The closing pray also read by Islam priest, KH Burhanudin in Denpasar though some Hindu religion figures were attended this event. The food that served to the guests also fitted with Moslem people taste such as kebuli rice. It is a special food from Middle East. Puri Gerenceng people is also serving ‘lawar’ as the main menu of Galungan day to couple kebuli rice. ‘Lawar’ is usually made by pork but this time Puri’s people made it from mutton.

“All of the food is ‘halalan thoyyiban’ due to we are inviting Moslem people,” said Puri Gerenceng figure, Anak Agung Ngurah Agung as the host. According to him, this event has been a tradition of Puri Gerenceng family. “We are obliged to preserve ancestor’s tradition,” said the chairman of Hindu-Moslem Bali Brotherhood (PHMB). Mr Ngurah Agung added this activity is also aiming to tight the relationship of Hindu and Moslem people in Bali.

“We are strongly keeping religion harmony in Bali. Local people is realized if newcomers are coming to this island to make a living,” said him. Instead of drinking alcohol drinks, Galungan should celebrated by strengthening communication with others,” said Ngurah Agung. Besides KH Burhanudin, some Hindu religions were also attending this event. They are Jro Mangku Gajah and some headmen of the village in Denpasar. This event is also attended by the headman of Millitary Command Section 163/Wira Denpasar, Lieutenant Colonel (Inf) Agus Wernugroho.

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The foods were including noodle and wine to welcoming New Year. Amurva Bhumi Monastery priest, Chua Sing Liang said the noodle offering formed our wish to beg long age, safety and prosperity in our life. In the other side the twelve kinds of food is dominated by local crops due to in China, Chinese New Year at first celebrated by farmers.

Besides the twelve foods, there are red cup cakes. The sweet cake is being a wish for happiness in our life. “The cake has been obligatory thing for whom did New Year pray in this monastery,” said him. According to him, since morning his monastery filled by Chinese people whether local people or foreigners.

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He said Hindu believers from eight regencies and a city in Bali held “Jagra” which means the believers are not sleeping in Pura Besakih on Sunday night until dawn at Monday. The art performances are wayang, arja art and topeng bondres as they wished to deprive of sleepiness for Hindu believers who walking on ‘sleeping fasting’. The other art performances also may perform due to the artists who are coming from eight regencies and one city in Bali spontaneously will hold art performances around Pura Besakih.

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Attended this event, there were Badung Regent A.A. Gde Agung and his wife, the head of Badung Representatives Giri Prasta, Badung Secretary Kompyang R. Swandika, the head of Badung police Beny Arjanto with his wife, the head of B Commission of Badung House of Representatives Putu Parwata, Bishop of Protestant Church in Bali Priest I Made Budiarsa, Diocese Denpasar Priest Paskalis Widastra as the preacher, priests in Badung and whole of staffs in Badung government.

Regent Gde Agung stated his proud due to since this central government office built, this building was advantaging for Christmas celebration by Christians in Badung. This central government built for the interest of Badung people to serve Badung people. “So it is proper if it used for people in welcoming their feast day,” said Gde Agung. Regent felt this Christmas celebration is great due to Kertha Gosana which have 350 persons capacity fulfilled by 500 Christians in Badung. This Christmas event was giving peaceful vibration as the form of religion harmony.

The Head of Badung Representatives Giri Prasta delivered his appreciation for this Christmast event. He hoped this celebration giving new nuance for Christians in Badung. Mr Giri also suggests celebrating Christmas 2012 in House of Representatives Badung building. The chairman of this Christmas committee Jansen Panjaitan reported this massive Christmas celebration aiming to tight relationship between Christians in Badung. Christians in Badung also shows their caring toward poor people in Badung while Jansen Panjaitan represented the congregations to hand over some aids to the Regent Badung A.A. Gde Agung to distribute the aid.

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The Head of Central Dwijendra Foundation Denpasar, Drs. Ida Bagus Gede Wiyana was giving dharma wacana to invite Hindu devotees in Dwijendra enjoying soft tone of gamelan piodalan as one form of Satwika Yadnya. He was even giving prize to go to Sea Games for free for students who can answer question about Satwika Yadnya. Ida Bagus Gede Wiyana said if we are doing yadnya with unclear heart, it called Tamasika Yadnya. If we have not a heart in the central of yadnya, we are only thinking to get some food after piodalan also deemed himself contributing biggest role in this yadnya. It called Rajasika Yadnya. Yadnya in Dwijendra, said him, is a honest yadnya that called Satwika Yadnya.

