Balinese Life
Kuningan Ends the Ten-Day Festivity

Ten days after Galungan Holiday is called Kuningan (19 March). Both have relation and same essence as that of Sraddha Wijaya Dasami in India in which both equally contain ancestral worship and last for ten days. Kuningan falls on the tenth day (dasami) of the veneration after Galungan. Worship on this day should be completed before midday, as it is believed that ancestral souls have left for heaven then.

New paraphernalia made of young coconut leaf is set up every shrine to replace the old one on Galungan called tamiang or shield, a symbol of protection against blows and missiles in war. It symbolizes both physical and philosophical enemies. Philosophically, it refers to the enemies within the human self, namely any negative feelings, attitudes and then contemplation. By these, it is expected to find out enlightenment and ultimately can ‘send devotion’ to the predecessors.
A typical content of the offering presented on Kuningan day is yellow fragrant steamed rice dressed up with fried red bean sprout, peeled peanut and sauced grated coconut or saur. Certainly, when the praying is over there would be a delicious modestly cuisine accompanied with other side dish as ingredients in the offerings.
Having prayed at the family ancestral shrines, devotees also make their time to pay homage to general temples which festival falls on Kuningan Day. They may go on this pilgrimage with their family or wider family in the clan associate temple. This pilgrimage is called maturan or tangkil in Balinese language. As a matter of fact, the Balinese, except school children, hardly ever make any regular travel for sightseeing as other people do. This holy journey is beneficial for them, both in spiritual and social experience. If the temple is far from their home, they will prepare themselves early in the morning to avoid traffic jam and long queue at the temple. Some others may choose the night journey.
Some temple festivals that coincidentally fall on Kuningan Day are like that at Ulun Kulkul Temple at Besakih (Karangasem), Taman Pule Temple at Mas, Ubud (Gianyar), Blambangan Temple, Banyuwangi (East Java), Pekendungan Temple, Kediri (Tabanan), Dukuh Telek Temple, Peguyangan (Badung), Dalem Tenggaling Temple, Guliang (Bangli), Dalem Purnajati Tanjung Puri Temple, Tanjung Priok (Jakarta) and Sakenan Temple at Serangan Island (Denpasar).
Sakenan Temple is located in southern Denpasar and lies on the strategic tourism triangle route of Denpasar-Sanur-Kuta. If in past times, devotees rode a jukung outrigger to get there, they can now reach it easily through land access. Flocks of devotees come incessantly from early in the morning until late night. Some pecalang officers or customary village security officers are in charge for this occasion to control the parking, giving information and arrange the queues at the temple. The festival here usually lasts for three days to enable devotees to pay homage at their convenience. (BTN/029)