Klungkung, Ancient Kingdoms

The Sacred Barong Dance of Jumpai Village

The tradition of performing sacred Barong Dances once in fifteen days is rarely performed by the Balinese. However, this tradition can be seen at Jumpai Village, Klungkung. This village is located some 8 kilometers from the Semarapura City to the south.

The barong performance takes place on the road, in front of the Village Hall of Jumpai. It is conducted on Kajeng Kliwon day (a three and five-day week based on the Balinese calendar). Local people believe if they do not perform the dance, there will be plague or illnesses spread throughout the village so local people never disobey this unique tradition.
According to I Ketut Reme, a prominent figure of Jumpai Village, the performance begins at 18.30 (at intermediate times day and night) taking the theme of Barong Suari. The story begins with the disappearance of Bhatara Giri Putri who leaves this mundane world to the Goddess Durga. The Lord Shiva sends deities to bring back the goddess to Sivaloka (Heaven).
Deities’ manifestation becomes the subject of the storyline. The search of the Lord Isvara in four directions, is the storyline depicted in the form of a White Mask (Telek) Dance followed by the search for the Lord Brahma that is represented through Red Mask (Jauk) Dance.
On the way, Lord Brahma encounters Lord Isvara. They both do not find the Goddess Durga. In the meantime, Lord Vishnu who is characterized in the form of a Black Mask well known as Banaspati Raja also takes part in the search. In its manifestation as Barong, Lord Vishnu makes his journey to every nook and cranny of the jungle arriving at the burial ground named Ganda Mayu. There, the Barong sees a woman named Rarung who is applying black magic to generate the plague. The Barong asks Rarung, but she does not response since she practices monabrata (no speaking) to implement her black magic.
Barong gets angry, and a struggle explodes between the two. Rarung is conquered and she asks for assistance to her preceptor, the Goddess Durga. The latter appears in the form of Rangda. The struggle between the Goddess Durga and Barong was inevitable. Ultimately, Barong (Banaspati Raja) was defeated. Then, Barong knew that the Goddess Durga provided for Rarung. This matter is then passed to Lord Shiva. He came down to earth in his manifestation as Lord Rudra animating the body of Barong to meet the Goddess Durga.
The intimacy of Lord Shiva and the Goddess Durga gave birth to thousands Kalas. When they realized, they returned to Sivaloka. So, they only left Kalas behind on earth. Kalas that fills the entire world will defeat or devour all, including the earth itself.
Such was life in this mundane world just like a person who is Ngunying/Narat (stabbing Kris dagger into the chest) that means life equals to Samsara, as we are impossible to avoid the Kalas or time. (BTN/033)