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"Tumpek
Wayang" and "Sapuh Leger"
Holy Water
A Philosophy of Balinese Art Creativity
 While
having dinner accompanied by the presentation
of Balinese arts at the hotel or a tourist
object, you must be fascinated to watch
gentle movements of the artists on stage.
Inner power emanates from the expression
of artists’ face, which will make
you wonder why the arts so penetrate the
soul and life of the Balinese. The answer
is simple, because their daily religious
life is indeed inseparable from the art
creativity. Various kinds of arts grow and
develop into functioning as manifestations
of presentation to God. That’s why
the form of arts contains high philosophical
significance and are performed coinciding
with holy days or festivals at temples for
family shrine and is called wali dance.
While the art presentation for entertainment
is called balih-balihan dance.
More than that, you need to know that a
Balinese artist has special days to maintain
the taksu (inner power) of its artistry,
including taking care of and conserving
his art tools through ritual procession.
This special day is called Tumpek Wayang
or some others name it Tumpek Aringgit,
falling on Saniscara (Saturday) Kliwon,
Wuku Wayang once in six months. This year,
Tumpek Wayang falls on 26 August.
In fulfilment of the Sundarigama palm-leaf
manuscript, on the Tumpek Wayang, the Balinese
hold a celebratory activity to venerate
the Lord Ishvara, manifestation of God as
the creator and ruler of arts along with
its tools such as wayang, articles with
carving (aringgit), sanctified effigy, gong,
gender, gambang, holy bell, wooden split
drum and other instruments of Balinese gamelan.
On that day, Balinese artists, more so the
gamelan players, dancers and puppeteers,
will be extra busy performing the rituals
and presenting several dances. Oblations
are prepared for the Tumpek Wayang and presented
for such instruments are like peras, ajuman,
perangkat completed with the roasted flesh
of white duck, assorted fruits, canang meraka
and pesucian. While, the oblation for maintaining
the taksu, physical and spiritual purity
and welfare for the artists consisting of
sesayut tumpeng agung, prayascita, penyeneng
and others adjusted to local tradition.
As described by Sundarigama manuscript,
significance of this Tumpek Wayang festivity
is invocation of guidance to Lord Ishvara
in order all sorts of art can deliver physical
and spiritual welfare to human beings. In
addition, the artist attains safety in undertaking
its profession.
Puppet shadow play becomes special on this
day as it does not merely constitute a show,
but it also carries a morality message,
teachings on good character and attitude.
Watching the show means that we observe
self-shadow (microcosm) and the universe
(macrocosm). Equipments utilized in the
puppet shadow play signify particular meanings
such as the screen stands for the human
corporeal body, belencong (lamp) for the
divine light of atman (soul) residing within
the human self, gender wayang (gamelan instrument)
for human conscience. Meanwhile, the puppeteer
itself stands for the God as Jeevatman determining
destine of human and all other living beings.
This life is just like a puppet shadow play,
human may propose and endeavour, but God
eventually dispose the result. On that account,
the Balinese has a life philosophy meserah
ring Sang Hyang Tuduh (submitting one’s
fate to the omnipotence of God) or megantung
aji bok akatih (hanging up with a single
string of hair). The idea is that everyone
should work or behave as good as possible
without binding oneself to the result as
God will bless just result to everybody
in accordance with their deeds. By this
life philosophy, one will not be disappointed
when he encounters failure. On the contrary,
he will not be too happy on attaining success
and arrogant towards what superiority he
has. It is this kind of human called sagacious
one that is capable of bringing peace into
existence.
"Wayang Sapuh Leger"
Someone who is born during the Wuku Wayang
has the characteristic of having a taste
for the arts and being creative as this
wuku is deluged with veneration to God as
the creator and rule of arts. However, behind
it, the Wuku Wayang is also considered to
have vice dimension, so children that were
born during this week may behave unworthy
if they got bad influence from their environment.
Its creative quality will change into demonic,
egoistic and stubborn. They are uncontrollable
and selfish. It is caused by the influence
of Wuku Wayang that is considered impure
where in this week the Goddess Uma has behaved
in an improper manner, namely having intercourse
with a cowherd.
It is said that Goddess Uma loses her common
sense when assigned to look for milk of
a cow for healing her husband, Lord Shiva,
who is sick. Therefore, Goddess Uma allows
her self-esteem to have intercourse in the
forest with a cowherd for the sake of such
milk. She does it to satisfy the passion
of the cowherd. On knowing the case, Lord
Shiva curse Goddess Uma and utters, child
that will be born on the Wuku Wayang will
be passionate and stubborn, just like a
demon.
To prevent the life on earth from being
in total confusion and that human beings
will be free from brutal violence, Lord
Shiva delivered an instruction that those
born during the Wuku Wayang are made penglukatan
Mpu Leger or Sapuh Leger (self-exorcism
rite). Holy water used in this ritual is
invoked from puppeteer of Mpu Leger or Sapuh
Leger. Sprinkles of this holy water can
control the vice qualities of children.
And the children, too, can grow up and develop
flourishingly, smartly and wisely in undertaking
the arts creativity.
I Wayang Sutirtha, SSn., a lecturer at the
Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) Denpasar,
admits that his first-born child, born in
Wuku Wayang, thinks well of arts and is
creative. Since the age of one, his daughter
liked to see someone dancing and her hands
moved instinctively. By now, on entering
her second year, she has requested to learn
dancing. "By chance, there is a dance
studio at my home and many children are
learning to dance here. My daughter gets
interested and likes listening gamelan very
much," said Sutirtha, Chief of the
Lokananta Dance Studio, Singapadu Gianyar.
He also admits that his only daughter also
has quality of stubbornness and sometimes
she is beyond control and has many aspirations.
To remove such demonic qualities, he has
performed such self-purification rite and
staged Wayang Sapuh Leger as well as sanctified
her with the holy water of Sapuh Leger.
"I wish she could grow into a fine
artist," he supposed.
You may believe in the purity vibration
of the Sapuh Leger holy water or not. However,
if you have a demonic characteristic, it’s
not wrong if you try to watch the Sapuh
Leger puppet shadow play. Who knows you
could find peace of mind in Bali while enjoying
your memorable holiday! Ketut Sumadi
Contributor of Bali Travel News
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