Galungan
& Kuningan Day is celebrated every 210-days
Galungan
- this year falling on Wednesday, August 29th, 2012, begins a
10 day celebration of fundamental importance on the Bali Hindu
calendar and a particularly interesting time for visitors to be
on the most spiritual of islands.
every six moths which's based on Balinese calendar, called pawukon
on Budha Kliwon Dunggulan.
Marking
the beginning of a window lasting ten days, Galungan and Kuningan
is the period when the spirits of deceased ancestors descend to
earth to once again be among their families. In order to welcome
and appease both ken and kin, ancestral temples are cleaned, special
offerings are made, and dances are presented to humor the hearts
and bring contentment to those members of the family, now deceased,
back for a brief reunion with family and friends.
Celebrating
the triumph of good over evil, Balinese also see this as a period
of introspection and self-correction; a time to repudiate those
negative elements in their personality - such as deceit, thievery,
violence, anger and jealousy. Balinese staff working across the
island are given leave days at this time to return to their home
villages and attend to ancestral temples during the celebration
of Galungan and its complementing holiday of Kuningan, ten days
later.

Visitors
driving across the island during these holidays are certain to
see giant Penjor - bamboo altar-poles, decorating streets and
doorways of every village. Their looming presence, forming hallowed
tunnels of palm leaf left and right down villages lanes, proclaim
an ancient victory of Dharma over King Mayadanawa, an evil and
godless king who once controlled Bali.
Galungan
and the celebration of Kuningan ten days later on Saturday, September 9th, 2012, when ancestral spirits again take their leave of this
earth, is a very special period when the people of Bali are on
their very best behavior: every village bustles with musical and
dance performances; streets are clogged with elegantly dressed
families carrying huge mounds of breathtakingly beautiful offerings
to nearby temples; and the Balinese feel a very special attachment
with their families, friends and the island they love.