A grand farewell

A grand farewell

For two months, the people of Ubud had come by the thousands to
help the royal family prepare the palebon (grand cremation) of
its princess Tjokorda Istri Muter. During the same time, the
royal family also spent much energy and funds to finance the
elaborate rite.

An imposing nine-tiered bade (wooden tower), 25 meters tall
and bedecked with glittering ornaments, a giant dragon effigy of
Naga Banda and massive offerings including at least 10,000
coconuts and 600 chickens told of the hard work.

At the climax of the cremation ceremonies on Saturday
evening, the remains of the princess, who died in June at the age
of 94, the bade and the Naga Banda were torched until they turned
to ashes. Some observers might conclude that what they had
witnessed was simply the display of the Ubud people's loyalty
toward their royal family, and the latter's obsession with grand
ceremonies.

However, in Bali, every rite is a symbol and every mantra a
gate to a larger cosmos of meaning. The true meaning of every
cremation lies in the Balinese Hindu's awareness of the ephemeral
nature of existence.

When the high priest released the sacred arrow to kill the
Naga Banda, when the first torch was set upon the corpse, every
Balinese Hindu was reminded once again that lust, desires,
achievements, life and that gilded bade were all transient. And,
that only atma (the primal soul) could survive the flame of
impermanency.

-- I Wayan Juniartha

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