Next, click the tabs below to learn about some of the major holidays celebrated in Bali:
Galungan and Kuningan
Galungan is a Balinese holiday which celebrates the victory of dharma over adharma (the triumph of good over evil). It marks the time when ancestral spirits of deceased relatives visit the Earth. The last day of the celebration is Kuningan, when they leave earth. Around Bali you will see penjor built throughout the island, they are built out of natural materials and filled with offerings for the spirits.
Nyepi
In the Balinese lunar calendar (Saka), Nyepi is New Year’s Day. It is a day entirely dedicated to rest, staying in, turning off the lights and keeping quiet for 24 hours.
Purnama Sasih Sadh (Full Moon Ceremony)
It is believed that on full moon days, moon God Chandra is showering his blessings and magic on the people by offering his light, reminding them of their own light inside. By preparing offerings of fruit, food and flowers and visiting the local temple to recite mantras, it is believed to cleanse the body and soul. This ceremony can last from morning till midnight.
Additionally, there are thousands of ceremonies that happen throughout Bali in a given year, both as holidays and as daily individual ceremonies. Ceremonies are the most important aspect of Balinese life and often require weeks of planning and huge sums of money.
Balinese people understand that money does not go with you into the next life, so it is more important to prioritize ceremonies over money. This is why you might see many people take weeks off of work or spend a month’s salary on one ceremony.
Ceremonies are taken very seriously, but they are also fun! It is a time to come together, laugh and enjoy family and community.
“In Bali, what you see–sekala– is a colorful world of ceremony, ritual, dance, and drama. What you don’t see, what is occult –niskala– is the doctrine underlying the pageants, the code underlying the rites, and the magic underlying the dance.”
From BALI: Sekala & Niskala, by Fred B. Eisman, Jr.
Reflection 12: How does this quote reflect and relate to the cultural practices seen and discussed in the videos of this section?