Galungan Day
Today, 18th March 2009 is Galungan Day. This is a holiday that occurs every 210 days in the Balinese Calendar. Galungan is always on a Wednesday. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil and lasts 10 days. The last day is known as Kuningan Day and will be on 28th March 2009.
The week leading up to Galungan is a very busy time for Balinese women who have to make all the necessary purchases in preparation for this important day. Each morning starts as early as 4am for some with a trip to the market. Each day, new items will be purchased to make different offerings. Dried foods and items for decorations will be purchased earlier and meats will be purchased later.
Offerings include cooked food, cakes, fermented rice and baskets of flowers known as banten. Making each part of the offering is a time consuming process requiring skill and patience. The banten need to be woven with dried coconut leaves to hold flowers and other items, each colour and item representing elements of the Hindu Triad. These little baskets of flowers make up part of a larger offering. Small parcels of wrapped fermented glutinous rice have to be made and hundreds of satay sticks.
On Galungan Day, these offerings will be brought to the temple and prayers said.
Flowers at Ubud Market for Galungan Day
The day before Galungan Day is spent finishing up the offerings and cooking. By Galungan morning, most of the cooking is done and penjors which are tall bamboo poles are up at the entrance of each household. It makes a lovely sight when walking along the village streets.
During Galungan, the Balinese will return to their ancestral home. They pray with their offerings at the family temple and at the village temple. It is believed that their ancestors descend to their family home. Therefore offerings are made for them and prayers are said at this time. Offerings have also to be given at the graves of those who have not yet been cremated.
The next Galungan Day falls on Wednesday 14th October 2009.
