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Each culture that flourish around the globe has its own way in dealing with thief, some cultures use harsh punishment, other use social sanction such as excommunication but the inhabitants of Tenganan village in Bali has a kind of ritual in dealing with thief, it is called Maling-malingan or “game of thief” (the word “maling” in Balinese language means “thief”).
Balinese believe that during the third and fourth month of Balinese Çaka calendar (around September and October in Gregorian calendar), Ratu Gede Nusa also known as Ratu Gede Mas Macaling, the leader of demons and evil spirits which resides in Nusa Penida Island invades Bali with his vast demon and evil spirit legions spreading plagues and death all over the mainland starting from the coastal areas of south Bali. Balinese will take perform various rituals and ceremonies to negate the invasion the negative effects of the invasion and the most popular way is to seek help of another divinities especially from a Barong which usually acts as protector of a certain area.
During this critical months the representative of a certain village will beg to the Barong which in charge in that area to hold a ‘malancaran’ activity to his village. The word ‘melancaran’ is a high Balinese word which means ‘strolling away from one place to another’ in this context the word ‘melancaran’ means the protective Barong and sometimes is accompanied by his consort the Rangda make a trip to the village which need their help. The melancaran is not a direct trip from the temple in which the Barong and Rangda reside to the target village but moving from a temple to another which spread along the way to the target village. Hundreds of followers will accompany the Barong and Rangda during their trip, these followers create a long merry procession accompanied by energetic Balaganjur orchestra.
Three days before Nyepi, Balinese new year is celebrated a melasti must be performed. Melasti, according to the ancient scripture of Sundari Gama and Swamandala is “melasti ngarania ngiring prewatek dewata anganyutaken laraning jagat, papa klesa, letuhing bhuwana, amet sarining amertha ring telenging segara“. In English this sentence means “Melasti means to follow the deity in the purpose to drift away impurities, miseries and poor mundane elements and take tirtha amertha, or holy water of life in the sea”.
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