Balinese Life
Galungan, A Day When the Devas Comes Down

If you make a visit to Bali in October, you will see the look of this island different than usual. Along the street, you will see exquisite penjors (bamboo poles festooned with several flowers and young coconut leaf decoration) of many sizes and colours as on that occasion the Balinese are celebrating Galungan and Kuningan festivity falling on 5 and 15 October.

In the perspective of Balinese people, that day is the time when devas comes down to earth to confer blessing security and prosperity. Galungan, is based on the Balinese calendar system falling on Buda Kliwon Wuku Dungulan (Wednesday, 5 October 2005). The day is often called festivity of the world, or a special day to venerate God that has created the cosmos along with its contents. At the same day, they offer various kinds of oblation and express gratitude on the creation of the universe and blessing of prosperity that has been bestowed to human beings.
Ten days after Galungan (Saturday, 15 October 2005) is called Kuningan Day. Series of this festivity comes to an end on Buda Kliwon Pahang or Buda Kliwon Pegatwakan (Wednesday, 9 November 2005). So, in more than a month, they are in milieu that is full of purity and getting involved in the festivities.
Even though the economic crisis of Indonesia has not recovered yet, the Galungan celebration seemingly does not have an effect. Hindu devotees in Bali celebrate this holiday with great solemnly, proven by the well-ordered line of penjors on the street side as symbols of their gratitude to God on all blessing of fecundity and security invoked to human beings.
So, how do they prepare the Galungan celebration? A month in advance, women count how much money they have, what kind of cake and fruit, how many bundles of young coconut leaf, flower and banana leaves and other offering ingredients they should purchase.
For those whose financial position is just barely enough, they will go to market earlier purchasing the ingredients of ritual needs. Little by little, they store up these ingredients. They do shopping earlier, especially at traditional markets, as the price of goods is still relatively cheaper.
Other than ritual needs, they also purchase clothing and jewellery for their children that will be worn on the worshiping occasion. This means, activities of traditional markets have significantly increased since June. Similarly, the atmosphere of the market is even more crowded than on usual days and flocks of consumers are busy bargaining.
In the meantime, the men are no less serious to calculate their money in order to be able to purchase pork, chicken, eggs and spices for preparing the distinctive Balinese food that is served in the form of lawar, satay, bone, urutan (sausage a la Bali) and so forth. As well, they establish a small group of 10 to 15 persons to mepatung or jointly purchasing a pig. In general, they do not want to purchase pork at market. They buy a pig belonging to their neighbour or the surrounding villager, and then it is slaughtered together and divided equally on Penampahan Galungan (4 October 2005). In the afternoon, they are busy making penjor. They select a good bamboo pole and affixing wastra wali (paraphernalia) at worshiping places like family shrines, temple sand other sacred places.
The activity is waited for by children is lawar party on Penampahan Galungan and having sightseeing together with friends after the worshiping. Their meal portion will be much bigger than on usual days. On Galungan Day, they infrequently eat four to five times a day.
For young boys or girls, apart from being busy assisting their parents, they also take advantage of this moment to have picnic and promenade with their fiancée to tourist destinations. Some others hold charitable activity or establish mini stall at the balai banjar or village hall to raise funds for their organization. Don’t be surprised if you happen to pass through in front of a village hall hearing a loud music strings, just like restaurant ambience. This charitable stall takes place for three days successively.
Ketut Sumadi Contributor of Bali Travel News