Tumpek Krulut: The Balinese Day of Affection and an Homage to Music
Whilst the Western world celebrates Valentine’s Day as their ‘day of love’. The Balinese Hindu observe a unique auspicious day known as Tumpek Krulut. This is considered the day of music, art and affection, dedicated to the deity Dewa Iswara (Kawiswara), a manifestation of the Almighty God. Tumpek refers to the six specific auspicious days
Gelungan Payas Agung: The Ceremonial Balinese Headdress
The Gelungan Payas Agung is a stunning crown: it is the piece de resistance of the formal Balinese ceremonial attire, which is also known as payas agung. This striking outfit is most commonly used for Balinese weddings, though is also used during other important ceremonies, namely the metatah (or mepandes) tooth filing ceremony or the
Siwa Ratri, The Ritual Wake For The Longest Night of the Year
The longest night of the year is a important ritual moment in the life of the Balinese. In the local lunar-solar Saka calendar, it falls on the 14th panglong lunar day of the seventh (Kapitu) month. Fully dedicated to the cult of Siwa, this night is called the Night of Siwa, or Siwa Ratri. The
Penampahan Galungan: Preparations and Purifications
Note: There are images of slaughtered animals and a pig over a fire, if this kind of subject matter upsets you, please be aware. It starts suddenly in the middle of the night, while people are sound asleep. It sounds like the wailing of a milk-lusting baby. But the wailing soon dies out into a
Lembu: The Bull Sarcophagus
If one is lucky enough to witness a Balinese cremation, especially that of a high caste, one will see the impressive animal-shaped sarcophagi that are used as ‘vessels’ in this ever-important death rite. Most common used is the lembu bull sarcophagus. For the Balinese Hindu, the journey of the soul is of utmost importance. Through
What is Nyepi? Understanding Bali’s Day of Silence
How do Westerners open the New Year? With revelry. How do the Balinese open their own New Year? With a full day of silence, called Nyepi. But exactly what is Nyepi? It is the first day of the Saka calendar year and is also Bali’s day of silence. Understanding the Balinese Calendars Bali’s measure of
Tumpek Kandang: The Holy Day for Animals
Tumpek Kandang is a day dedicated to Sang Hyang Rare Angon, the god of all cattle and livestock. On this day, domesticated animals on the island will receive great attention; the cows are washed in the river and dressed up like human beings, with special cone-shaped spirals made of coconut leaf placed on their horns.
Omed-Omedan: A Kissing Festival in Denpasar
The day after Nyepi, the residents of Sesetan will flood the main road of their village in Denpasar to celebrate the caka new year with a unique ritual called Omed-omedan , also known as the kissing ritual! The single Sesetan boys are probably the happiest on this day, for they get to kiss the single
Ngaben: The Balinese Cremation Ceremony
For the Balinese, and from their spiritual perspective, death is no less essential to life, for it’s part of a continuous cycle: Birth-life-death. And just like celebrating birth and life, a ceremony will also be performed to send the dead through the transition to the next life (reincarnation). The Balinese cremation ceremony, called Ngaben or
Ngendag : The Awakening of the Dead
Historian and art critic Jean Couteau brings us stories depicting life on Bali, sometimes real, sometimes myth, always meaningful. Here he shares the story of ngendag , a Balinese ritual in which buried corpses are exhumed to be cremated. This and other stories can be found in Jean Couteau’s book, Myth, Magic and Mystery in Bali . Ngendag:
Tumpek Landep: Bali Blesses its Metals
If you find yourself in Bali on the day called Tumpek Landep, you will be surprised to see offerings put on cars, motorbikes, machines and metal instruments of all types. For which purpose, you will certainly wonder? So let us explain it to you. Tumpek Landep is the day dedicated to metal in the 210-day
Understanding Hari Saraswati, Bali’s Day of Knowledge
The Balinese-Hindu have a day dedicated to the goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. She is said to rule over books, lontar manuscripts and all objects of knowledge. On her festival day, all these objects may not be used, as they are presented with offerings. The ritual is done in one’s private house for one’s own books,
Melasti: Island-Wide Purification
One of the precursors to Nyepi is the melasti ceremony, also known as ‘melis’. Whilst just as visually extravagant as a piodalan temple ceremony, melasti is of incredible importance to the annual (and sometimes more) rites of the Balinese Hindu. During this ceremony, lines and lines of local Hindus will journey to the sea or