Rain Cannot stop Catur Rebah

Barongs from all over Bali gather at Pura Puncak Natar Sari

 

Days of heavy rains and chilling winds did not dampen the spirits of the thousands of people who traveled miles to worship at Pura Puncak Natar Sari in Apuan, Tabanan this weekend (July .15-18). Starting with a procession to the western coast of Bali to Batu Bolong for the melasti ceremony for purifying the holy objects and their contents, the rituals continued with a massive Rejang dance ( July 11) leading up to the peak event of the week-long ceremony -Barong Turun Kabe”, on Saturday ( July 14)  in which 41 Barong and entourage from all over Bali joined together in the upper courtyard of the temple for blessings.

 

Pura Puncak Natar Sari is the sister temple of Pura Puncak Dewa and each serves as a kind of home base for the spirit of Bali’s sacred Barong – the king of the forest or the force of positive energy on the Island of the Gods. Nearly every village temple in Bali has a Barong and his counterpart Rangda the female destructive energy and they are brought out for important ceremonies in which they entertain but more importantly, re-establish harmony. Each Barong has its own unique characteristics and powers, but in some way, they all carry the spirit or taksu that is best known to the world through Bali’s performing arts.

 

When Barong from villages all over Bali come to Puncak Natar Sari Temple for this grand ceremony, it is like they are coming home to recharge and refresh, and each is given a place around the perimeter of the courtyard of the uppermost holy temple. One by one the Barong, Rangda, and other important characters and holy objects arrive in trucks along with accompanying gamelan. Before entering the temple they are carried down to the holy spring or beji as they are known in Bali, to be purified – to connect with the water of their spiritual place of origin.

 

In different-sized but always grand processions complete with Balinese holy flags ( known as kober) and tedung the beautiful cloth umbrellas that are also iconic of Bali, young men accompany the processions playing cymbals and giant gongs, older women singing holy chants, middle-aged men carrying the holy objects, and young and middle-aged women carrying offerings on their heads, they all make their way down the main road of Apuan Village to the beji for the purification rite, then they head to the temple.

 

As each Barong entourage arrives at the lowest courtyard, they stop in front of the main gates where they are greeted by a temple representative and special offerings are placed on the ground while all the women present from that village dance the rejang, as prayers are recited. Each village has its own specific rituals that are performed upon arrival but all of them take great care to make their presence known in the most respectful ways- often with the entire entourage circling the middle courtyard three times.

 

After ascending the stairs to the uppermost courtyard, they all stop to give prayers at the main altar before proceeding to their assigned spot on the perimeter of the inner temple, where more prayers are made and rituals performed. As each of the Barong arrived in turns people from all over Bali also come in turns to pray at the main altar and in front of the Barong from their village. Mangku or lower priests sit continuously with the Barong throughout their entire stay in Pura Puncak Nata Sari as a multitude of dances are performed in the middle courtyard and throngs of people come and go giving offerings and receiving holy water.

 

The holy water that is available at this ceremony has been created by combining holy water from holy springs throughout the island and is considered to hold the combined power of all the Barong. The ceremony is intended to refresh and restore the power of all the Barong but anyone who desires to enhance their stage presence or simply be blessed by the beneficent powers of Barong is eager to receive this blessing.

 

Throughout the day Barong arrives in all their splendor and throughout the night dance are performed as well as performance rituals like the calong-arang. Blessings of holy water and offerings of fruit, flowers, and incense are ongoing as people enjoy the intense though beautiful atmosphere or sit chatting in the slightly more casual atmosphere of the lushly decorated middle courtyard., or become absorbed in the dance performances in the wantilan (gazebo) where talented dancers take turns showing off their skills.

 

The constant rain and extremely chilly weather would certainly be enough to deter any but the most devoted from not only showing up but spending hours sitting in contemplation, dancing, attending to their temple duties, or just keeping the barong company. It is truly a testament to the devotion to the sustaining power of art as a vehicle for expressing the deepest awe gratitude and wonder of life, that so many people came to this ceremony, dressed in their finest and carrying deep love in their hearts which was apparent on their faces, despite the challenging conditions and the many other things that life calls on us to attend to.

 

As an officiating priest, Ketut Mastrum said when asked how this ceremony that requires the devotional work of hundreds if not thousands of people were able to carry on without a hitch, he casually wiped the rain from his brow and with a heartfelt smile said simply: “Well, of course, -because it is time, this ceremony runs on the schedule of nature and it is nature that sustains our life. All we have to do is honor our commitment to express our gratitude, I mean it is just a little rain after all”.

 

Written by Gabrielle Thibaudeau, Published in July 2018 by International Bali Post