound are marked out and the ground plan of the different structures, and their relative position and proximity to one another, are laid out on the ground.
This is a critical time that will determine both the character of the buildings erected and the potential fate of those who will occupy them.
Measuring the Sides
The first set of dimensions that must be determined, once the site of the compound has been selected, is its length and width overall. The basic unit of measurement employed here is the distance between the fingertips of the two hands when the arms are fully outstretched on either side of the body (depa). The sum of the lengths of two sides must add up to an odd number of these units, and their difference in length, when one is subtracted from the other, should also be an odd number of units. If there is a mistake in the measurements and their sum or difference happens to be an even number of units, it is said that the compound is `without doors`, `closed`, or `blocked`. It is also said be `like a body without a soul`, in other words `dead` (mati). The explanation given is that a compound without doors provides no access for the gods and at the same time prevents the expulsion of malevolent influences. Such a site cannot support life, hence its designation as moribund.
Site Rituals
The various stages of construction and the eventual occupancy date are determined by auspicious date is the Balinese calendar. Construction is inaugurated by the rite of suci daksina peras ajuman panyeneng, which is indended to purify the site. This rite involves placing supplicatory offerings at the `mountain` (kaja) end of the compound. A similar offering is also placed at the kelod end to placate malevolent spirits and other harmful agencies (buta kala). Each subsequent stage of construction must be accompanied by further offerings to negate malign influences.
Layout of the Compound
The first thing to be constructed after the inaugural rites are the compound walls. Once these are completed, temporary shrines are erected in the place where the family temple will eventually be built.
Work then starts on laying out the rest of the Balinese compass rose. The latter can be seen in terms of a grid consisting of a rectangle, corresponding to the perimeter wall of the compound, subdivided into nine`squares`. Each square represents one of eight cardinal and inter-cardinal points of the compass, while the ninth square occupies the centre.
Distance and Position
The first building to be erected in the compound is the householder`s sleeping pavilion (meten). All subsequent structure s are laid out in relation to this starting-out point. The distance between buildings and their position in relation to the compound`s walls is critical.
The principal unit of measurement employed is the length of the house owner`s foot (tampak), and again the number of units for a particular dimension is calculated by reference to the Balinese compass rose.
The system works as follows: each of the four cardinal points, and their intermediaries, are associated with a particular deity in the Balinese Hindu pantheon and as the compound is measured out in paces, the names of the deities are recited.
A single pace is identified with the rice goddess Sri, two paces with the Indra, three paces with Guru, and so on until one arrives at eight paces (Uma), whereupon the cycle begins again.
Each deity is also associated with one of the cardinal directions and a particular set of attributes that together determine the number of units employed in setting out the dimensions of individual buildings. The householder`s sleeping pavilion,for example, is the most important structure in the compound after the family temple, and for this reason should be located at the kaja end. In southern Bali, where most of the island`s population live, kaja roughly corresponds to north, this being the direction of the central mountain range.
Consequently, the sleeping pavilion should be placed eight tampak, or multiples thereof, from the kaja-most wall, because the number eight is associated with the deity Uma, who in this scheme of things is identified with the north.
The cookhouse, on the other hand, should be set out at a distance of six tampak, or multiples thereof, to the south of the owner`s pavilion since the number six is identified with Brahma, who is in turn associated with fire and, in this context, with the hearth.
Similar considerations apply for other structures in the compound whose relative positions must be carefully worked out in order to ensure that all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.
