The Village Wood

Once upon a time, in a village in East Bali, a group of men were chatting in the village field. Some of the men were the elderly men of the village, and they sat on the bare dusty ground before the other people who also sat, forming a circle. On that day, they were discussing a plan to construct a ‘Bale banjar’. ‘Bale banjar’ is an open-air building where village people gather and conduct shared-activities. The bale banjar would be a proper place to hold meetings, unlike where they sat then under the burning sun and on a dusty ground.

One of the elderly men started the meeting by greeting the floor with ‘Om Swastiastu’. The participants replied in the same way, with their palms held towards their chests. In the meeting, it was then concluded that a lot of timber would be needed to build a Bale banjar. In those days, neither cement nor iron was heard of, it was then agreed that timber would be taken from the wood at the end of the village.
The following day, early in the morning, the villagers had gathered in the field; some carried machetes, the others carried axes and the rest brought some ropes. When everyone had arrived, they marched to the wood. The wood was as silent as usual you could only hear distant sounds of the animals. The villagers then chose the trees and commenced the work. The men with machetes would pioneer their way by cutting down shrubs and bushes around the trees. As they did this, many animals emerged from those plants and escaped in fear. That morning, the quiet wood became full and noisy.
Nobody ever knew whether it was a misfortune or merely an accident that occurred that very day. There was a man whose hand came off when some timber fell on him and a snake bit another man. However, those accidents did not stop the work, they became even more spirited. They were longing for a Bale Banjar, a place to shade them in hot days and to shelter them in rainy days.
They continued their work until suddenly the villagers were scared to death and ran like the wind after a gigantic snake suddenly emerged. The fleeing men went back to their village and gathered in the field. Their breaths were short and their faces ashen with fright. The village chief then went to meet a sage and told him what had just happened. Having learned of the frantic situation, the sage started a meditation and with his natural power, he tried to seek a clue or vision. He closed his eyes and his mouth cast some spells. A few moments later, he regained conciousness and managed to inform the villagers of what he had found out. He told the villagers that the spirit of the wood, a supernatural being that ruled the wood, was outraged by their impolite breaking through into the wood and picked up any tree as they wish to be cut down as if they were the owner of the wood. The spirit also demanded the villager to re-plant seeds even more than the number of their target trees.
The next morning, the villagers went back to the wood, only this time they brought with them some offerings, some seeds and when they arrived in the wood they apologized. After the ceremony was conducted, they continued the work until they got enough timber. This time, no more people were injured in any serious work accidents and the giant snake did not return. As demanded by the spirit, they planted branches with leaves into the center of the trunk of the trees they felled, around that, the people planted seeds so trees would grow replacing the ones they had cut.
This custom of replanting trees still remains in many remote villages in Bali. In Tenganan village, if a person wants to cut down a tree, he must ask permission from his village chief even if the tree grew from his very own yard. After that, he must re-plant some seeds, more than the number of trees that he cut. It seems that the Balinese have known for a long time the importance of conserving nature. (Gung Man)

Balineselife
‘‘Tumpek Wariga’’

During the Balinese calendar there will be six Tumpek, Tumpek Landep is the first tumpek and is always celebrated on the second Saturday (Saniscara) of the new year (Kliwon wuku landep). This ceremony is to give thanks to the God of weapons and objects made from iron. Tumpek Wariga is the second tumpek, which is celebrated on the 7th Saturday (Kliwon wuku Wariga), to give thanks to the God of plants. The third tumpek is Tumpek Kuningan, which is celebrated on the 12th Saturday (Kliwon wuku Kuningan) to revere the Holy Spirit. The fourth is Tumpek Krulut on the 17th Saturday (Kliwon wuku Krulut), usually, on this tumpek day artisans are really busy, because of the connection to the arts. Tumpek Uye is the fifth tumpek that is celebrated on the 22nd Saturday (Kliwon wuku Uye) to praise the God of domesticated animals. The last is Tumpek Wayang that also falls on a Saturday (Kliwon wuku Wayan).

