Tourists at ancient temple in Bali blasted for 'disgusting' actions with holy water
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Instagram-famous couple from the Czech Republic has been blasted for their “disgusting” actions with holy water at an ancient temple in Bali after the offensive spectacle was caught on camera. Though the tourists have since apologized, claiming that they didn’t know the site was sacred, many furious commenters believe otherwise.
On Aug. 9, Sabina Dolezalova and Zdenek Slouka posted a cheeky video to Instagram, where the couple boasts a combined following of 85,000 users, Yahoo reports.
In the quick clip, filmed at Beji Temple in the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in the village of Padangtegal, the couple giggled near a fountain while an unnamed third person filmed. Then, Dolezalova lifted her skirt and bent over, while Slouka filled his hand with holy water from the sacred spout and slapped his partner twice on her behind.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dolezalova shrieked, the trio laughed and the camera cut away.
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Though Dolezalova and Slouka have since taken the video down, and made their accounts private, according to Yahoo, the damage was already done.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dr. Arya Wedakarna, who reportedly works as a senator for the Indonesian island, reposted the couple’s video for his Instagram following of 172,000, where it sparked widespread backlash.
Circulating the video on Aug. 10, Wedakarna accused the couple of “harassing” Beji Temple in a post that has since been liked nearly 6,000 times.
An external shot of a temple on the Beratan lake in Bali. (iStock)
Dolezalova and Slouka, meanwhile, were quick to apologize for the stunt, sharing another video that Wedakarna also reposted on Saturday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“We are so sorry about the video from yesterday, we dishonored the holy temple and holy water in Ubud and we didn’t know it,” Slouka began. “So, we are so sorry about what happened.”
“We had no idea [about] the holy water, holy temple… we really didn’t want to do anything bad, we are so truly sorry, and we hope you can forgive us,” Dolezalova added. “Now, we are just trying to do what we [can] to fix it.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to their individual Instagram profiles, the woman is a bikini fitness competitor while the man is an online coach for nutrition and training.
Despite the couple’s supposed good intentions, they are still being blasted for their "disgusting" and "insulting" behavior at Beji Temple.
“As a tourist, you should have learned about the local culture, religion, and what you can do or what you can't do before you came to the country that you want to visit,” one Instagram commenter said of their “stupid” actions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“It’s not funny, it’s disgraceful, that woman has no grace,” another echoed. “I am really sorry to everyone in Bali, we tourists from the [Czech Republic] are not all the same.”
“Come on, don’t be stupid saying that you didn’t have [any] idea about it,” another wrote. “Look at you [now,] pretending that you are sorry but when you did it you laughed at our holy temple. Use your brain.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dolezalova allegedly made a financial donation to the village after the incident to express her regret.
“A voluntary contribution was proposed to the local village. Whatever amount Sabina and her friends give, it is up to them and purely voluntary,” Daniel Šimkovič, the woman’s manager, told local media, according to Yahoo.
Temples in the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary of Ubud date back to the 14th century, according to an official website. There, the Beji Temple is famed for its purification powers of spiritual and physical cleansing.