Bali possess a culture and traditions inherited hereditarily is closely related to beliefs about reincarnation and ancestor. The Sea water evaporates into clouds, saturated clouds fall to be rain. Rain flowing through the river and end back into the sea. Based on the cycle in the journey of course there are parts of them is lost and it does not return to the sea. But of course the parts of them that lost still in the universe. Bali ancestral traditions is making the cycle to flow as well. However, this still depends on what have we done and the destiny.
Birth, life and death are the cycle of existence of life in the world. The sadness, cries, happiness and pleasure come and go. We can hope, pray and seek but the destiny will not change in our hands. Even with supreme power there are somethings that can not be controlled. What is the difference between the efforts and destiny, as the human that has many weakness I have not seen so clear. Somethings that you have build with your efforts will be destroyed together with the death. This is the description of Balinese people addressing the meaning reflected through customs and culture that may little bit difference in other regions in Bali.
Galungan and Kuningan Day actually the biggest feast hindhu people especially in Bali another with Nyepi Day. Although not approved as a national holiday by the Indonesia Central Government, Galungan day have a very big atmosphere in Bali. The passion and excitement to the welcoming the holiday was seemed so great, especially in Bali. If I compare with Muslims have Ramadan feast, most known as Lebaran in Indonesia, Hindus in Bali has Galungan and Kuningan feast.
The sky is so bright, bright the blue color just a few scattered clouds. This is what awaited for the entire Balinese people especially for the Hindu religion, it is just before Galungan arrived. The atmosphere is very excited, the roads are rather quiet in the way. Three days before Galungan coming that is at the end of March 2013. As the tradition in Bali the day before Galungan day comes, Balinese people is very excited for the preparation of welcoming the major feast such a Galungan day by placing a Penjor in front of every family houses, as a sign of the celebration will come soon.
Penjor is the symbol of prosperity that the world has given life to us all. Penjor was made by a bamboo curved at the top end with special decorations with Bali traditional art expression. The top of Penjor containing with rice crop, and other crops else as the symbol what have the nature given. Many various forms of the Penjor that may fouded in defferent regions. But the important thing here, that Balinese people especially will celebrate the victory and prosperity of nature in the Galungan day.
The feast of Galungan is celebration of the nature is rejoicing, victory from the evil, which is the virtue (dharma) wins against sleaze (adharma). The victory spirit of dharma is perceived as coming before Galungan. The world will rejoice because free from all adversity. This is the philosophy of the celebration of this feast.
Like the most other people, I am also preparing to celebrate Galungan, but I am outside from my village area now. For that I am get ready for going home to celebrate with my big family at Merajan Temple. Merajan is a ancestral temple of the big families that have hug members. So when Galungan day arriving, our family gathered together to pray for the welfare of the given from ancestor and the God.
The other activity else with placing penjor, for the women is very busy to prepare infrastructure for the ceremony called "mejejahitan" making offerings for the ancestors and Gods. While the man in the community of the region is slaughtered pigs. The pig is a symbol of human character about lazy (tamas) and other ugly trait that should be eliminated in our heart. After slaughtering pigs, that meat is shared to all. Here the traditional Balinese food called "lawar" will made. Lawar is made from pig's blood and grated coconut (nyuh) were given a special flavor.
For those of you who want to feel the atmosphere the wins of the virtue against the evil, come...! this is it the day before Galungan Coming!
The feast of Galungan is celebration of the nature is rejoicing, victory from the evil, which is the virtue (dharma) wins against sleaze (adharma). The victory spirit of dharma is perceived as coming before Galungan. The world will rejoice because free from all adversity. This is the philosophy of the celebration of this feast.
Like the most other people, I am also preparing to celebrate Galungan, but I am outside from my village area now. For that I am get ready for going home to celebrate with my big family at Merajan Temple. Merajan is a ancestral temple of the big families that have hug members. So when Galungan day arriving, our family gathered together to pray for the welfare of the given from ancestor and the God.
The other activity else with placing penjor, for the women is very busy to prepare infrastructure for the ceremony called "mejejahitan" making offerings for the ancestors and Gods. While the man in the community of the region is slaughtered pigs. The pig is a symbol of human character about lazy (tamas) and other ugly trait that should be eliminated in our heart. After slaughtering pigs, that meat is shared to all. Here the traditional Balinese food called "lawar" will made. Lawar is made from pig's blood and grated coconut (nyuh) were given a special flavor.
For those of you who want to feel the atmosphere the wins of the virtue against the evil, come...! this is it the day before Galungan Coming!
Bali has a wide range of ritual beliefs inherited from generation to the generation into a custom or habit of us in addressing an event at the largest until the smallest. In fields such property, there is usually any rock shrines which is called Pelinggih Tugun Karang, which is where the owner to expressed their gratitude to the God for the crops that have been given. There are shrines at each field location in Bali which is believed to maintain any obstruction that causes disruption to the crops.