Tumpek Wariga is celebrated every 210 days or 6 months of the Balinese calendar. Tumpek Wariga is also called Tumpek Bubuh, because the offerings contain bubuh (porridge) such as bubuh sumsum (porridge made using refined flour). The offering is dedicated to all plants that help human life, such as coconuts, mangoes, durian, bananas, etc.
According to Dra. Ni Made Sri Arwati, in his book about Tumpek, the aim of this ceremony (Tumpek Landep) is to ask the God of plants for many fruit bearing plants that can be used by humans.
The Tumpak Wariga celebration is also a time for expressing human gratitude to plants. Plants are seen as human relatives, as they are also part of God’s family. It is people’s duty to protect plants, so for that reason, the Balinese have to make special offerings for plants.
Tumpek Wariga is often known as Tumpek Pengarah. Pengarah means giving instructions to plants so they can produce well and have a good harvest. Tumpek Wariga is the beginning in a series before Galungan (the day when Dharma won against Adharma). Galungan is a really important day for all Hindus in Bali and on this day, the Balinese make a lot of offerings.
For the Tumpek Wariga ceremony, the ceremony leader will say a special prayer to the plants in order that they can help humans in supplying materials for Galungan day. The chant goes like this: “Kaki-kaki titiang pengarah, malih selae rahina Galunganne, mabuah nyen apang nged. Nged, nged, nged” (“Grandpa-grandpa, 25 days left for Galungan day, produce a lot of fruit, a lot of fruit, a lot of fruit.”).(Made Suambara)

Galungan and ‘’Be Balung’’

Galungan day is a great day for Hindus in Bali. In the Upadesa on page 45 it is written that Galungan is the universe pawedalan day (the birth of the universe), the day when truth came back to the Earth. In the previous time of King Mayadanawa, the land of Bali was not managed well and Bali was in an age of destruction.
Galungan celebrations are held every 6 months of the Balinese calendar, or every 210 days, on Wednesday Kliwon wuku Galungan (the 11th wuku). Offerings and praise are made with purity and honesty to plead for happiness and keep the darkness away.
To commemorate Galungan, there is a sequence of ceremonies leading up to the actual Galungan day:

1. Tumpek Wariga, celebrated 25 days before Galungan, usually called Tumpek Pengarah. Pengarah means giving direction. The ceremony is dedicated to plants so that they grow well and produce a good harvest needed to complete the final Galungan Day ceremony.
2. Sugihan Jawa, held on Thursday Wage wuku Sungsang (the 11th wuku) or 6 days before Galungan day. The meaning and purpose of Sugihan Jawa is to purify Bhuana Agung (the universe).
3. Sugihan Bali, the day after Sugihan Jawa on Friday Kliwon Wuku Sungsang, to purify Bhuana Alit (the self).
4. Panyekeban, on Sunday Pahing wuku Dungulan, for self-control. On Penyekeban day, the woman starts preparing unripe bananas and other fruits. Besides preparing the fruit, she also starts making rice tape, sweet fermented cake for Galungan.
5. Panyajahan, from the word jajah with the prefix pa and suffix an, means authority. It is to increase patience, composure and purity of mind. Panyajahan day falls on Monday Pon wuku Dunggulan.
6. Panampahan day comes from the word nampah meaning ‘cut’. On this day, a day before Galungan, Hindus sacrifice animals for the ceremony and eat the rest. It is usually pigs that are sacrificed, symbolizing the elimination of laziness in our souls. After finishing preparing the dishes needed for offerings, in the afternoon, fathers are busy making penjor. A penjor is made from bamboo that curves at the top and then is decorated with young coconut leaves and produce from the harvest. It symbolizes fertility and prosperity.

The next day is the celebration of Galungan day. On this day, people will gather to pray at the temple or at their own sanggah, a small-scale temple in the house. Before the 1970’s, Galungan day was as the most special day for most people, because only at that time could they wear their new clothes, enjoy nasi tulen (rice) or be balung, a special Balinese food made from pork. This is why Galungan is a very special day that brings lot of happiness. (Suambara)