Galungan & Kuningan

Galungan is a Balinese ceremony which is celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma and begins on the Wednesday (Buda) of Dunggulan, the 11th week of the 210 day pawukon calendar (Sanskrit Hindu Calendar).

It marks the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth. The spirits of deceased relatives who have died and been cremated return to visit their former homes, and the current inhabitants have a responsibility to be hospitable through prayers and offerings. While, the last of this celebration is called Kuningan day, which is held 10 days later after the Galungan day, the same as Galungan but simpler on the offering part, this is also the day where the Balinese Hindu offer an offering of special yellow rice to the god, goddess and their ancestor and must be finished before 12.00 noon.

The most obvious sign of Galungan ceremony is definitely the Penjor which is bamboo poles with offerings suspended at the end. These are installed by the side of the roads or on each front row of Balinese Hindu’s houses. It symbols of the gratitude toward God whom have giving so many prosperities and bless throughout the year, as the offerings are all the items that the nature provides such as coconut, rice seeds, fruits and coconut leaves that wraps up the bamboo.