| Galungan | |
|---|---|
 Penjor lining a road in Bali at Galungan | |
| Also called | Galungan |
| Observed by | Balinese Hindus |
| Type | Hindu |
| Observances | Prayers, Religious rituals |
| Date | Hindu Balinese pawukon Buda Keliwon Dunggulan |
Galungan is a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma. [1] It marks the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth. The last day of the celebration is Kuningan, when they return. The date is calculated according to the 210-day Balinese Pawukon calendar.
Galungan marks the beginning of the most important recurring religious ceremonies. The spirits of deceased relatives who have died and been cremated return to visit their homelands, and the current inhabitants have a responsibility to be hospitable through prayers and offerings. The most obvious sign of the celebrations are the penjor - bamboo poles with offerings suspended at the end. These are installed by the side of roads. A number of days around the Kuningan day have special names, and are marked by the organization of particular activities. [2]
| Name of day | Activities | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days before | Penyekeban | Cooking of bananas for offerings |
| 2 days before | Penyajaan | Making of jaja (fried rice cakes) |
| 1 day before | Penampahan | Slaughtering of pigs or chicken for feasts |
| 1 day after | Manis Galungan | Visiting family |
| 10 days after | Kuningan | Prayers, offerings - spirits return to heaven |
| 11 days after | Manis Kuningan | Fun |
Galungan begins on the Wednesday (Buda), the 11th week of the 210-day pawukon calendar. This means that there are often two celebrations per solar year. Dates for 2018-2024 are as follows: [3]
| Year | Galungan | Kuningan |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | May 30 | June 9 |
| 2018-2019 | December 26 | January 5 |
| 2019 | July 24 | August 3 |
| 2020 | February 19 | February 29 |
| 2020 | September 16 | September 26 |
| 2021 | April 14 | April 24 |
| 2021 | November 10 | November 20 |
| 2022 | June 8 | June 18 |
| 2023 | January 4 | January 14 |
| 2023 | August 2 | August 12 |
| 2024 | February 28 | March 9 |
Melasti – Cleansing & Purification
The Melasti ceremony is one of the most important religious rituals in Bali, which takes place a few days before the Nyepi ceremony, also known as the “Day of Silence”.
The Melasti ceremony is a purification ritual practiced by the Balinese people to cleanse their body, mind, and soul before the onset of the new year in accordance with the Saka calendar.
Traditionally, the Melasti ceremony is conducted near the coast or a riverbank, as water is believed to possess purifying qualities. During the ceremony, participants adorned in traditional Balinese attire carry various offerings and sacred items as they make their way to the water source. These offerings typically consist of fruits, flowers, rice, and other symbolic objects. Throughout the procession, prayers and hymns are chanted to invoke blessings and purification.
Nyepi – Day of Silence
It is commemorated every Isakawarsa (Saka new year) according to the Balinese calendar (in 2024, it falls on March 11). It is a Balinese celebration mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia.
The Ghost Festival or Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival in Taoism and the Yulanpen Festival in Buddhism, is a traditional festival held in certain East and Southeast Asian countries. According to the Chinese calendar, the Ghost Festival is on the 15th night of the seventh month.
Balinese Hinduism is the form of Hinduism practised by the majority of the population of Bali. This is particularly associated with the Balinese people residing on the island, and represents a distinct form of Hindu worship incorporating local animism, ancestor worship or Pitru Paksha, and reverence for Buddhist saints or Bodhisattava.
The Balinese people are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the Indonesian island of Bali. The Balinese population of 4.2 million live mostly on the island of Bali, making up 89% of the island's population. There are also significant populations on the island of Lombok and in the easternmost regions of Java.
Hinduism is the third-largest religion in Indonesia, based on civil registration data in 2022 from Ministry of Home Affairs, is practised by about 1.69% of the total population, and almost 87% of the population in Bali. Hinduism was the dominant religion in the country before the arrival of Islam and is one of the six official religions of Indonesia today. Hinduism came to Indonesia in the 1st-century through Indian traders, sailors, scholars and priests. A syncretic fusion of pre-existing Javanese folk religion, culture and Hindu ideas, that from the 6th-century also synthesized Buddhist ideas as well, evolved as the Indonesian version of Hinduism. These ideas continued to develop during the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires. About 1400 CE, these kingdoms were introduced to Islam from coast-based Muslim traders, and thereafter Hinduism, which was previously the dominant religion in the region, mostly vanished from many of the islands of Indonesia.
Barong is a panther-like creature and character in the Balinese mythology of Bali, Indonesia. He is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda, the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders in the mythological traditions of Bali. The battle between Barong and Rangda is featured in the Barong dance to represent the eternal battle between good and evil.
The Pawukon is a 210-day calendar that has its origins in the Hindu religion in Bali, Indonesia. The calendar consists of 10 different concurrent weeks of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 days. On the first day of the year it is the first day of all the ten weeks. Because 210 is not divisible by 4, 8, or 9, extra days must be added to the 4, 8, and 9 day weeks.
Nyepi is a Balinese "Day of Silence" that is commemorated every Isakawarsa according to the Balinese calendar. It is a Balinese celebration mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia.
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Ogoh-ogoh are statues built for the Ngrupuk parade, which takes place on the eve of Nyepi day in Bali, Indonesia. Ogoh-ogoh normally take the form of mythological beings, mostly demons. As with many creative endeavours based on Balinese Hinduism, the creation of Ogoh-ogoh represents spiritual aims inspired by Hindu philosophy.
Achintya, also known as Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa and Sang Hyang Tunggal, is the Supreme God of Indonesian Hinduism, especially on the island of Bali. Achintya is equivalent to the metaphysical concept of Brahman of Indian Hinduism and is the Supreme God in traditional wayang theatre. All gods, goddesses, and existence are believed to be the manifestation of the Achintya in Balinese Hinduism.
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Ngejot refers to the Hindu ritual of giving food to neighbors as a gesture of gratitude, usually during times of celebrations or holidays.
Ngelawang is a preparatory ritual performed by Hindus in Bali, Indonesia.
Melasti is a Hindu Balinese purification ceremony and ritual, which, according to the Balinese calendar, is held several days prior to the Nyepi holy day. It is observed by Hindus in Indonesia, especially in Bali. Melasti was meant as the ritual to cleanse the world from all the filth of sin and bad karma through the symbolic act of acquiring the Tirta Amerta, "the water of life".
Otonan is an Balinese Hindu birth ceremony carried out in Bali, Indonesia.
Ketupat, or kupat, or tipat is a Javanese rice cake packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch. Originating in Indonesia, it is also found in Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and southern Thailand. It is commonly described as "packed rice", although there are other types of similar packed rice such as lontong and bakchang.
A wantilan is a Balinese pavilion (bale) used for activities involving large crowds. A wantilan is the largest type of bale in Balinese architecture. A wantilan is basically a large wall-less hall placed under a large multi-tiered roof. A wantilan as a public building is usually located at a village's main square or main junction and functions as an open hall to hold large community activities such as meeting halls or a public musical gamelan performance. A wantilan is also a religious building, an integral part of Balinese temples used to hold the Balinese cockfighting ceremony.
Pura Dalem Sakenan is a pura located at the north-western shore of Serangan, a small island about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of Denpasar, Bali. Pura Dalem Sakenan is dedicated to [rambut sedhana] and is associated with prosperity. Pura Dalem Sakenan is the focus temple of the 210-day Piodalan festival where in the past processions of pilgrims visited the island on foot or by traditional colorful wooden boats called jukung. With the construction of the bridge connecting the Serangan island with Bali as well as the reclamation of the island, the use of colorful jukung for pilgrimage has died out.
