Rituals hoped to bring back peace<\/p>\n
Ananta Wijaya and Ketut Sumarta, Contributors, Kuta, Bali<\/p>\n
After the Pamarisuddha Karipubhaya cleansing ritual is held on
\nNov. 15, the people of Bali are hopeful that peace will once
\nagain return to their island.<\/p>\n
The special ritual is being held to cleanse the island of evil
\ninfluences, or niskala in the Balinese language, caused by the
\nKuta bombing of Oct. 12.<\/p>\n
But high priest Ida Pedanda Gede Putra Bajing said the ritual
\nwould not guarantee the island would be immediately safe.<\/p>\n
\"Balinese should be on the alert. Everybody here, no matter
\ntheir social status, should start rethinking (security) and doing
\nsome introspection,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The priest suggested the Balinese improve their own lives and
\nthat Bali should be redesigned to create a more spiritually
\nharmonious place in which to live.<\/p>\n
He said no one knew whether the bombing was a pralina, the
\ntotal destruction of Bali, or just the first sign of a more
\ndisastrous catastrophe.<\/p>\n
\"That's the secret of the Almighty One. But we don't expect
\nanother disaster to take place on our island. It depends on
\nourselves, whether we want change,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The bombing shows Bali is not immune to outside influences,
\nincluding ideology, politics, economics, cultural and social
\ninfluences. The bombing can also be viewed as the climax of local
\nand national problems.<\/p>\n
AA Ngurah Made Arwatha, a city planning expert, suggested that
\nBali undergo comprehensive changes, covering all policies related
\nto culture, tradition, education, population, the city master
\nplan, economy, politics and the environment.<\/p>\n
\"But we have to do this gradually,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Discussing the present situation in Bali, noted scholar L.K.
\nSuryani, professor of psychiatry at the University of Udayana,
\nsaid the Balinese had forgotten the concept of Tri Hita Karana,
\nwhich spiritually safeguards the island and its people.<\/p>\n
The concept teaches the Balinese how to live in harmony with
\ntheir surroundings. It teaches the Balinese how to enjoy
\nharmonious relationships with their Creator, their brothers and
\nsisters, and the environment.<\/p>\n
\"The Balinese people tend to forget their roots. There are a
\nlot of sacred places that have been transformed into hotels and
\ntourist sites. They sold their ancestors' land to outsiders for
\nthe sake of money,\" the professor said.<\/p>\n
Kuta, she said, was a bad place where people sold drugs,
\nmarijuana and alcohol.<\/p>\n
\"I tend to consider the tragedy as punishment. It was not just
\na slight warning from our gods, our ancestors, but a real
\npunishment because of our own mistakes,\" Suryani said.<\/p>\n
After the bombing, the Balinese government as well as the
\npeople have been expected to look inward and to work hard to
\nreview existing policies, especially those governing customary
\ninstitutions.<\/p>\n
\"We Balinese are not spoiled people. The tragedy should become
\nan important milestone to upgrade our living situation and to
\ndefend our land,\" Suryani said.<\/p>",
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