Karangasem, On the Wallace Line

"Tumpek Landep In Andekasa Temple

The temple of Andakasa is one of the “Sad Khayangan Jagat” (six main temples in Bali) which is located in the hilltops of Angan Telu, in Manggis, Karangasem. It is about 62 kilometers east of Denpasar. Andakasa is well-known as the place of adoration of Dewa Brahma. Piodalan (the offering ceremony) in Andakasa is held once every six months in Anggara Kasih Medangsia following the Balinese calendar (Anggara Kasih Medangsia) and will be on July 8 2003.

According to the pengemong (the committee of the ceremony), there are three main pengemong(s) in Andakasa. They are: the temple cleaning pengemong, the pengangge (the temple attribute) caretaker and the undagi (the sects who work as the temple repairman). Every pengemong has it’s own responsibilities
Besides this annual ceremony, there’s also another important ceremony called ngelandep.
This is connected to the Tumpek Landep, which is the ceremony for tools and implements used in artist’s activities. In this ngelandep, pajenegan (inheritance) of Ida Betara (God) is maintained.
I Ketut Puger as the Kelihan Pura (the head of the temple committee) said that the ngelandep ceremony has been held for centuries up to these days. In this ceremony the pemundut (the main committee) which consists of 80 sects including Jero Mangku (priest) joins in the pajenegan purification process of Ida Betara (God) inheritance.
The aim of this ngelandep, according to Puger, is to ask God for power, and hope that God will bless the temple pengemong. Keeping the spiritual power of the inheritance is another important aim of this ngelandep through the purification of the duwe.
During the ngelandep process, at about 3 pm, all of the pemundut wear a white destar (head cloth), red clothes, a black saput, a red kamen (a sarong) and a dagger is worn around their waist. All are ready for the ngelandep ceremony. The clothes they wear are carefully chosen because of their supernatural power. This cloth can only be worn for the ngelandep ceremony. “This costume can not be used in other ceremonies because of it’s special power. All of us believe in that power,” explained this father of eight sons. The cloth that could be used when following the ceremony in the Andakasa temple is usually red. This color is a symbol of Dewa Brahma.
The Ngelandep ritual begins with a sacrificial offering called pengodal. Ida Betara’s dagger is put in a certain box and is cleaned with tirta (the holy water) by the jero mangku (priest). Puger added that the glove of the dagger is made from pure gold.
A Rejang dance and a Pendet dance are also performed as well as the ngelandep ceremony. After worshipping is completely finished, the sects are allowed to return home. Nyejer lasts for two days, Ida Betara and the day after nyejer is the day for nyineb (the closing of the ceremony) this nyineb is closed by the priest. (Ketut Darmawan )