Bali’s culture was shaped by Hindu and Buddhist influences from India and Java many centuries ago. When the Majapahit Kingdom in Java ended in the 14th century, many nobles and priests as well as the people moved to Bali. They brought art, religion, and traditions that still live on today.
During the fall of the Majapahit Kingdom in the late 15th century, Javanese nobles, priests, warriors and the people who were Hinduism fled to Bali to escape the rise of Islam in Java. They brought Hindu traditions, art, literature, and governance, shaping Bali into the last stronghold of Hinduism in Indonesia.
One key figure, Dang Hyang Nirartha, helped establish temples and rituals that still exist today. The influence of Majapahit is seen in Balinese culture, dance, architecture, and royal lineage. Thanks to this migration, Bali remains mostly a Hindu island, preserving those traditions that disappeared from Java many centuries ago.
