Blanco's remains cremated in ritual

UBUD, Bali: The late Spanish-Indonesian painter, Don Antonio Maria Blanco, who died on Dec. 10, was cremated in a traditional Hindu ritual of ngaben in Sayan village here on Tuesday.

The ritual was held by the Ubud royal family and attended by hundreds of residents from two villages. Tjokorda Gde Putra Sukawati, the son of the last Ubud King, led the procession.

"The kingdom had a very close tie with Antonio, whom my father considered as his son," Sukawati said.

Antonio died of complications from heart and kidney diseases at the age of 88 years. He married a local dancer, Ni Rondji, and had four children.

The ngaben ritual of Blanco began on Dec. 23 with a rite of passage. The ritual will end on Wednesday, and the family will conduct a nyegara gunung ceremony, in which they will make a holy trip to the sea and mountains. (zen/04)