TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Celebration: Penjor and Gebogan Festival
âCelebrating Galungan through offeringsâWORDS DESY NURHAYATI PHOTOS STANNY ANGGAYou know that Galungan and Kuningan are approaching when you see penjor being put up all along the roadsides throughout the island
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
'Celebrating Galungan through offerings'
WORDS DESY NURHAYATI PHOTOS STANNY ANGGA
You know that Galungan and Kuningan are approaching when you see penjor being put up all along the roadsides throughout the island.
The tall decorated bamboo poles are the most obvious sign that the two major Balinese religious celebrations are coming.
For the celebration, penjor will be lavishly decorated with young coconut leaves, colorful paper, lantern-shaped ornaments made of dried palm leaves and bunches of rice stalks.
The poles are placed in front of homes, representing strong devotion and gratitude to the creator. The shapes and elements all have religious meanings.
Although creating gorgeous offerings is daily work for the Balinese, only a few still understand the philosophy behind the penjor and other offerings.
To encourage greater understanding and preserve the culture, the South Kuta Beach Business Association (SKBBA), with the support of the Kuta customary village, held a special competition to create penjor and gebogan ' the towering offerings of fresh fruit, cakes, flowers and decorations.
'This annual competition aims to engage locals and business communities around South Kuta. We also want to create an attraction for tourists by introducing them to our traditions,' Nyoman Gede Suasta, chair of the organizing committee, said.
Held at Lippo Mall Kuta, dozens of men were busy weaving young coconut leaves to make the decorative elements for the penjor, while the women were arranging colorful flowers and fruit for the gebogan.
The penjor were then assessed for form and meaning. Participants had to be able to understand the meaning of each element and how to create it properly. Meanwhile, the gebogan were assessed for completeness, aesthetics and meaning.
This year, Alaya Resort Kuta won the penjor-making competition, while Holiday Inn Resort Baruna received the first prize for the best gebogan.
