REEMA DUDEKULA
As millions flocked to Prayagraj in India for a dip at the Maha Kumbh earlier this year, a group of eight Singaporean Indian men took their version of a holy dip on the Indonesian island of Bali.
While most associate Bali with sun, sand and sea, for this group, it became a place of reconnection with their spirituality and the creation of newborn friendships.
When Mr Haridas Ramasamy, 64, lost his mother shortly before his holiday trip to Bali, the idea of jetting off to a party destination felt inappropriate. He immediately informed his friend and trip organiser, Mr Haresh Aswani, that he would have to forgo the getaway.
Mr Aswani, 63, the chief executive of Tolaram Group, quickly scrapped the three-day itinerary and replaced it with a temple tour, offering Mr Haridas a meaningful reason to join – to mourn his mother’s passing in the quiet of Bali’s sacred Hindu temples.
Having spent his childhood in Indonesia, Mr Aswani could traverse the island like the back of his hand. The other six friends embraced the revised plan immediately, realising that some time away from the hullabaloo of city life would be beneficial for all of them. Mr Aswani set one condition for the trip that everyone had to abide by – to convene for dinner every night, dressed in semi-formal at the very least. To him, these dinners were crucial in checking in on how everyone was feeling. All agreed, and so began the three-day trip to Bali.
Their temple tour started with Uluwatu, followed by Tanah Lot, and concluded with the most significant stop, Tirta Empul. Hinduism is widely practised in Bali, with the island being home to a population of over four million people and over 20,000 Hindu temples. While Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim nation, 87% of Balinese people identify as Hindu, making them the third-largest religious group in Indonesia after Islam and Christianity.
One of Bali’s busiest and most revered water temples, Tirta Empul holds deep significance for the island’s Hindu community. It was founded in 926 AD and has been actively used for worship and purification rituals ever since. Its name loosely translates to “water gushing from the Earth” in Balinese, earning its reputation as a holy spring. The temple’s pool is adorned with fourteen fountains, each believed to possess unique spiritual properties – ranging from health to love to prosperity. Devotees cleanse themselves in the pool, moving from one fountain to the next. The men joined a long line of worshippers, awaiting their turn.
Mr Haridas said: “When I finally submerged myself and let the water splash all over me, all the noise disappeared. I could feel my mother’s presence, it was transcendental.” Mr Aswani nodded in agreement, remarking that a silence fell over the group after the ritual. Unfortunately, he could not participate in the water ritual due to a foot injury but was an observer as his friends went through the process. “I noticed everyone became quiet, processing their emotions. In one way or another, we were all grappling with some form of hardship and needed this experience,” he reflected.
When they gathered for the final dinner of the trip, emotions ran high.
“We gave each other the space to express how deeply moved we were by the experience. In fact, from day one, everyone allowed each other the freedom to be themselves, whether that meant being quiet or talking about their feelings. It was surprising, considering we didn’t know each other well at all,” Mr Haridas said.
“There was a magical synergy, like we had known each other for decades. A true brotherhood was born,” he added. “We were all essentially strangers before this trip. We have never even spent time together, let alone travelled together,” Mr Aswani, the only common link in the group, said.
Mr Haridas acknowledged that tension is often expected on trips with strangers, especially with people of their age group. “But there was nothing of the sort – status and ranks didn’t matter,” he said. With their bond strengthened through shared spirituality and mutual respect, the eight friends have remained in close contact since their trip to Bali in January. Mr Manoj Chaman Lal, 54, said the group is already planning their next trip, set for July, with Thailand and Italy on the shortlist.
As Mr Aswani put it: “It’s not just about the destination, it’s about the memories we create together, the conversations we have and most importantly, the laughs we share through it.”
