Zul Trio Anggono

Several young men took part in the mesiat geni (fire war) tradition at Dalam Kayangan Temple in Tuban village, Kuta, Badung, Bali on Sunday, Oct. 13.

The annual tradition is observed during the full moon in the fourth month of the Balinese calendar, which is in accordance with the temple's anniversary celebration.

Mesiat geni is a series of prayers that aim to purify nature, seek a harmonious life, as well as nurture relationships with one another. The tradition kicked off with sacred dance performances in the temple's front yard, such as the barong dance, sandar dance, telek masked dance and omang dance.

The dances were then followed by prayers by some of the young men at the village temple to ask for the blessing of purity and safety, as the participants of the fire war would have to be in a pure condition, meaning clean and unmarried. After all the lights were turned off, the fire was taken from the temple using coconut husks. Two groups of young men from Yoana Pertiwi Santi of Banjar Tuban Griya and Yoana Buana Kusuma of Banjar Pesalakan will take part in the war using the burned coconut husks as weapons. [kes]