Further Ida Bagus Gede Wiyana said about seven elements of Satwika Yadnya. Firstly yadnya should base on Holly Weda. Second element is it should do by sincere heart. Third element is yadnya needs a leader. It called tri manggala yadnya. Tri manggala yadnya covers amuja (sulinggih), tapini (offerings artisan) and manggala karya. These three elements should unite while the fourth is offering fund and punia. The fifth element is panca githa (percussion, pesantian, bell, kekidungan yadnya and dances). The sixth one is Anasewa (attention and offerings). The last element is the absence of arrogance and harsh words that called naas mitha.

In the other side Ida Bagus Gede Wiyana said piodalan comes from word ‘wedal’ means born. In parahyangan Dwijendra, there is palinggih like padmasana, ratu penyarikan, ratu gede and others. It is fitted with Hindu religion principal as it named lingga-yoni. Lingga is a God (sit in palinggih) and yoni is ourselves. If purusa and predhana are not united, said him, human will not born. If parahyangan Dwijendra or merajan has not received people pray or canang, Hindu devotees will lose everything. It is the function of odalan. Palinggih will be only a stone if yoni is not doing anything. For those reasons, Dwijendra people asked not to hurry due to odalan. There are four elements in a piodalan. They are Dharma, Artha, Kama (a will of closing God) to reach Moskhartam Jagaditha ya Caiti Dharma.

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He said his side had coordinated with regional government while it is supported by real condition in Bali about the amount of students and teachers. “We wished this data can be foundation for regional government in taking policy of Hindu religion teacher hiring in Bali,” said him. Fulfillment of teacher necessity, said him, is so important due to few years later many Hindu religion teachers will retire. Further each pasraman (nonformal institution of Hindu religion education) in villages will filled by Hindu Religion teachers.

“Young generation response to be Hindu Religion teacher is actually good enough as it marked by increasing students amount significantly in each universities in Bali for Hindu religion subject. Now we are only waiting the commitment of regional government,” said him. Suthayasa said the lack of religion teacher is not only happening in Bali but also in any provinces of Indonesia. Biggest need is in Bali especially for its elementary school.

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The participants consist of children, teenagers and adults who will follow six competitions: sloka, palawakya, kekawin, mecepat, kidung and dharma wacana. The grand jury comes from each district but when the district representative competed, jury team of same district is not allowed to assess. “It is urged reliable assessment objectivity,” said Suarta. Taking the theme of ‘Melarapan Utsawa Dharma Gita Ngiring Telebang Ajaran Suci Veda Tur Ngelimbakang Swadharmaning Agama,’ it aimed for young generation to have strong fortress in facing challenging globalization era.

Further it is giving deeper religion acknowledgment sourced on Veda holly teachings through Utsawa Dharma Gita competition. He said Utsawa Dharma Gita this year will hold for three days from 24-26 October 2011 in wantilan and outside area of Pura Desa Peguyangan Kaja, North Denpasar. It began by performance of each participant then some participants of mekidung and dharma wacana performed in the first day. Each of them kept hard effort to perform the best through expression, rhythm including matching outfit.

Evening schedule being closure event but also contains macepat competition for kids and sloka competition for adults. In the other side the Head of Culture Division Made Mudra in the middle of this competition said utsawa dharma gita regularly held each year to dig, preserve and developing traditional art of Bali. Further it also aimed to understanding Hindu teachings as it sourced from Veda holly teaching. Mudra thanked to all of Peguyangan people especially Jro Bendesa and his staff on behalf of Denpasar Government.

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This tradition usually did on Fourth Full Moon (Purnama Kapat) or others day that usually called rahina nadi or very good day. For example Pakraman Village Kerobokan holding pakelem ceremony or nyekar on Fourth Full Moon. In the other side Sinabun Village holding it a day after Fourth Full Moon. Keloncing Village took different day. It is usually taking certain day then the villagers met in Kerobokan Beach area since the morning. Pakraman villagers holding ‘makemit’ by bringing any sizes of bamboo. The bamboos will use to built a kind of little hut off shore.

