Before we proceed to the fate of kulkul, in present days, it is better to shed some light on what the kulkul is. Kulkul is Balinese wooden slit gong. It is made of long, hollowed-out wooden block whose upper end are sometimes carved into anthropomorphic heads. A hard and long lasting wood, such as teak, is usually used as kulkul material. The size of the kulkul is determined by the size of the kulkul tower, bigger tower needs bigger kulkul.

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Every civilization on the face of earth developed its own tale on the cause of eclipse and Balinese has its own version on the cause of the eclipse, and developed a unique practice during an eclipse, though nowadays it is seldom practiced.

Kala Rahu swallowing the sun. Image taken from Bali Sekala Niskala Vol. 1, Fred B. Eiseman, Jr., page 66.

Balinese version of lunar and solar eclipse is taken from a famous section of Mahabharata epic that describes the join effort of gods and demons in churning the sea of milk in order to obtain the elixir of life (tirtha amertha), a holy water that can grant immortality. Using the huge mountain Mandara Giri as the mixer, the gods and demons churned the sea of milk, after truly epic labors, the tirtha amertha was produced on the side of demons. The demons brought the elixir to their base. The god Wisnu, the protector, disguised as a very beautiful girl deceived the demons and stole the tirtha amertha, before they got any chance to drink it. One of the demons, named Kala Rahu, changed his shape and infiltrated into the gods base to drink the holy water.

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Hamlet, or Banjar in Balinese language, is the center of Balinese social and political life. Every Balinese is member of a banjar community, he has an obligation to attend all banjar activities, failure to attend these activities will be punished with fine and constants failure will result exclusion or banishment from the banjar, it means no body will help him when he holds a religious ceremony, especially the big one.

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Balinese traditional architecture, an ancient art that controlled by the ironclad strictness of Asta Kosala Kosali rules always seeks a balance between the environment and the human. The Asta Kosala Kosali governs the Balinese traditional architecture so it will create “Balinese-ness” of the scene, harmony with the surrounding environment and the grace of the structure.

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Tung…tung…tung, the sound of kulkul sweeps the rice fields and rows of Balinese house compounds. Farmers stop their harvest works; officers stop their typing; all Balinese stop their activities and listen carefully to the rhythm of the kulkul sound, and determine its source. Once they found the meaning of the rhythm and the source of it, they will abandon their works and prepare to do what the message that kulkul sound conveys.

The Kulkul, the Balinese slit gong is as powerful as the voice of God. Balinese said “kulkul ngaran kayu, kayu ngaran kayun,” translated into “kulkul made of wood, wood means will”, the will of the Balinese is bond in the kulkul, and when the kulkul is sounded all the will and mind is focused to obey the summon of the kulkul.

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In Bali the honeymoon usually precedes the wedding; the average boy in love with a girl makes his marriage arrangements directly with her, and outside his father, perhaps, and a few friends from he needs help, he keeps his intention secret until the day, previously agreed upon between the boy and the girl, when he will steal her. Shy couples simply run away together to the house of a friend, as a rule in another village, where they spent honeymoon in hiding.

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However, the Balinese love spectacular kidnappings. The girl arranges for her clothes to be taken secretly to their future hide out, and on the appointed day she is captured by somewhere on the road, in the fields, or in the river by the kidnapping party, led by her suitor. She is expected to kick and bite her abductors in sham of self-defense, and although there may be witnesses, no one would dream of interfering, unless they are the relatives of the girl, in which case they are supposed to put up a great fight
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