Thieves seek blessings from god

Putu Wirata, Contributor, Tabanan, Bali

Being a thief is against religious, social and legal norms. But in Bali, if you want to be a smart one, just pray to get a blessing from the god of thieves at the Pelinggih Sang Hyang Maling sacred site on the slope of Batukaru mountain in Tabanan regency.

In Bali, there are two places of worship dedicated to the god of thieves: Besikalung Temple near the Hoo river and Petali Temple in Jatiluwih village. However, only a few worshipers come to visit the two temples.

"There has been no pemangku (low-ranking priests) at the two temples for quite a long time," said a pemangku from another temple.

The existence of Pelinggih Sang Hyang Maling has raised questions among Balinese scholars, wondering whether the "culture of thieves" was acknowledged in a religious context. The fact that some people praise the god of thieves is still confusing. Up to the present, nobody knows the reason why people built the two temples or their main functions within the Bali Hindu religious concept.

According to old stories and legends, those who wished to become clever thieves should pray at the temples. If the god, Sang Hyang Maling, gave his blessing, those worshipers would soon become adept at the thieving trade.

The pemangku, however, said that Sang Hyang Maling set strict requirements, only allowing thieves to steal "moderately". "The thieves only steal things when necessary. Don't use the stolen goods extravagantly," he warned.

If the thieves failed to meet the requirements, they would loose their "thieving skills". "Apart from thieves, the people here also ask Sang Hyang Maling's blessings to protect their houses and their goods," the pemangku said.

Local scholar Nengah Bawa Atmaja recently wrote an article about the thieves and their relationship with Balinese society.

In the article, he argued that the presence of Pelinggih Sang Hyang Maling represented the Balinese people's idea of a "social bandit".

According to Atmaja, the concept of a social bandit exists not only in Bali but also elsewhere in Indonesia and even in other countries. The Betawi, indigenous Jakarta people, are familiar with the kind-hearted thief Si Pitung. The legendary Robin Hood is another example.

Another scholar, Hadukusumo, writes in Protes dan Proses Budaya (Protest and Cultural Processes) that in Lampung and Aceh provinces, there were ancient traditions allowing individuals or groups to steal from corrupt authorities to help the poor.

In Bali, however, there has been no real evidence of people receiving blessings from Sang Hyang Maling. "People here are no longer interested in becoming 'social bandits'," the pemangku said.

Residents living in Utu, Babahan, Wongaya, Betan and Bolangan villages which surround the two Sang Hyang Maling temples do not follow the social bandit path or worship at the temples.

"People only come to the temple to ask for holy water for the protection of their belongings," the pemangku said.