Ceremonies to maintain cosmic tranquility and equilibrium

Text and photos by Rita A. Widiadana

TANAH LOT, Bali (JP): The sun shines so brightly. Thousands of villagers flock to the Pura Balai Agung in Beraban village, around 15 kilometers south of Denpasar, wearing their most beautiful and colorful ceremonial attires.

People erect lines of penjor, bamboo poles with decorations wrapped in yellow fabric, on both sides of the village road heading toward the famous Tanah Lot temple, creating a breathtaking sight, especially for first-time visitors to the island.

From April 2 through April 18, more than 15,000 families of Beraban banjar (traditional village) in Tabanan regency, are involved in the most anticipated religious ceremonies, Karya Mamungkah Linggih and Ngusaba Desa Lan Ngusaba Nini, which were last held 40 years ago in l961.

For most Beraban villagers, the ongoing rituals are very important, probably only experienced once in their lifetime. Everyone enthusiastically participates in a series of rites preceding the peak ceremony on Purnama Kesada, the full moon of the tenth month of the Lunar year, which fell on April 7, continuing on until the conclusion of all ceremonies on April 18.

Those working outside Beraban village have already joined their fellow villagers for these special events. Ketut Jarsanda, 47, an immigration officer at the Ngurah Rai international airport in Kuta, has asked for ten days of leave.

"I felt it necessary to attend the rituals. For me, this is the first and maybe the last time. This is my main obligation to the Creator, family, community and the village," said Ketut.

Like Ketut, all village members, males and females, have willingly dedicated themselves to making the events successful.

More than 150 people formed the organizing committee. Dozens of men worked as pecalang (traditional security members) who are in charge of monitoring security problems. Numerous other villagers are preparing a large variety of meals for all members of the community and their guests, and the myriad of banten (offerings) to be presented during the ceremonies.

Dr. Wayan Arwata, chairman of the organizing committee, explained that the ceremonies literally focus on purifying the village and consecrating the newly-renovated Pura Balai Agung in attempts to seek spiritual protection, blessing, prosperity for the temple and its surrounding villages.

"We had long dreamed of holding such a ceremony. But due to a shortage of funds, we have had to postpone it for years," said Arwata, adding that the ceremonies cost approximately Rp 350 million.

Arwata added that money meant nothing to most Balinese if it were used for good deeds.

"Balinese people believe that religious ceremonies are aimed at maintaining the balance between man and the Creator, man and nature, and man with intangible things," he said.

Hindu-Balinese philosophy conceives of the universe, and all within it, as an equilibrium between good and bad forces.

"We cannot eliminate negative forces and ugly things, but they can happen if we do not do anything to maintain the balance. Good and bad always exist side by side," he said.

The series of rituals are elaborate melaspas (purification), performed in every newly built or renovated structure, home, public building or temple. It is a dedication ceremony in which a house or building is "brought back to life".

The first ritual, called Mupulang Ida Betara (gathering the gods), started on April 2, during which all ceremonial items were carried in large pots in a special procession to Pura Balai Agung. The procession was welcomed by Rejang dancers, performed by young virgins symbolizing purity.

The next day was melasti ke segara, involving a procession to the sea or a holy spring during which the village's gods are carried to the source of water and ceremonially sprinkled with holy water.

The village's customary chief, I Made Deka, explained that the ceremonies also involved mecaru, animal sacrifice.

Caru is the name for a class of blood sacrifice that is made to the demons, bhutas and kalas, or more philosophically, to the negative aspect of the universe.

Caru range from a fairly simple offering, requiring the sacrifice of a single chicken, to elaborate ceremonies involving the slaughter of dozens of animals and great stinking piles of coarsely made vegetable offerings.

"We sacrificed 500 animals ranging from water buffaloes, pigs, goats, chickens, puppies, ducks and others," Deka said.

On April 5, hundreds of men paraded the animals throughout Beraban banjar.

"People outside Bali would find it hard to understand why we acted so cruelly," Deka said.

For Hindu-Balinese, the sacrificed animals are believed to be reincarnated in more favorable forms or lives.

During the parade, the animals were sliced lightly to spill their blood in every parts of the village to purify the area.

The animals were then taken to the Pura Balai Agung amid the chanting of the pedandas (Hindu high priests), their mantras consigning the souls of the animals to heaven and a more favorable reincarnation.

Outsiders would find the scene horrifying. "Ugh, I could not believe they did such a cruel thing," said a Japanese observer.

"I could understand the philosophy of the slaughters but I could not stand seeing the beautiful little puppies' heads and skins," added an American woman.

The Balinese people have their own beliefs. They consider bhutas and kalas the manifestations of competing mystical forces. Bhutas are a pocket of destructive force, an imbalance, which must be smoothed, annulled with sacrificed animals to restore order.

A bhuta within the Hindu microcosm of man might be considered as illness or a foul temper. The goal of caru is appeasement, satiating but not eradicating or completely driving out the evil.

The caru were placed on the ground because it is a low place, which is distinguished from the high places reserved for sacred offerings to the dewas (gods).

The principal ceremony took place last Saturday. Everyone prayed for prosperity, for the good of their village and their country.

"We do believe that God will always be with us. We strongly preserve all kinds of rituals and ceremonies to maintain balance in our lives," Arwata said.

The high ceremony was a solemn yet joyful moment. Good and evil have been brought back into balance for another 40 years.