Galungan

GALUNGAN WHEN THE GOODNESS WIN AGAINST THE BADNESS

Galungan Day is one of the big holidays in Bali and is celebrated once every six months based on Balinese Calendar or every 210 days. Exactly on the day of Buda Kliwon Dungulan (Wednesday,Kliwon of Dungulan) This is to commemorate the victory of dharma (goodness) against the adharma (badness). Galungan was first celebrated on the full moon night dated of 15 Saka Year of 804 or 882 AD. Galungan celebration was once stopped but then Galungan was revived by King Sri Jayakasunu.

Galungan is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Indra against Mayadenawa or a war of good against evil. The Balinese believe that the spirits of the ancestors will return home that day, so they must welcome them with prayers and offerings. The essence of Galungan is that humans must be able to control their desires, especially those that can disturb inner peace and life. That is why all Balinese kill pigs and eat their meat as a tradition a day before Galungan (penampahan). Pig has represented bad behavior in humans such as laziness, greed, and slowness. By killing pigs it means that all bad habits are destroyed and hope humans do not have bad behavior just like the pig. Besides this tradition, people will install Penjor on the side entrance of their house as a form of celebration and gratitude to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi (God the almighty). Penjor is an ornament built with bamboo pole and is decorated using young coconut leaves. It is also decorated with other leaves, and crops. Penjor takes the shape of a giant dragon (Naga Basuki) , a symbol of well-being and prosperity. The bamboo used to create the Penjor usually has a curved shape to symbolize mountains that provide security and prosperity. In some locations in Bali people will also visit the cemetery to clean their family and relatives' graves and wish for peace for their family’s soul.

The essential message of Galungan Celebration is happiness can be achieved when you have the ability to master the truth. Galungan has a deep meaning for the Balinese to actually remind themselves both spiritually and ritually, to always fight adharma (badness) and uphold dharma (goodness). Meanwhile, all the confusion of thoughts (byaparaning idep) is a form of adharma. From the conception of Sunarigama's ejection, it is concluded that the essence of Galungan is to celebrate the victory of dharma against adharma. A moment to understand more that happiness can be achieved when humans have an ability to conquer the truth and goodness.