We just got done with the second most important holy days on the island of Bali. The most important day would be the day of silence (Nyepi), which takes place in March.
After that, are Galungan and Kuningan. These are two separate special days that occur ten days apart. Galungan comes first and celebrates the victory of dharma over adharma.
The day before Galungan, Balinese families will decorate a tall bamboo pole, called a penjor, following a very specific set of guidelines. Usually the children help their parents decorate the penjor. At the base of the penjor is a special box for offerings. Also at the top of the penjor is a hanging offering basket. Several times during Galungan, special offerings will be placed in the box. It has a name which I can neither pronounce or remember... Balinese also travel to each of the three temples in their area (pura dalem, pura
desa, pura puseh) for special prayers. All over Bali right now, the roads are lined with many, many penjor.
Even though this is a very spiritual custom, it is also a time for fun. You can read about that in the following post...