The simple hut made by sukla cloth (cloth that never been used) as well its wall. In this hut villagers slept or took a rest as part of nyekar ceremony. After it had passing 00.00 Wita, villagers looked busy to prepare peak of ceremony that called nyekar or pakelem. Pakelem ceremony usually holding at 03.00 Wita or it should be before sun rising. This ceremony contains an activity of floating sekah into the sea or floating offerings such as sesajen and canang sari also incense stick by using the stem of banana. The stem made into square form. Jro Mangku Made Sudirtha, pemangku in Pakraman Village Kerobokan said nyekar ceremony is a thankful expression to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi due to the ceremony in wewidangan of pakraman village holding well.

“The ceremony expressing our thank to the God but also an impression of apologize for our mistakes along the ceremony. Then it is being our start to walk on our life in pakraman village,” said him. According to him, nyekar ceremony procession in Kerobokan Beach has been tradition. Though it has been modern age, people were enthusiast in following nyekar procession. Before there are any kinds of transportation mode, people were walking to the Kerobokan Beach. But now people are using vehicles such as motor cycle or four wheels vehicle. “The importance of the ceremony is not shifted. It is only modern age,” said Mangku Sudirtha. The interesting fact is villagers usually inviting their family as part of this custom ceremony. It is then being an event to meet each other. Villagers also brought food to eat together off shore besides offerings. They were enjoying the beauty of sunset, waves, and eat together after they were following ceremony together.

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“We predict foreigners will watch this ritual as it will reach 20,000 foreigners,” said Cokorda Gde Sukawati, the brother of Regent Cokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati. He said this ‘pelebon’ ceremony will empower 4,500 krama or local people around Ubud and outer Gianyar people. “It has been tradition if each pelebon in Puri Agung Ubud flooded by people and foreigners,” said him.

He explained 24 meters bade lifting will hold 300 people as its weight around 10 tonnes. “Until the graveyard, we hold seven rounds of bade lifting,” said him. Bade means stepped tower to bring dead body as the last respect to the beloved ones. “This bade will bring by thousands people in Raya Ubud Street to Setra Dalem Puri about 900 meters from Puri Ubud,” said him. The difference between this ceremony with ones of Tjokorda Agung Suyasa is in “naga banda”. “Ngaben ceremony for the wives of Puri Agung Ubud is not using ‘naga banda’ or soul companion to the heaven,” said him. Usually ‘naga banda’ or naga complement of ngaben ceremony arched by priest before bade lifted to the graveyard or setra.

Now the ceremony preparation has reached 90%, on Tuesday (9/8) we had done ‘nunas tirta’ ceremony and ‘surat kajang’ for ritual completion. On Thursday (11/8) there is ‘nyiramin layon’ ceremony or bathing the corpse. “The ceremony being part of pelebon ritual as its peak will be on Thursday (18/8),” said him. Invitation sent for some foreign consulate in Denpasar. “For central officers, we are not yet sending invitation,” said him. The late Anak Agung Niang Rai passed away after she had treated for two months in Central Hospital (RSUP) Sanglah in Wings Internasional, Denpasar.

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“We are preparing the certification process,” said the guarantor of Hindu religion certification Dr. I Nyoman Linggih yesterday. Maturing this certification program through PLPG track, some committee members did comparative study to Ganesha University (Undiksha) Singaraja yesterday. Linggih added this year General Director Bimas Hindu Religion Ministry Indonesia giving certification portion for 900 teachers and Hindu religion supervisor in Indonesia. This teacher certification will hold in both campus of IHDN Denpasar and Unhi Denpasar. The certification held by LPTK Rayon IHDN Denpasar joint with Unhi Denpasar.

General Director Bimas Hindu Religion Ministry Indonesia, Prof. Dr. IBG Yudha Triguna said this certification is one of government’s efforts to increase teacher’s quality for better Hindu religion’ education in Indonesia. Further this year government will offer three options of teacher’s certification: portfolio track, PLPG, and education qualification track. In this context, General Director of Bimas Hindu pushes teacher certification participant to take PLPG track due to portfolio track this year prioritizing teachers who had achievement in regency/city grade.

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