pposed to be hovering round like birds,
to seat themselves in the chair provided or to enter into some sacred
object, and then receive homage and offerings. Thus both the ideas and
ceremonial are different from those which prevail in Hindu temples and
have more affinity with Polynesian beliefs. The deities are called
Dewa, but many of them are indigenous nature spirits (especially
mountain spirits) such as Dewa Gunung Agung, who are sometimes
identified with Indian gods.

Somewhat different are the Durga temples. These are dedicated to the
spirits of the dead but the images of Durga and her attendant Kaliki
receive veneration in them, much as in Hindu temples. But on the whole
the Malay or Polynesian element seemed to me to be in practice stronger
than Hinduism in the religion of the Balinese and this is borne out by
the fact that the Pemangku or priest of the indigenous gods ranks higher
than the Pedanda or Brahman priest. But by talking to Balinese one may
obtain a different impression, for they are proud of their connection
with Madjapahit and Hinduism: they willingly speak of such subjects and
Hindu deities are constantly represented in works of art. Ganesa, Indra,
Vishnu, Krishna, Surya, Garuda and Siva, as well as the heroes of the
Mahabharata, are well known but I have not heard of worship being
offered to any of them except Durga and Siva under the form of the
linga. Figures of Vishnu riding on Garuda are very common and a certain
class of artificers are able to produce images of all well known Indian
gods for those who care to order them. Many Indian works such as the
Veda, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Brahmapurana and Nitisastra are known by
name and are said to exist not in the original Sanskrit but in Kawi. I
fancy that they are rarely read by the present generation, but any
knowledge of them is much respected. The Balinese though confused in
their theology are greatly attached to their religion and believe it is
the ancient faith of Madjapahit.

I was unable to discover in the neighbourhood of Singaraja even such
faint traces of Buddhism as have been reported by previous
authors,[457] but they may exist elsewhere. The expression
Siva-Buddha was known to the Pedandas but seemed to have no
living significance, and perhaps certain families have a traditional
and purely nominal connection with Buddhism. In Durga temples however
I have seen figures described as Pusa, the Chinese equivalent of
Bodhisattva, and it see