Galungan Day

This month, Bali is celebrating Galungan Day, one of the most important religious ceremonies. Galungan is celebrated every seven months to celebrate the winning of the Good over the Bad and to give thanks to the Gods for a prosperous and happy life. For this festive day, families are gathered for days before organizing fresh fruit offerings, suckling pig and festive decorations symbolizing their gratitude to the Gods.
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The festivity of Galungan Day starts 5 days before the actual ceremony day and ends with Kuningan ceremony.  For non-Hindu residents of the island, the beautiful line up of Penjor will be a beautiful reminder that Galungan is approaching. The decorated curved bamboo pole is erected a few days before Galungan as a monument of victory for the Gods.

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Penjor are usually decorated with colored coconut leaves with intricate carved design. Amazingly, simple tools such as pocket knives or kitchen knives are often used to make such a beautiful craft. On the lower section of the penjor, a small bamboo “cage” is placed to put offerings to the Gods.

Balinese people are well known for their art and craft abilities, these skills really shine when big ceremonies happen. Beautiful flowers and fruit offerings called Gebogan are a true skilled art form where the ladies would arrange fresh fruits, snacks and flowers on a towering wooden plate then to be carried on the top of their heads all the way to their temple.
Galungan is a beautiful day where chants and prayer fill the temple, family and friends are together and streets and houses are beautifully decorated.

Bali is truly a magical place where life is celebrated constantly and we as residents of this island are forever blessed by the abundance of amazing gifts from nature. 
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