GALUNGAN & KUNINGAN
Held annually in the Wuku Calendar, the Galungan festivities last ten days, when Sanghyang Widi comes down to Earth.
Deified ancestors of the family come down to the family home. They must be entertained and are welcomed by prayers and offerings. Families who haven’t yet cremated their ancestors must bring offerings to their graves.
Even though Galungan is a family related festivity in the privacy of their homes, Bali is transformed as Penjors (wooden pole that you can see every where on the island) decorate the family house, offerings and beautiful decorations are set up everywhere on the island.
Women prepare colorful offering (“banten”) and food for offering and for the family, while men will wake up before dawn to sacrifice a pork.
When Galungan day finally comes up, it is time for Balinese to return to their family home and also to other families who may have helped them in the past 6 months.
Along with the celebration of ancestors, Galungan is a symbolic representation of the victory of Good over Evil.
The last and most important day is called Kuningan. The day after Kuningan is a holiday for everyone.
Ceremonies are at the center of the spiritual life of Balinese people. You will often hear people say there is never a day in Bali without a ceremony, which is quite true. You will feel the spiritual rhythm in a constant celebration of life and nature by which Balinese people live their daily lives. Balinese views on religion are very tolerant ...
The cremation (Ngaben) ritual is perform to remind us of the cosmic nature of life. The tower represents the cosmos. The body is placed in the middle, as a symbol of its position, between the spiritual and the human worlds. The Sarcophagi, in which the body is burned, is the vehicule in which the soul leaves this world. ...
Eka Dasa Rudra is a series of processions, ceremonies, and sacrifices held every 100 years at Pura Besakih, the "mother temple" of Bali. Unfortunately, this magnificent ceremony is also a painful memory for Balinese people: On March 17, 1963, the Eka Dasa Rudra was under way when Agung catastrophically erupted and killed more ...
This ceremony honors Batari Dewi Saraswati, wife of Brahma, goddess of arts, knowledge and science. Saraswati rules the intellectual and creative realm, and is the patron goddess of libraries and schools. Balinese Hindus believe that knowledge is an essential medium to achieve the goal of life as a human being. This ceremony celebrates the ...
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ARTIST OF THE WEEK
Bali has sure seen the birth and progress of numerous bands this year, and here we are, happy to do our part related to the births and happenings related to the island's music scene! We are sure passionate to cheer for the newcomers to make their way and earn their place, of course starting in the local scene. This week we...
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