The religious background is formed by faith. The purging power of fire and the cleansing power of water enable the soul to attain the land of souls; the ashes are scattered into the sea or into a river. For this reason it IS Usual to cremate a person without further ceremony, i.e. without previous burial. But as the expense of a cremation is naturally very high, the deceased is in many cases first. interred; the cremation follows later when sufficient funds are available. But when a distinguished personage is cremated on Bali, this opportunity is readily used to consign to the flames simultaneously the mortal remains of poorer relatives

The whole proceedings take place in several stages. The ceremonies begin with the lying-in-state of the deceased in a pavilion, bale bandung, in the courtyard of his home. If his remains have already been interred, then the skeleton, which is exhumed and cleaned, takes the place of the corpse. The pavilion is most lavishly equipped with magnificent fabrics, small mirrors and gaily-coloured bands, flowers and gilded foliage, strings of bead's and paper decorations. Diverse objects used by the deceased during his lifetime, and also articles to protect him from evil spirits and demons after death, are placed in the temporary coffin or next to it. All baskets, vessels, etc., containing these necessaries are provided with a magic sign, generally the lotus flower, padma.

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