A social media influencer couple has apologised after facing backlash for inappropriately splashing holy water on one another at a Hindu temple in Bali.
The Instagram video featuring fitness influencers Sabina Dolezalova and Zdenek Slouka from the Czech Republic was shot at the Beji temple in the Ubud Monkey Forest in the island. Following the incident, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said tourists who disrespect the island’s holy places, would be sent back, coconuts.co reported.
The video, which went viral on social media, was criticised by many including Balinese senator Arya Wedakarna, who later posted the deleted clip and condemned the couple for their actions.
Following a backlash, the couple posted another video apologising for “dishonouring the holy temple and holy water in Ubud” and stating that they were unaware that they were at a holy place. “We are so sorry about the video from yesterday.
We dishonoured the holy temple and holy water in Ubud and we didn’t know it. So we are so sorry about what happened and apologise to you,” Slouka can be heard saying in the video.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Shri Gusti Arya Wedakarna III (@aryawedakarna) on Aug 10, 2019 at 6:55pm PDT
“We had no idea that was some holy water or that there is a holy temple so we really didn’t want to do anything bad. We are so truly sorry and we hope you gonna forgive us. Now we are just finding what we can do to fix it,” Dolezalova added. However, some viewers commented that it appeared from the video that they knew what they were doing.
The Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, or popularly known as Monkey Forest Ubud, is a famous tourist spot in Bali and is a natural habitat of the Balinese long-tailed Monkey.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Shri Gusti Arya Wedakarna III (@aryawedakarna) on Aug 10, 2019 at 9:08am PDT