The Most Dangerous Time

Published 5 months, 2 weeks ago in People & Community by Sidarta Wijaya | 305 Views

Dusk for Balinese is considered the most dangerous time during the whole day especially around 6 or 7 PM. These hours are known as Sandhi Kala. The word “sandhi” means “secret” and the word “kala” means ‘time”; so “sandhi kala” means “a time full of secret”. Full of unknown things that cannot be seen or felt by common sense.

This time is believed to be the transition between day and night, the time when nocturnal spirits, bhuta kala, and other supernatural creatures come from their hiding place and enjoying their time since the night is believed to be the time for nocturnal creatures to do all their activities. It is believed that the spirits and bhuta kala are in high spirit during the sandi kala, in a magically dangerous day such as Kajeng Kliwon (Friday the 13th a la Balinese), a set of segehan offering is given to the Bhuta Kala during this time and since it is believed that the bhuta kala can only move in straight line and can not turn sharply to left or right there is a great chance for a human wander around during the sandhi kala to collide with the bhuta kala.

Some say that sandhi kala is dangerous since it is the time of the great battle between the Narasingha, the avatar of Wisnu and the great demon Hiranyakasipu. Hiranyakasipu was a demon which could not be killed during the day or night so Naransingha battled and killed him during the sandhi kala. During the sandhi kala parents or grandparents will warn their children or grandchildren not to go out for fear that they will get involve or get hurt in the battle between Narasingha and Hiranyakasipu.

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