Here is another interesting insight on Balinese religion from Scott Johnsen, the writing is taken from his thesis which is entitled “From Royal House to Nation”.

Using photographs I had taken, a village official explained the details of a recent marriage ritual. He went through some of the various purifications of the couple, who had been impure (sebel) since they ran off together: a tebasan mabiakala offering is made for the demons (buta kala) within the bodies of the couple; the couple are given betel leaves and old coconut leaves as purificatory substances; they are cleansed with smoke; two kinds of holy water sprayers (lis) are used on them; the couple cut a thread extended between branches of a particular kind of tree celebrated for its fast-growing property (dapdap); the couple feed each other; and a coconut is placed under the couple’s bed.

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Siwa and his wife Dewi Sri were walking once in the mountain walaraoe. And moved by the lonely beauty of place Siwa wanted to enjoy his wife. But she would not, because it seemed to her too solemn and godlike a place for such a thing. And while he strove with her two drops of sperma fell into a hollow of the mountain. Siwa was vexed with is wife because she had caused them to be wasted, and he said mantras over them, and they became twins, a boy and girl. Then he went away with Dewi Sri and left the children alone. And in heaven he heard them crying for food; and he went down to them and told them who their father was, and gave them names: kalawenara and kalekek, and told them to find their food in the graveyard. Kalekek was to eat, but after midday only, the offerings for the dead; Kalawenara was to live beside the magic spring, on the titi-gonggan and serve the god of the spring, whose name was Sanghyang Putrajaya. And his food was to be the coins which accompany the offerings, and one of the cremation offerings.

Meanwhile, Dewi Sri, who was rather out of favor, began to wander whether she too might be able to make a child without the help of her husband. So he began to haunt the temple of death. And at the full moon of Kajeng Kliwon (a magically powerful day) she went to bathe with her servant in the water spout in the middle of the graveyard. And by chance she laid her clothes on the grave of a woman who had died pregnant. When the night came she went again to the spot as Durga and said spells over the corpse, and a girl- child was born. And the after-birth she made into a boy. And she called the girl Bhuta Seliwer and the boy Cuildaki, and appointed both to be the guardians of the graveyard. But Buta Seliwer complained that her magic was not strong enough, so her name was changed to Seliwarmaya, and she was given the kepuh tree to live in. and Cuildaki was told to mingle with souls of uncremated people and cause trouble in the houses of their relations. And for their food she gave them, as Siwa had done to their children, the offering to the dead.

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Arak, most popular Balinese traditional liquor is distilled tuak (palm beer), and such it has much higher alcohol content than tuak. Arak is clear and colorless, and has a very sharp, biting taste. Since there is no fermentation going on, it can be bottled – in beer bottles– capped, and sold in almost all stores that the Balinese patronize but the bottled arak that is sold freely is low quality arak, for ceremonial purpose only. Arak for consumption purpose is a high quality one and illegal, sold secretly in small roadside stalls, only buyers that are known by the sellers are served.

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