I'm Feel Lucky Can See Unique Ceremony on Kuningan Day

Visiting Munggu Village on yesterday, I saw an unique ceremony named Mekotek. Mekotek ceremony is a ceremony it's held by 12 Banjar (Gathering hall) in this village, all of the participant are a boy. The boys weared Balinese traditional cloth. This ceremony used a wooden stick, it's around 3 until 4 meters. All of the participant will meet each other at the temple and make an unite of this stick like month shapes. The sound of stick will heard "tek-tek-tek" , it's a reason to taken the names of this ceremony be ‘Mekotek Ceremony’. On the one time if the month shapes is ready, one of the participant will climb to the top of month shape, some time they will fall to the road, but they won't be angry, just smile and happiness will see in this ceremony.

This ceremony held 6 month in one time since 1934 (on Kuningan Day). But after 1946 the Munggu village conserve this ceremony after the local people without a disease and disaster. Long time ago at the free time, the local people hanging their stick and the dutch, saw like a fighting. Year by year the spear used change be stick. It's held at kuningan day because it's an instruction from the king of Mengwi there is Cokorda Made Munggu. But if this ceremony not implemented by the local people, believe or not Munggu village will full with disease and disaster.

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What The Balinese People Do Before Kuningan Day?

Penampahan Kuningan is the day before the actual celebration of Kuningan Day, which is the day that marks the end of the festive season on the Bali island, by the departure of the ancestors, back to their own world.

Like on Galungan Day, Kuningan Day never misses the part of the local culinary tradition involving lots of pork, hence this particular "penampahan' day, which literally translates into "slaughter".

Penampahan is derived from the Balinese word tampah which means kill, slaughter. The killing of animals in this respect is symbolic for killing 'the animal inside yourself' - the victory of the higher self over the ego in their struggle for control of the inner power of the individual; implicity this symbolizes the victory of dharma over adharma.

While the men will be busy slaughtering the pigs, the women will have their hands busy preparing the colorful offerings of all sorts, both the ones involving the various colorful food, fruits and flowers.

So if you happen to jump on your scooter and cruise pretty much any part of the Bali on this particular day, chances are you will come across a whole lot of “in the making” situations as well as “behind the scenes” of the charming, colorful and joyful Kuningan on the next day.

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Meaning of Mesangih Ceremony

The life of human being especially Hinduism ancestry in Bali, never be separated from religious ceremonies when humans are born until the time of death. Variety of religious rituals carried out, intended as balancing in humans life with God, human with nature, and humans with humans. One of the ceremony that still carried by Balinese people is Potong Gigi/Mesangih.

Mesangih ceremony is held when a child has reached adult age. There are six teeth that will be cut in this ceremony, that is two canines teeth and four incisors. Cuts to the six teeth are symbol of control over the Sad Ripu (six enemies in humans being) specifically Kama (desire), Loba (greediness), Krodha (anger), Mada (blind), Moha (confusion), and Matsarya (envy).

The purpose of Mesangih ceremony are:
1. Eliminate the dirt (sins) during the life of the person that performed ceremony.
2. With this sanctity, one can get closer to ancestors or God.
3. Avoid the hell punishment in afterlife that given by Lord Yamadipati.
4. Fulfill parents responsibilities to their children in order to be a good person

 
Thus are a glance meaning of the Mesangih ceremony, which the function is to guide mankind especially Hinduism to improve the devotion to God

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Vesak Day 2559

Wesak or Vesak (Called Waisak in Indonesia), also known as Buddha Purnima and Buddha Day, is a holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists on different days in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and the South East Asian countries of Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia, and other places all over the world. Sometimes informally called "Buddha's Birthday", it actually commemorates the birth, enlightenment (Nirvāna), and death (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha in the Theravada or southern tradition.

The exact date of Waisak is based on the Asian lunisolar calendars and is primarily celebrated in Vaisakha month of the Buddhist calendar and the Hindu calendar, and hence the name Waisak. In Theravada countries following the Buddhist calendar, it falls on a full moon Uposatha day, typically in the 5th or 6th lunar month. In China, Japan, and Korea, it is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The date varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar, but usually falls in April or May. In leap years it may be celebrated in June.

