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Chasing The Pestilence Away

Friday, November 23rd, 2007 by Sidarta Wijaya

On Monday night (11/19/07), my village summon the village protecting deities, a Barong which is named Ratu Ngurah Sakti and a Rangda which is revered as Ratu Istri to protect the village and all its inhabitants from the annual invasion of the king of demons, Ratu Gede Nusa and his army which spread plague and pestilence all over the island of Bali especially the south west coast of Bali. Monday (11/19/07) was chosen to be the time of summoning ritual since that day was a kajeng kliwon, an auspicious day which is believed to be full of magical power and it is occurred on the sixth month of Caka year (Kaenem), the month which is believed to be the month of invasion, the month of pestilence (this year Kaenem starts on 11/10/07 and last until 12/9/07).

opening027

The main ritual began around midnight; the protecting deities, ratu Ngurah Sakti and Ratu Istri were escorted to the main crossroad of the village. The deities stood on the center of the crossroad and given special offerings, a chicken was sacrificed for the deities. The main crossroad of the village was chosen to be the venue of ceremony since main crossroad in any Balinese village is the center of the village, the central point for community activities and ceremonial events. The crossroad is an open space where the four cardinal points meet and considered to have an extraordinary magical power as well as a strategic point to release the magical power of the deities to four cardinal points.

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The Month of Pestilence

Friday, November 16th, 2007 by Sidarta Wijaya

The month of pestilence or the sixth month of Caka lunar calendar, popularly known as kaenem, is approaching; Kaenem usually starts late in November or early in December and last for 30 days. Balinese believe that during this month the king of demons, Ratu Gede Nusa and his general I Macaling along with thousands of demons and evil spirits set off from their abode in the island of Nusa Penida and storm the island of Bali with various pestilences and calamities. Balinese believe that this supernatural invasion is responsible for the deaths of humans or animals which are occurred during this inauspicious month.

baris jangkang dance

Balinese use many ways to protect themselves from the pestilences and calamities which are spread by Ratu Gede Nusa and his army. The efforts range from erecting a bamboo gate decorated with thorny pandanus leaves on the entrance way of the village to wearing a bracelet made of tri datu thread (a set of threads consists of white, red and black thread), from presenting simple offering to taking protecting deities on a trip around the village to chase away the invading demons and evil spirits.

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