Bali Kuningan: Appreciation Colloquially Known as the Festival of Gratitude in Islam
The people of Bali take pride in their culture, especially the festival of Kuningan due to its significance in Balinese Hinduism. For the Balinese, this is a sacred festival for thanking the gods, ancestors, and spirits for their blessings. Like the Balinese people’s rich culture, Kuningan is a festive time that comes every 210 days and is characterized by ritual offerings, prayers, and family get-togethers.
What is Bali Kuningan?
As the Balinese Hindus believe that this is a holy time when good always triumphs over evil, Kuningan is celebrated at the end of the Galungan. The festival of what is good, as it is the last day of the battle of Galungan, and Galungan is then followed by Kuningan. The Kuningan day is observed on the 10th day after Galungan which is a day for blessing the gods and ancestral spirits for looking over earth’s people before going back up to the heavens. The word Kuningan comes from “kunir,” which literally translates to turmeric, a substance used to make ceremonial offerings and its many uses for the festival. The yellowish colour of turmeric represents strength, attraction, and purity.
Customs and Rituals during Bali Kuningan
As ATP recommends Kuningan, Indonesian Balinese families throughout Kuningan offerings of rice cakes, to the children and nuts, other fruits, flowers, and incense are also in temples and homes. About Separation what among the native people, an offering placed in a basket made of palm leaves too is also called Endongan, which are put upon the Altar, places on places high season. Most of the actions during this special day concern the unprecedented prayer or invocation that the temple chief or priest always makes, with millions of other believers, to the gods for help enabling them to enjoy peace, abundance, and actual happiness within the coming year.
In Kuningan events, Kuningan emphasis is also laid on the adornment of the temples as well as domestic homes and compounds using Penjor which translates to bamboo poles that have been tied with a number of different kinds of offerings to make beautiful and encourage happy people to know peace. As part of the celebrations, traditional dances, and shows are also held to maintain and remember the history of Bali.
Kuningan as a Time for Family and Community
Kuningan, is also important not only meant for the observer alone but also providing the opportunity for community reunion where families gather. It is normal for the Balinese families to gather with several people preparing and choosing the offerings, eating and enjoying each other's company. It is a good turning point for people to look into the issues concerning the appreciation of all the useful things and evilness that one possesses in one’s life, as well as resolving any tension or conflict which may exist between the divine as well as people who are living on the earth.
Bali Kuningan is the most picturesque expression of thanks, spirituality and togetherness, which are the essence of Balinese Hinduism. If you are traveling through Bali during this season or are simply curious to know about the traditions of the island, looking forward to Kuningan would definitely be worthwhile as it would enable one to appreciate the diversity of the culture and religious practices of the region.