Galungan and Kuningan day is Holy Days are significant sacred days for Balinese. This
sacred day that falls each six months or 210 days on the Hindu’s
calendar, this time being will fall on Wednesday. Hindu members
celebrate Galungan as anniversary of dharma’s victory against adharma,
the goodness victory on evilness. On Galungan day, a merry nuance will tinge in Bali Penjor, a bamboo pole decorated with yellowish coconut leaf, rice and fruits, set on in front of the house and street border.
Penjor symbolizes the mountain, holiness, fertility and prosperity. Penjor is set as a grateful sign to God who contributes life and prosperity existence resources. Besides its religious aspect, Penjor is also spouts the esthetic aspect. Penjor
setting on the street border on Galungan day make Bali’s nuance.
Before, Penjor was only set at the time of Galungan nadi, which is
Galungan that falls on the full moon. Now, Penjor is set on each
Galungan day, because Galungan is a special day.
The day before Galungan, which is Tuesday is named Penampahan
or Nampah day. Nampah means slaughtering the animal, usually pork and
small animals such as chicken and ducks. The slaughtering activity is
carried out in-groups of about 20 persons or more, or individually at
their own homes. This meat, besides being a sacrific to God, can also be
consumed at parties or enjoyed with relatives and family. People who
don’t slaughter animals, can buy meat for Galungan preparation. On
Galungan the Balinese Hindu offers the offering at the family temple, Pura Desa ( Village Temple ), and other great temple in Bali, the praying execution held sacredly.
The next morning is called Umanis Galungan,
when Hindu members visit their relatives or relax at tourist places.
Children’s entertainment centers are usually crowded on Umanis Galungan
day, full with children wearing their new costumes, as a part of Holy
day’s cheerfulness. Ten days after Galungan, on Saturday Kliwon wuku Kuningan,
Hindu members also celebrated another sacred day called Kuningan day,
which is the series of Galungan Day. On Kuningan Day, the members also
prays and travels to tourism spots, but not as crowded as Galungan.
An interesting habit on Galungan or Kuningan day,
especially for village children, is watching barong dance around the
village. This Barong dance is usually danced a special sites on temple
or stages. However, on great day like Galungan, the dance is danced in
their front of the house or small shop on the street. This dance called
Ngelawang, which is regularly performed for about 5 – 10 minutes, from
one place to another, and paid by the owner of the house.
The significant point of Ngelawang is
not the mount of payment and performance duration, but an entertainment
that symbolizes an effort to purify the village area. Year ago ngelawang
was held to purify the village territory and tranquilize villager’s
feelings and spirit after a disaster took place. Ngelawang on this
connotation was held in Kuta, Legian, after the bomb-blast 12 October
2002. If there are no significant incident, ngelawang becomes an
entertainment and the continuation of arts tradition.
