Balinese Hindus cleanse bombing site

Balinese Hindus cleanse bombing site

I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali

The whole area of Kuta Square Arcade, one of the sites targeted
by terrorists in the Oct. 1 Bali bombings, was transformed into a
sacred space on Sunday, when hundreds of Balinese Hindus held a
ceremony to purify the site.

The Tawur Balik Sumpah ceremony started at around 10 a.m. amid
tight security arrangements, under which all guests and
participants were required to pass through metal detectors before
entering the site.

Over 100 uniformed and plainclothes security officers guarded
the area and its vicinity. Moreover, a bomb containment vehicle
was stationed next to the ceremony's main entry point.

Scores of high-ranking government and security officials,
including Badung Regent Anak Agung Gede Agung and Denpasar Police
chief Sr. Com. Dewa Made Parsana, attended the ceremony along
with leaders of Kuta's traditional communities.

The ritual's inner sanctum was located in the middle of the
two-way lane that ran across the shopping complex. It lay just a
few meters south of the noodle and steak restaurant Raja's, where
a suicide bomber and dozens of guests were killed in the blast on
the night of Oct. 1.

The inner sanctum consisted of the tall bamboo shrines of
Sanggar Surya to the east, a low rectangular ground enclosure,
where most of the colorful offerings were placed, in the middle
and the elevated open pavilion of Bale Pawedan to the west.

Three officiating Hindu high priests -- Ida Pedanda Putra
Bajing of Lebah, Ida Pedanda Bodha of Celuk and Ida Rsi Bujangga
of Sempidi -- were sitting on the pavilion, chanting sacred
mantras and directing scores of Pemangku (temple priests) through
each step of the ritual.

The ceremony began with an offering of aesthetic beauty,
comprising sacred performing arts of Prembon dance drama,
Sidhakarya masked dance and Wayang Lemah puppet theater. However,
it was the sacred dance of Rejang Dewa, performed by dozens of
beautiful little girls, that drew the most attention.

Through slow, simple moves and gestures, these girls were an
exquisite example of the Balinese's aesthetic devotion to their
gods.

Tawur Balik Sumpah is basically a sacrificial ritual of
appeasement. The primary offering was made of various animals,
including three bulls, four goats, scores of chickens and ducks
and sea turtles.

"It aims at appeasing the destructive natural forces and
elements. The ritual will also restore the spiritual balance and
harmony of this place and its people. The Balinese believe that
violent incidents, particularly bloody ones, would disrupt such
harmony, resulting in various adverse consequences in the
future," said Bendesa (chief) of the traditional customary
village of Kuta, Anak Agung Ketut Sudira.

After the presentation of offerings to the presiding gods,
goddesses and natural forces, the Balinese Hindus and dozens of
westerners, who attended the ritual, clasped their hands and
prayed together for a better, peaceful future for their village
and the island.

"Lets hope that the ritual will strengthen our body and soul
to face every future challenge with perseverance and without
betraying our calm and peaceful nature," local community leader
Bagiana Karang said.

The ceremony reached its final stage in the ritual of
Mapekelem, during which scores of sacrificial animals were
drowned at sea at the nearby Kuta beach as an offering to the
spirits of the sea.

A similar ceremony will also take place early in November at
two other bombing sites in Jimbaran village.