Story of Bali, Indonesia

and Mead gave the following reasons why they felt Bayung Gede was little influenced by Hindu tradition: (1) the villagers lacked Hindu names for gods; (2) they did not practise cremation; (3) they did not place importance on the relationship of colour to the direction of offerings; (4) they did not have castes; (5) they had no taboo against eating beef, and (6) they had no relationship With a Brahmana priestly household. Only two of these assertions are correct.

It is not true that the villagers of Bayung.Gede do not use Hindu names for the gods. Uke all Balinese Hindus, they make offerings to and hold ceremonies for three Hindu gods: Betara Sri, the goddess of rice; Betara Wisnu, the god who takes care of the world; and Betara Surya, the sun god. The villagers also pray to the Hindu God, Sang Hyang Widi Wasa. However the villagers do not use Trimurti (the gods Wisnu, Brahma, and Siwa) as is usual fbr Balinese Hindus.

It is true that the villagers of Bayung Gede do not use colored cloth banners, to designate direction, as; in Hindu tradition For example red is the symbol of the god, Brahma, who iv from the direction of the mountain - (kaja). Black is the symbol of Wisnu from the direction of the sea (kelod}.

Bateson and Mead were incorrect about the Brahmana priest (pedanda}. According to the present priest (pemangku) of Bayuing -Gede, Brahmana priests have also enjoyed ties with the people and temples of Bayung Gede and are invited to important temple ceremonies.

Bateson and Mead erred in their interpretation that the lack of evidence of cremation indicated an absence of Balinese Hindu influence on burial. The term 'cremation' refers only to the burning of the corpse. Most Balinese, and particularly those of Bayung Gede, refer to the death and burial ceremony in general as ngaben. To the majority of Balinese, ngaben means returning the corpse to its original state (i.e., soil, water, fire, and air) and includes the burning of the corpse. In Bayung Gede and sonne other mountain villages which are influenced by Hinduism, the term carries the same meaning, although it does not include the corpse-burning aspect. In Bayung Gede the burial ceremonies are simpler than, and different from, those in the plains, which are not only elaborate, festive, time-consuming, and expensive, but involve using a tower (wadah) for the corpse and burning the entire corpse or its bones. At Bayung Gede offerings are made at home and at the temple, and the ceremonies have the same spiritual meanings as those in the plains. In Bayung Gede, the corpse is carried to a special area in a field outside the village where it is washed (in the plains they wash the corpse at home). As in the plains many people attend this ceremony and the atmosphere is festive.

Please access this web site for more Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and all Indonesia Hotels bali lombok yogyakarta jakartahotels- and Indonesian Holidays Information, hotels and travel reservation indonesia hotels travel holidays