Ceremonies to maintain cosmic tranquility and equilibrium

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.