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Sea in Bali, Ritual and Recreation
Scene
Many tourists, probably including you, that
are now spending holiday in Bali amazed
by the allurement of Bali being surrounded
by ocean. As world favourite tourist destination,
sea and beach of Bali that is slope slightly
comes to be an enjoyable recreation site.
This beach is also best favoured by most
tourists to sunbathe and feel the warm of
tropical sunlight. Some are only surprised
to luxuriate in the allure if pounding waves
that lick the fringe of the beach, while
others swim or surf and play with others
on the roll top of huge waves.
However, to Balinese community, magnificent
sea and beach constitutes a distinctive
place and believed to be sacred one to venerate
the Lord Varuna, God’s manifestation
as the master of the sea. Various rituals
are held at the beach like melasti (paraphernalia
purification), nangluk merana or melukat
(self-purificatory rite). Grandiose ceremony
also held in Kuta and Jimbaran after the
tragedy of bomb blast that killed several
people and made the tourism of Bali sluggish
up to current times.
Melasti is the most frequent ritual performed
at the beach. In the palm-leaf manuscript
Sundari Gama and Swamandala is mentioned:
“melasti ngarania ngiring prewatek
dewata anganyutaken laraning jagat, papa
klesa, letuhing bhuwana, amet sarining amertha
ring telenging segara” (Melasti means
to bring along all pratimas or hallowed
effigies of deity in the purpose to drift
away impurities, miseries and poor mundane
elements and take tirtha amertha—holy
water of life in the sea). This matter is
reaffirmed by the Seminar’s Decision
of Interpretation Unity Towards Hinduism
Aspects held by the Central Hindu Dharma
Assembly (1985); Melasti nganyudang malaning
gumi ngamet tirtha amertha in accordance
with mythology of Lord Ruci and the Turning
of Mandaragiri as mentioned in Itihasa scripture.
Melasti is not independent but series of
certain rituals. It aims at carrying out
self-purification both physically and spiritually,
getting rid of all impurities and miseries
in this mundane world, that human gets purity
of the soul and mind, human life arrives
back at harmony with nature, the fellow
humans and God (Tri Hita Karana), so the
performance of main ritual can run flourishingly
and smoothly.
Melasti procession to the sea involves all
community members. Children and adolescences
march neatly while bringing along the long
pennant, spear and ritual umbrella while
women balance offerings and other ritual
paraphernalia. Meanwhile, adult men carry
jempana or sedan chair of the effigies and
many kinds hallowed representations like
barong and rangda. When everything is complete,
the group of village community is ready
to leave in a procession to the sea of which
distance may be more than 10 km. During
the passage, the temple priests chant holy
hymns that accompanied by bleganjur gamelan
orchestra played in fast rhythm as if it
meant to provoke the enthusiasm of the villagers.
And this pilgrimage does not make them feel
tired.
For community of which village is away from
the beach, like at mountain range, melasti
can be performed to lake, river other sanctified
springs in the vicinity of the village.
Performance of melasti is adjusted to the
local concept of desa, kala and patra (place,
time and circumstance) so every region has
its own characteristic and the term melasti
varies to some regions like mekiyis, melis
or mapeningan. Up to these days, there are
overly limited references that give an explanation
of melasti ritual so its performance is
mostly based on drsta or tradition that
has been believed and practised from time
immemorial.
According to Drs. I Gede Sura, a prominent
Hindu figure of Bali, the word melis is
derived from lis meaning clean or pure.
Melis means purification or purifying, while
the word melasti means tepining toya or
water fringe. Melasti is ritual carried
out at the fringe of sea (beach), river,
lake or other springs that means to do purification,
purify the universe, palemahan (physical
environmental), ritual paraphernalia and
human physically and spiritually.
Melasti conducted in relation to celebration
of Nyepi or Silence Day is commenced by
carrying all pratimas to Bale Agung pavilion
of each customary village (pratimas assemble
at Bale Agung), then leave together on foot
leading to the sea or other springs. Pratimas
of bhatara-bhatari are carried on the head
one after another. There are also those
that do not assemble together in advance,
but waiting on the street and then depart
together to the beach in a procession.
However, within last several years, particularly
devotees who live away from the beach or
springs, they do the melasti procession
by truck or other vehicles. While, there
are also some executing it on foot and the
pratimas are not carried on the head or
shoulder, but put them into a sort of cart
then pushed by devotees alternately.
On arriving at beach or spring, after the
pratimas are abode on the position prepared,
the ritual is commenced by performing mecaru
or exorcism rite as symbol to purify the
location and neutralize the power of bhuta
kala in order the ritual will accomplish
flourishingly. Then, continued with executing
puja wali, namely the culminating agenda
to the Almighty God along with His manifestations
and particularly to Lord Varuna as the master
of the sea, resource of holy springs. Having
completed the puja wali, it is resumed with
ngamet amertha (taking holy water) in the
sea while putting sesaji pekelem (offerings)
equipped with a white duck and chicken that
are thrown away alive into the sea. When
the procession of taking holy water is over,
devotees perform worship en masse and concluded
with nunas tirtha amertha (invoking holy
water) that sprinkled three times on the
head, gulped down and washed away to the
face for three times.
After the worship, the melasti ritual ends.
All pratimas then carried back to Bale Agung
escorted by devotees and nyejer (stand by)
there for one day. Tirtha Amertha taken
from the sea is placed on special spot to
be re-used on the tawur and pangrupukan
rituals. Such tirtha amertha is sprinkled
at home and village territory as symbol
of purification and getting rid of any impurities,
sarwa mala and sarwa papa.
How special the existence of the sea and
beach are to the Balinese, so they at all
times endeavour to preserve them. Do not
be surprised if you ever heard a conflict
between the Balinese and tourism businessmen
who develop the beach and sea as tourist
object that followed by the establishment
of hotel or other accommodation facilities
disturbing ritual procession on the beach
and contaminating the purity of sea.
If you happen to enjoy recreation at the
beach when the Balinese perform melasti
or other rituals, it would be advisable
for you not to watch or take picture too
closely as your presence may disturb the
rituals. Ultimately, enjoy your holiday
and happy New Year, 1 January 2006.
Ketut Sumadi
Contributor of Bali Travel News
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