Galungan
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| Galungan | |
|---|---|
 Penjor lining a road in Bali at Galungan | |
| Also called | Galungan |
| Observed by | Balinese Hindus |
| Type | Hindu |
| Observances | Prayers, Religious rituals |
| Date | Hindu Balinese pawukon Buda Keliwon Dunggulan |
Galungan is a Balinese Hindu holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma.[1] It marks the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth. The last day of the celebration is Kuningan, when they return. The date is calculated according to the 210-day Balinese Pawukon calendar.
Galungan marks the beginning of the most important recurring religious ceremonies. The spirits of deceased relatives who have died and been cremated return to visit their homelands, and the current inhabitants have a responsibility to be hospitable through prayers and offerings. The most obvious sign of the celebrations are the penjor - bamboo poles with offerings suspended at the end. These are installed by the side of roads. A number of days around the Kuningan day have special names, and are marked by the organization of particular activities.[2]
| Name of day | Activities | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days before | Penyekeban | Cooking of bananas for offerings |
| 2 days before | Penyajaan | Making of jaja (fried rice cakes) |
| 1 day before | Penampahan | Slaughtering of pigs or chicken for feasts |
| 1 day after | Manis Galungan | Visiting family |
| 10 days after | Kuningan | Prayers, offerings - spirits return to heaven |
| 11 days after | Manis Kuningan | Fun |
