On Wednesday, Balinese celebrated Galungan Holyday, a holyday to commemorate the victory of Dharma (virtue) over Adharma (evil). This holyday is considered the pinnacle of Balinese struggle to subdue the negative force of evil, and what is called evil here is the sad ripu (six internal enemies), they are kama (lust), loba (greed), krodha (anger), mada (drunkeness), moha (confusion) and matsarya (envy). It is an inward struggle, a struggle to free our mind from the influence of negative force that at the end leads us to do various bad deeds.

Though this struggle is carried out everyday but the ultimate battle occur during three-day period before Galungan, when three personifications of negative force come to the world successively, they are known as Kala-tiganing Galungan – which are Bhuta Galungan, Bhuta Dunggulan and Bhuta Amangkurat.

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Penampahan Galungan, is a day before Galungan (a Christmas for Balinese). The word “Penampahan Galungan” derives from the word “tampah” which means “to slaughter” and “galungan” which means victory. So Penampahan Galungan is a day for Balinese to slay their Sad Ripu (six internal enemies, they are: kama (lust), loba (greed), krodha (anger), mada (drunkeness), moha (confusion) in order to achieve victory.

For six months Balinese engage with the battle of Dharma (Virtue) versus Adharma (Evil), and Penampahan Galungan is the last day of this great battle. On this day, Bhuta Amangkurat (King of negative force) comes to the world to temp Balinese. Amangkurat derives from the word “Mangku” which means “king”, “lord” or “master”. Bhuta Amangkurat temps human with the lust for power over others. If we were not in alert and weak, it would succeed in tempting us. On this day Bhuta Yadnya (offering for demon or other negative force) is held in Catuspata, (the houseyard), offering is distributed based on urip (special number for five direction, 4 for north, 5 for east, 7 for south, 9 for west and 8 for center) and direction, dedicated to Sang Tiga Bhuta Galungan (Three Evil force of Galungan which are Bhuta Galungan, Bhuta Dunggulan and Bhuta Amangkurat) in order to placate them so they will not disturb the human life.

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What will you see when you visit Bali during Galungan and Kuningan period? I believe your answer will be Penjor (eight-meter-high bamboo poles festooned with bamboo decorations which are put over roadways or pathways during Galungan or Kuniangan). Penjor will dominate your view wherever you take a look at. It is so beautiful view. But have you ever heard about the actual meaning of it?

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Many Balinese students after they graduate from Senior High school go outside Bali to continue their study instead of studying in Bali. As a result from Bali has only one state university and it has only limited majors to choose. They usually go to the west, to the big cities in Java, which serve many better and famous colleges and more majors to choose. They got better study, and yet how about their religious and cultural activities that they always did in Bali?

Actually, there, outside of Bali, are Pura (hindus’s temple) moreover there is Banjar (the smallest society organization in Bali) like in Surabaya. I Made Kris Adi Astra, one of Balinese who is studying in Jakarta complained about there is no Pura in his campus. He must ride a motorbike to reach pura Amerta Sari in bintaro. “But I prefer praying in my room. If my mood is good I will go to Pura in Cinere” he added.

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Today, 27/02/08 Balinese celebrated the end of Galungan period, the end of a period that full of holidays and festivity, which is well known as Pegatwakan (“pegatwakan” is derived from the word “pegat” means “cut off” and the word “wak” means “words” or “promise”). This holiday is celebrated 35 days after Galungan holiday and occurs once every 210 days.

Though this holiday is important and the amount of offering that is presented to the God is quite equal with Galungan Holiday (Balinese Christmas), it is celebrated with a level of festivity or pomposity far below the Galungan. It seems that only the housewives celebrate this holiday. Early in the morning they come to the temple with trays of offerings while their husband go to work as usual.

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Balinese Hindu’s will celebrate yet another religious day known as Kuningan on Saturday February 2, 2008. This ceremonial occasion falls exactly 10 days after the Galungan rituals and is a time to commemorate ancestral spirits as they return to heaven after dwelling on earth for an extended period.

Worshippers express their gratitude through prayer and offerings to the trinity of Gods for the ultimate gift of life. At Kuningan the arched bamboo poles referred to as as penjor, which are erected in front of each Balinese home compound during the religious festivities, are redecorated. White cloth is replaced with yellow cloth at the base of the penjor’s temporary shrine as an indication of prosperity. All ceremonial tokens of appreciation must be performed before 12 noon to farewell the spirits as they depart the physical world and disappear into the unseen.

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