Finally today I have the chance to visit and pray at Pura Sakenan, an old temple believes to have been established in the 16^th century. When I got in the parking area, I saw lots of cars and motorbikes parked and that indicates that the prayer will flood at the main gate of the temple (as you see in the picture).

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Balinese Religion is based on respect for and worship of God and ancestor. It is believed that after death, the body must be dissolved and returned to its original elements. Ngaben, the Balinese word for cremation is a purification rite which frees the spirit from its temporary earthly house and facilitates its journey to its next existence.

The Lembu where the body placed and cremated.

It is a custom and part of a tradition in Bali when someone dies, the whole villager (where one was lives) will help with the preparation for the cremation. The dead body is laid out in a special part of the house to be bathed and prepared. The night before the cremation, holy water will be collected from some main temple and used in preparation of the body and during the cremation. The entire villager (but especially for family and relatives) will participate on the day of the cremation ceremony. Before the body cremated at the cemetary, it will be placed into a wadah, after at the cemetary, and then they body of the deceased is placed inside a coffin which is then placed inside a form of a lembu (cow) which believes to be the vehicle of the spirits, made of paper and light wood. It will be carried to the village cremation site (usually in the village cemetery) in a procession. The ultimate procession is to burn the Wadah, using fire from a holy source.

When all the procession has done the ashes are placed in the sea, and it is the final separation of the soul from the body.

Penjor’s, Bali at the Galungan day
Originally uploaded by J.E.S..

At 29 of November, we, the Balinese was celebrating Galungan day, it occur every 210 days on Balinese calendar system. Galungan mean “the day of the winning of Dharma (the Good) agains the evil.

I went to my hometown at the west side of Bali to celebrate that important day with my family. A day or two before the celebration, Balinese will start to make preparation of offering including penjor, the best part of the Galungan day is to prepare for original Balinese salad called Lawar, Lawar is differ by location, in Negare (that’s the name of my little town in west Bali) Lawar made from young coconut, very delicious.　Well I am sure now I’ve already gaining weight . In the celebration day, it’s the time for us and all the villager to visit the Puseh Temple where located in every village in Bali. Actually there are three temple where every man must visit, the Merajan (house shrine), Pura Dalem, and Pura Puseh. The last visit was Jagatnatha in the centre of Town. The most important thing of all is the moment with my family, and friends at the village, priceless.

I am sorry I have no picture of this moment, I have to concentrate on my pray, and so lazy to go back again. The weather was so hot at that time.

After 10 days after Galungan, the Kuningan day will follow, but as usual I just pray in Denpasar used to be in Sakenan Temple, I will make sure I will have my camera with me to show you the Sakenan temple looks like.