Night Temple Prayers

Last night we had another opportunity to go to the local Pura here in Penestanan. This was the final night of the temple ceremony which meant that there was going to be a procession of the Barong into the temple. This includes large puppets that depict lion-like creatures (Barong). In Balinese mythology, the Barong is King of the spirits and leader of the hosts of good. I LOVE the Barong procession and was so excited that Elsa was going to get to see one performing in the temple. There are Barong performances all over the place for tourists but obviously it's much more fun to see it happening with all the pomp of an actual temple ceremony. The Barong comes from another village and processes into the temple and is put up high on a pedestal with all the offerings. It will then spend the night in the temple.

So, it's hard to know when things 'happen' at temple ceremonies since there's no schedule and it's hard to get a definitive answer when asking a Balinese person since it seems they don't really know either (plus my Indonesian isn't all that great so maybe they do know but I just don't understand what they're saying?). Anyhow, more often than not, it seems to be a fluid situation. Yeah, so we decided to eat some spaghetti before heading out to the temple and surprise surprise we missed the Barong procession! I had been talking about it all day to Elsa and so she was super psyched. Shucks. We were thinking that most likely the Barong would come later in the night and it's hard to be at the temple for hours (especially with a small human) so we hedged our bets and headed out a bit later than we originally planned. However, we stayed and met up with Made and Ketut (the folks that own the villa we are staying in) and they guided us through the prayers of the evening - which is a truly magical experience. There's incense everywhere, flowers and rice and fruit. Gongs and chanting, ringing bells, roosters crowing, dogs howling, folks chatting, gold cloth wrapped around every temple tower. Ted got some good sound recordings of all. We also found out that the Barong was going to process out of the temple Sunday morning so we would get to see it after all!! Phew.

What amazed me most about this culture is how the religion/ritual/ceremonies are so intimately interleaved with daily life. The sacred is right there with the mundane. Kids on their smartphones, eating french fries and chatting with one another right there in the temple with the prayers and chanting and bell ringing. It's all okay - all happening at the same time. When it comes time to pray however, there is solemnity (still roosters and dogs tho) and the priest guides the prayers. Prayers happen in fives: first time is to gather incense smoke into your hands, 'wash them' then waft it over your face and head, then prayers with steepled hands on forehead, then prayers again with one flower (then that flower goes in your hair or behind your ear), then again with perhaps 2 flowers, then again with a 'kwangen' (a folded banana leaf cone filled with flowers, a chinese coin symbolic of monetary offering, and maybe bits of food). This is held high above ones head between the fingers. Prayers last as long as the high priest (always a man) is ringing his bell (usu 30 sec - 1 minute). Then once all prayers are done, other priests (men and women) make their way through the crowd, sprinkling heads with holy water, pouring holy water into hands for drinking, then offering raw wet rice for eating and also placing on one's forehead and heart.

It's not easy, kneeling on the hard temple ground in a sarong, with a tight lace kebaya. It's smokey, hot and sweaty and painful and wonderful and magical and real. It's hard to put this all into words. Elsa never complained and wanted to see it through all the way to the end. I cheated during one of the prayers and watched her next to me, eyes shut tight, kwangen high in the air, content and intent once again. She had asked me if she could pray for Augie!! Yes, my sweet love, you can.

Amazing to see the women walk into the temple balancing these on their heads!

Elsa with Made (pronounced "Mah-day')

I have some short videos of this evening so will post them once I can get them uploaded to YouTube (which could literally take all night...!)

For more info on the Barong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barong_%28mythology%29