Thousands of Balinese Hindus celebrate Kuningan holiday

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 07/09/2007 11:05 AM  |  National

The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

Thousands of Balinese Hindus celebrated Kuningan on Saturday and Sunday by visiting major temples and family shrines across Bali.

Pura Sakenan Temple on the small isle of Serangan, some 30 kilometers east of Denpasar, became the center for the celebrations.

Kuningan was celebrated 10 days after Galungan, which fell on June 27.

Clad in their best traditional dresses, women carried colorful offerings containing fresh fruit, delicious cakes, yellow rice, chicken and other food.offerings were made as sincere expressions ofour gratitude for any fortune and misfortune God gave us during the whole year,"" said Ni Nyoman Sukanadi, a resident of Panjer in Denpasar.

The Balinese celebrate these two most important holidays every six months according to the Balinese calendar.

Each month comprises 35 days. Galungan is a celebration of the triumph of Dharma (good deeds) over A Dharma (bad actions). Kuningan is intended to worship God as the creator of the Universe.

""It was expected that we would be blessed by God with good deeds in the coming year,"" Nyoman Widiarsana said.

Despite hardships, a visit to Sakenan Temple is obligatory for almost all Balinese Hindus. The temple's guardians divided prayer times into several sessions to enable all residents to pray.

Galungan and Kuningan are also big family celebrations. On Galungan, all families erect the beautiful penjor, decorations of bamboo poles, decorated with carved young coconut leaves, flowers and fruits, colorful papers and textiles. Lines of bamboo poles adorn every street and alley.

Prior to the most recent Galungan and Kuningan holidays, women cooked meals and cakes. Men decorated their homes, temples and other holy sites and children got new clothes and toys.

Schools, offices and other public institutions were closed for the holidays.

Apart from visiting Sakenan Temple, people also flocked to other important temples such as Pura Gunung Kawi in Gianyar regency, Pura Mengening and Pura Tirta Empul.

In Singaraja regency, North Bali, people prayed at the downtown Pura Jagadnatha.

A large number of people also gathered at some cemeteries.have to pray for our dead family members who have not yet been cremated,"" said one worshiper, Sri Hartani.

Food and other offerings were placed at the Pura Prajapathi cemetery temple.

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