Today in the South Kuta Beach area we will have Penjor and Gebogan
Competition, organised by the South Kuta Beach Business Association
(SKBBA) and Kuta Village, to enliven the Galungan Ceremony that will be
coming next week
Galungan is a Balinese holiday that signifies
the victory of Virtue (Dharma) over Evil (Adharma). This important
festival occurs every 210 days. It will begin on Wednesday, 7th of
September 2016 and will last for 10 days. During this time, the Balinese
gods and ancestral spirits descend to Earth to be honoured. They will
leave on Kuningan, which is the final day of the holiday.
The
Penjor is a slender, eight-metre high, gracefully arching bamboo pole,
festooned with colourful flowers, fruit, unhusked
rice and palm frond ornamentation, with an offering at the base. This is
used by the Hindus in Bali as part of almost every important ceremony,
especially for the anniversary temple celebrations. The aim of placing penjors
at Galungan is to show devotion to God in his manifestation as the god of the
mountain (Hyang Giri Pati). The people believe that water flows from the
mountains into Bali’s four freshwater lakes, which are the source of the rivers
and springs for the entire island, fulfilling the needs for irrigation and
drinking water. During the Galungan celebrations, each family places a penjor
outside their gate, which makes the whole neighbourhood look splendid.
Gebogan
is a Balinese offering with the reflection of a mountain shape or triangle. This
offering consists of many kinds of fruits, flowers and other ornaments that are
arranged in a triangle shape. When gebogan is presented as an offering to God,
it is ‘delivered’ to the temple by carrying it on top of the head. If it is
used as a decoration in a traditional ceremony, it is usually set on the floor
or on top of table.
All
of the bamboos for the competition have been supplied by the SKBBA with the
objective to encourage other businesses and the local community to take part in
the competition, which in turn will pull the community together, create an
attraction, and educate visitors about the Balinese Hindu culture and
traditions. The competition is expected to present at least 40 Penjors and
Gebogans, and a jury will be selecting the winner at the end of the event. This
is the Association’s fifth penjor and third gebogan competition, now
collaborating with Kuta Village, with the aim that it will become an attraction
that will grow year after year, showcasing the culture and keeping the
traditional skills alive.
Everyone
is welcome to watch the Penjor & Gebogan Competition, which will take place
on the VIP Parking Area of the Lippo
Mall Kuta located on Jalan Kartika on Friday 2nd September 2016.
The Penjor Competition will be from 1pm
to 6pm and the Gebogan Competition will be from 3pm to 6pm. The competition will mark the beginning of SKBBA Food & Entertainment Festival
at the Lippo Mall Kuta which will run for three days from the 2nd until the 4th of September 2016. During the festival, visitors can
savour various culinary delights while being entertained by Balinese dances
including the world famous Kecak dance, acoustic music performance & Quiz.
After
the events all the SKBBA members, together with other businesses in the area,
will place their penjor in front of the entrance to their premises. Visitors to
the South Kuta Beach area will be amazed by the beautiful, Balinese atmosphere
within the South Kuta Beach streets during this 10-day celebration.
- - -
The
South Kuta Beach Business Association is a group of hotels, restaurants and
attractions that specifically market the South Kuta Beach strip and ensure the
safety and enjoyment of tourists visiting the area through various environmental
and security initiatives. For more information visit www.southkutabali.com
#kuta #bali #southkuta #skbba #culture #balinese #culture #galungan #risatabali