On Vesākha (Waisak) Day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate events of significance to Buddhists of all traditions: The birth, enlightenment and the passing away of Gautama Buddha. As Buddhism spread from India it was assimilated into many foreign cultures, and consequently Vesākha is celebrated in many different ways all over the world. In India, Vaishakh Purnima day is also known as Buddha Jayanti day and has been traditionally accepted as Buddha's birth day.

In Indonesia have significant and traditional holy day is observed throughout Indonesia where it is known as Waisak Day. 2th of June 2015 At Borobudur, thousands of Buddhist monks will join together to repeat mantras and meditate as they circuit the temple in a ritual called "Pradaksina". This is a form of tribute to the temple. Monks celebrate the special day by bottling holy water (which symbolises humility) and transporting flames (which symbolize light and enlightenment) from location to location. The monks also took part in the "Pindapata" ritual, where they received charity from the people of Indonesia. Waisak Day in Indonesia has been celebrated as a national public holiday every year since 1983.

Meaning of Tumpek Landep

16^th Mei 2015 is a special day set aside on the Balinese calendar to give thanks to Sang Hyang Pasupati, Lord of heirlooms, for the creation of metal goods.  On that day, specific offerings are made in the home for kitchen implements, garden tools and metallic parts of machinery, vehicles and the like. Builders generally take a day off to make offerings for their work tools.

This special day for Balinese Hindu people is called "Tumpek Landep" day, devoted to Sang Hyang Pasupati, Lord of heirlooms, weapons and metal tools for proper function and magical power. The celebration is held at every house compound and temple.

With these offerings, special prayers are said to pray to God so that these material things continue to be strong and bring good fortune to their owners.  Within the family temples where heirlooms such as krisses (wavy double-bladed daggers) and other weapons are kept, offerings are made to ensure the continued magical power of these implements.

The kris is considered a standard part of traditional Balinese dress. During a wedding ceremony the groom will wear one across his back if the family has one, and you can see them on most of the male characters in Balinese dances, operas and dramas.  Offerings are also given to any kind of vehicles after being cleaned. It would be a good opportunity for travelers to Bali to witness how thousands of cars, motorbikes and other metal items are fully decorated with the offerings and ornaments made from young coconut leaves.

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Sampian War, War with Laugh

Sampian War dance is performed by two groups of dancers, each group consists of hundreds of dancers, the female group known as permas (female servants of the deities) with white cloth and black sarong and parekan (male servant of the deities) with all white attires. Most of the dancers of Siat Sampian are the people that have been saved by the deities of the Samuan Tiga temple. 

"Ainggih, titiang nunas ring krama mangda presida mengingsir jebos seantukan ayah-ayahan jagi pacang kemargiang ( already , I beg Residents to be pleasing to shift because dances will be held ) , " Said the committee 's work from the sound through the speaker 's voice . A moment later , parekan (male servant of the deities ) , down- From the gate at the Main mandala temple . Similarly with the Permas (female servants of the deities) , their hands holding into one another. All white clothes . Strains ‘baleganjur’ also become a make that starts dancing like waves . Hundreds parekan endlessly circling the temple. The hand grip, any broken spliced back grip again . Sometimes they Running, sometimes they stop running and just walking. 

After running parekan and permas will pray in three tamples. Ratu Agung Sakti genah Ida Bhhatara Ganapati Temple, Pelinggih Lingga Ratu Agung Panji Temple and Pengaruman Agung Temple When they finished to pray, the war will started. A part of parekan will take weapon from thach called sampian. Without command , they began to attack each other . There are hitting the head , legs , arms , and back. This war is filled with laughter . The joyful parekan sampian while swinging the body to his opponents. Sampian war not only serves as a sacred dance that is already contained in the ejection . But there are other things that affect the spirit of togetherness of the people around Samuan Tiga Temple. In everyday life , whether outside activities or in temples , surely there is a conflict with one another. 

Sampian War used as a medium for reconciliation between manners people in temple . " When there is a problem, do not expand enough to stay here . They exchange punches sampian each other with happy face . All problems sorted out later , relations remain harmonious , " said Gusti Mangku Ageng . He explained that the deeper the particulars Sampian War . According to him , every battle there must be winners and losers . However , in the context of Sampian War , winning or losing is not a measure . The point is after the fight then they are winning and losing embrace each other to achieve a noble purpose , and keep harmony 

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The Ceremony Location: