Royal Cremation Ceremony, 15th Jul 08
If you are in Bali July 15 then a visit to Ubud will amaze you. The main
road and all around the royal palace will be closed as at 1.00 p.m. they
will be celebrating the biggest cremation ceremony for many years. The
ceremony is for Tjokorda Gede Agung Suyasa. Most local Ubud village people
considered him to be the ‘King’. His father was considered the previous real
‘King’, but the fact that he took two wives and fathered sons in both
marriages confuses the progression issue.
For many weeks now the preparations have been under way with enormous
structures erected in Jln. Suweta, between the banjar and palace. The bull
has not yet made an appearance but is sure to be 15-20 metres high. It will
be mounted on a bamboo raft and carried by 20 strong men from the banjar,
running charging and yelling to scare away the evil spirits trying to steal
the soul. As will the bridge and the body itself although this will be spun
around 3 times at every cross road, again to confuse the evil spirits.
There will be thousands of people in Ubud July 15 to watch and follow this
ritual [if you follow the procession to the actual cremation correct dress
is essential].
Anyone who has visited Bali before will be aware of the importance of
Ngaben, the Cremation ceremony, to the Balinese. The ceremony is usually
held many months or even years after the death, so any mourning is well and
truly over. The cremation ritual is a purification ceremony which frees the
roh [soul or spirit] from its temporary earthly house and prepares it for
its journey to its next existence.
All of the village unites for a cremation, it is a joyous occasion. After
the ceremony the ashes are placed in the sea thus achieving the final
separation of the soul from the body.
