Galungan & Kuningan

Galungan is the most important holiday in the Balinese ritual calendar and is held in honour of the supreme god "Sangyang Widi". According to legend, he is the creator of the universe and descends into people's temples for the Galungan festival, together with other deities.

According to the Balinese Pawukon calendar, Galungan is celebrated once every 210 days and ushers in a ten-day festival season that ends with the Kuningan festival.

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The preparations

The actual Galungan day always falls on a Wednesday. However, preparations for the festival begin a week before. On the occasion of the festival, streets and houses are decorated with penjor. The penjor is a bamboo stick decorated with filigree braids. It is decorated with offerings of various fruits, small rice cakes, flowers and a piece of white or yellow cloth. It is a symbol of the god's presence and is set up one day before the festival. These preparations also have a special meaning, as they are supposed to protect against the dangers of the mischief-bringing demons. For before the arrival of the gods and ancestors on earth, the Kalas and Bhutas also rise from the underworld. During this dangerous time, they devote themselves to the work of banishing the dangers.

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Galungan

On the actual festival day, everyone tries to be at the ancestral home of their family to celebrate the festival together with their relatives. The deities descend from the heavenly spheres and take their seats on the thrones prepared for them. During their stay they are celebrated by the people with an extensive festive programme. This reveals all the richness of Balinese culture. The events of the festival programme offer spiritual rituals as well as secular fun. Both have their place next to each other as a matter of course.

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Kuningan

On Kuningan, a large procession takes place on the turtle island off the south coast, attended by people from all over Bali. They march to the harbour opposite loaded with offerings. There they pray in the temple of Sakenan and then go to the island in a water procession. The most spectacular participants in this procession are two "Barong Landing" from Benoa, two particularly large Barong figures. They perform a barong dance at the temple on Benoa beach. They are then taken to Turtle Island, where a big celebration finally takes place.

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For open-minded visitors, Galungan-Kuningan offers an unforgettable insight into the deep, unadulterated faith of the Balinese and at the same time an overwhelming spectacle of their fascinating and elaborate religious cult, which has no equal anywhere in the world.

Those who have the opportunity should not miss this experience!