Galungan is a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma . It marks the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth. The last day of the celebration is Kuningan, when they return. The date is calculated according to the 210-day Balinese Pawukon calendar .
6-415: Galungan marks the beginning of the most important recurring religious ceremonies. The spirits of deceased relatives who have died and been cremated return to visit their homelands, and the current inhabitants have a responsibility to be hospitable through prayers and offerings. The most obvious sign of the celebrations are the penjor - bamboo poles with offerings suspended at the end. These are installed by
12-587: A distinctive curve near its upper portion. The penjor is said to resemble both the tail of the barong, a symbol of the goodness, and the peak of the sacred mountain Mount Agung. Their decoration schemes range from simple to exquisite using yellow coconut leaves and a variety of other symbolic materials such as pala bungkah (sweet potato) roots, pala gantung (cucumbers, oranges, bananas), pala wija (rice, corn), plawa (leaves), traditional cakes, and coins. Some penjors are created as permanent installations. At
18-440: A riverbank, as water is believed to possess purifying qualities. During the ceremony, participants adorned in traditional Balinese attire carry various offerings and sacred items as they make their way to the water source. These offerings typically consist of fruits, flowers, rice, and other symbolic objects. Throughout the procession, prayers and hymns are chanted to invoke blessings and purification. Nyepi – Day of Silence It
24-813: Is commemorated every Isakawarsa (Saka new year) according to the Balinese calendar (in 2024, it falls on March 11). It is a Balinese celebration mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia. Penjor A penjor ( Balinese : ᬧᬾᬜ᭄ᬚᭀᬃ ) is a Balinese Hindu religious symbol of prosperity installed on the day of the Galungan ceremony. Its form is of a tall, decorated bamboo pole and can be seen across Bali year-round in front of homes, compounds and are part of temple anniversary celebrations as well almost every other important religious ceremony and Hindu life-cycle rituals. The poles vary in length but are typically 5-10 meters in height with
30-551: Is one of the most important religious rituals in Bali, which takes place a few days before the Nyepi ceremony, also known as the “Day of Silence”. The Melasti ceremony is a purification ritual practiced by the Balinese people to cleanse their body, mind, and soul before the onset of the new year in accordance with the Saka calendar. Traditionally, the Melasti ceremony is conducted near the coast or
36-506: The side of roads. A number of days around the Kuningan day have special names, and are marked by the organization of particular activities. Galungan begins on the Wednesday (Buda), the 11th week of the 210-day pawukon calendar. This means that there are often two celebrations per solar year . Dates for 2018-2024 are as follows: Melasti – Cleansing & Purification The Melasti ceremony
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