Barong Kedingkling: A Merry Exorcism
Wednesday, June 6th, 2007 by Sidarta WijayaBarong Kedingkling is a sacred performance of nine masked dancers which derives its theme from Ramayana epic. It has exorcism function. It is performed when there is a pestilence hits the town or before a temple anniversary to ensure the success of the ceremony.
The origin of Barong can be narrated as follow: It is told in the village of Medangan, Gianyar Regency, that a terrible pestilence threatened the people about 300 years ago, when King Batu Renggong’s great-grandson was on the throne in Klungkung. The new king’s elder brother, I Dalem Agung Pemayun, was driven into exile after he had refused to assume the title of King of Bali for himself. After I Dalem Agung Pemayun had wandered for some time in the wilderness of the northern mountain district and meditated there, he traveled south and entered Medangan while the epidemic was raging.
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