Bali’s 25th Arts Festival

Since the emergence of Bali’s Art Festival in 1979, the months of June and July have been famous for this colorful event, the most precious arts festival in Bali which runs from morning to evening for one month attracting the enthusiasm of the Balinese community. The festival also attracts a lot of visitors from overseas. This year Bali’s Arts Festival (abbreviated in Indonesian to ‘PKB’) has entered its of quarter of a century’s existence, clinging to the theme of Cakra Yadnya which means ‘non-stop creativity’, to encourage audiences to watch it for the 25th time.

Bali’s traditional drum band, Adi Merdangga, will lead the festival’s opening parade, to be held on 14th June officiated by the country’s head of state, President Megawati Sukarnoputri at Bajra Sandi Monument in Renon, Denpasar.
As previous years, Denpasar’s Arts Center will be the focus of all festival activities. The Indonesian Academy of Arts (‘STSI’), according to the performance program, will appear on stage on Saturday, 14th June 2003, in a colossal show of ‘Oratorium Siwanataraja’. This is a show engaging hundreds of dancers and gamelan musicians, telling the story of Siwanataraja, ruler of the Earth and cosmic dancer.
Artistic performances have played a dominant role in the festival since it started, though the program features other items such as parades, exhibitions, contests and seminars. The public can see not only artistic performances but also a variety of Balinese specific stage performances in the festival arena, from classical arts up to contemporary ones. They can also appreciate artistic performances from other regions and even those from abroad.
Since the birth of the PKB festival, it has developed to play a number of roles. It is now a medium and implement to discover and to preserve cultural arts, to drive the community forward, to elevate creativity, to secure constructive entertainment, to develop the younger generation and to promote cultural tourism. The aim is to develop social prosperity, both physically and morally. Perda No. 7/1986 regional regulation of Bali has strengthened this.
The arts in Bali are a dedication, worship and an expression of aesthetic character. It closely relates to the Hindu religion, to which the majority of Balinese adhere. There is no single religious rite in this island executed without a religious ritual. Even the public believe that a religious ritual does not attain a proper level it is absent of artistic performance.
Balinese rest on a tradition of ngayah voluntarily work. People involved in the arts of painting and sculpture will be spiritually satisfied if they can contribute something to the existence of religious objects. A mask dancer would be spiritually proud if he were able to demonstrate his ability at a ritual procession. A karawitan dancer would be proud of having performed a positive role in creating a sacred atmosphere through the striking of gamelan instruments.
The PKB festival has come to the fore upon the initiative of the late Governor of Bali, Ida Bagus Mantra, with a spirit of dedication and ngayah, inspiring us to become engaged in artistic life in this Island of Arts. Forms of art that rarely seen and have almost been forgotten, via the PKB festival, have been conserved and developed in the eyes of our people.(Kadek Suartaya)
Contributor, Bali Travel News

Holy Days Related to Galungan

The following are some holy days to be celebrated before, on and after Galungan Day on Wednesday, 18th June 2003:

Sugihan Jawa and Bali
There are two kinds of Sugihan Holy Day, which are for both physical and spiritual purification. Firstly, Sugihan Pangenten (Sugihan Jawa), which will be celebrated on Thursday, 12th June 2003, is a day of purification of bhuwana agung (universe) and sacred sites (temple, ancestral merajan temple, and houses), by offering sesajen, usually flowers, to honor deities and ancestors. Secondly, Sugihan Bali is celebrated on Friday, 13th June 2003, by holding a ritual and asking for tirtha penglukatan (a means of cleansing) given by a ‘pemangku’ (priest.)

Penyekeban
On this day, Sunday 15th June 2003, all implements needed to celebrate Galungan Holy Day are prepared, by performing a process to mature fruits and starting to cook a variety of food and delicacies dedicated to Galungan Holy Day.

Penyajahan
This event falls on Monday 16th June 2003, inviting Hindus to master or subvert physical cravings towards promoting vigilance, patience, holiness, and closeness to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi (God Almighty).
 
Penampahan
Penampahan Galungan, which falls on Tuesday 17th June 2003, is a busy occasion to survive against Sang Kala Tiga Amangkurat, the dark power trying to provoke the human spirit. On this day, people are to slaughter pigs, nampah celeng, for sacrifice. The meat is then used to make sesaji foods such as lawar chopped meat and satay. In the evening, maprayascita and Bhuta yadnya rites are carried out by placing the sesaji in courtyards and houses and beside weapons or daily-work tools. A penjor is then placed in front of houses.

Galungan
Galungan is the peak event, falling on Wednesday 18th June 2003. It reflects the victory of Dharma (Truth) in fight against Adharma (Evil). The prepared sesaji is dedicated to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi, followed by common prayer in the ancestral temple, merajan or pura. The Philosophical value of Galungan is to uphold Dharma with day-long prayers and pesantian, reading or melodically citing sacred songs, taken from the wiracarita sacred verses, Mahabharata and Ramayana. By interpreting the sacred verses, Hindus people receive guidance towards keeping Dharma (virtue) through the ups and downs of economic and political crises.

Manis Galungan
Manis Galungan day falls on Thursday 9th June, when people visit others, usually family members, before 12.00 o’clock. Some people, mainly young couples, spend time and tourist attractions.

Pemaridan Guru
Saturday 21st June is the day of Pemaridan Guru, is a day of self-purification both physically and spiritually, followed by nyurud or asking for yadnya in the form of Guru’s rice cone as a gesture of gaining bestowal from Bhatara Hyang Guru deity.
 
Ulihan
Sunday 22nd June is Ulihan day when deities go back to their respective site in Heaven, while the following day of Monday 23rd June is characterized as Pemacekan Agung, aimed to let Sang Bhuta Galungan’s spirit and entourage go back to their site of origin.

Kuningan
Friday 27th June is the day of Penampahan Kuningan, an occasion when Balinese again prepare sesaji for Kuningan Day on 28th June. People believe that during Kuningan Holy Day, often called Tumpek Kuningan, Dewa and Pitara gods again bless people, animals, and the natural environment, with waranugraha award both physically and spiritually.

Buda Kliwon Pahang
Wednesday 31st June is a day of Buda Kliwon Wuku Pahang or Buda Kliwon Pegat Wakan, the end of the Galungan celebration series. It is a day when Balinese are busy with post Galungan and Kuningan waste material, including uprooting of penjor poles, to restore a clean and orderly environment. Waste materials remaining from ritual implements are burnt and their ashes put into young yellowish coconut fruit and buried in the sacred yard of houses or merajan.

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