'Tabuh rah' may ward off evil

Jagaditha, Contributor, Gianyar

Bali's Police Chief Insp. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika is currently waging war against traditional cockfighting, or tajen, which was once performed as a sacred ritual but has now become a source of gambling for many local men.

As a social vice, Pastika argues that tajen causes many problems for both the spectators (bebotoh), their families and society as a whole. In response, the Bali Police have launched extensive media campaigns using both the printed and electronic media to urge Balinese people to shun tajen.

But, in the Hindu temple of Pura Hyang Api in Kelusa village, Payangan, Gianyar, cockfighting is still sacrosanct as it is closely linked to the tabuh rah religious ritual.

Cockfights must be held for 35 consecutive days or otherwise the village people believe they will suffer various forms of physical and other misfortunes, affecting both humans and their livestock.

During the first five days, the cockfights are usually held from dawn to noon. At least 100 pairs of fighting cocks will be involved.

No one would dare to cheat their opponent, and each fight is presided over by an impartial referee. As these cockfights are connected with religious belief, the police and the authorities would face enormous hurdles if they were to attempt to prevent the cockfights.

The local people believe that anyone who tries to stop the cockfights will experience bad luck, including falling victim to ill health or accidents.

These cockfights are staged during the anniversary, or piodalan, of the Pengerebonan temple in Kesiman Village, Denpasar.

One of the temple's ordinary priests, Made Mardika, explained that the cockfights are not profane. "This type of cockfighting is called tabuh rah, not tajen as outsiders usually think," said Mangku Mardika.

He explained that tabuh rah, which literally means the spilling of blood, consists of a series of rituals to appease the evil spirits (buthakala) with blood. The rituals are mainly aimed at preventing the evil spirits from harming people.

In the temple, previously called Pura Pemuteran Jagat, tabuh rah must be staged to avoid religious and social disharmony. A few years ago, the temple authorities decided to ban the tabuh rah. Local people in Kesiman village to this day claim that they have faced all manner of hardships as a result.

It is recalled that during one temple anniversary a local man had a strange experience. At prayer time, he fell into a trance and started to repeatedly slash at his chest with a dagger. His blood spilled out onto the temple's courtyard.

"In the past, when people went into trances, they could not be hurt by any weapon or burnt by fire. They became 'untouchable'," the low priest said.

Since tabuh rah was forbidden, local people claim that many strange events have occurred during piodalan rituals. The temple authorities have frequently asked the police and local government to allow them perform tabuh rah, but to no avail.

Based on the incidents that have occurred, the people in Kesiman village believed they should be allowed to hold the tabuh rah ceremony. "If we don't spill the blood of the cocks, then it will be human blood that will be spilt," he explained.

The priest also claimed that police officers and local officials who tried to stop the cockfights often had strange experiences. One day, a number of policemen came to the temple and ordered the locals to break up a cockfight.

A few days later, some of the officers came back to the temple to seek forgiveness from the temple guardians. It was reported that after they broke up the cockfight, the officers fell victim to "unknown illnesses" and "strange accidents".

"Balinese police usually ask the spectators and those involved very politely to stop the cockfight," he said.

He said that one day a number of non-Balinese police officers visited the temple. They brusquely ordered the cockfight to be stopped, and then shot the cocks dead.

"They did not believe in the sacredness of tabuh rah and the consequences of not holding the ceremony," Mangku Mardika said.

The following day, he claims, one of the policemen suffered a stroke. "His friends said the officer was in good health beforehand," he said. Later, he presented an offering to honor the temple's guardians, after which he felt better.