INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN STUDIES SPRING 2016
Religious Ceremonies in Balinese Society : A Case Study of a Cremation Ritual in Tabanan
Anom Rajendra and Nicholas Temple .
Biodata : Anom Rajendra is a PhD candidate in the Department of Architecture at University of Huddersfield , United Kingdom . He is also a lecturer at Udayana University in Bali . Email : u0055305 @ hud . ac . uk
Biodata : Nicholas Temple is a Professor of Architecture and Director of the Centre for Urban Design , Architecture and Sustainability ( CUDAS ) at the University of Huddersfield , United Kingdom . Email : N . Temple @ hud . ac . uk
Abstract This paper considers the cremation ceremony in the context of the life of the inhabitants of a Balinese community , tracing relationships between ritual itinerary and topography , and highlighting tensions and conflicts that have emerged between these ritual traditions and recent developments in tourism . The unique feature of the cremation ceremony is not only its procession , and particular architectural forms , but also the accompanying festival events that parade from the house of the deceased to the cemetery . In the investigation , we will explore the historically important site of the Tabanan Palace that forms the geographical and symbolic focus of the ceremony and the route of the procession in the context of the cremation service with its community of participants / onlookers . The processions , and their related rituals , have long been recognised as an integral part of the civic life of the community , which is increasingly being jeopardised as a result of the impact of commercial use . The investigation asks if the preservation of these ceremonies can exist in harmony with these recent developments , without undermining the still vibrant traditional practices of Balinese society .
Keywords : Religious ceremonies , cremation ritual , Tabanan Palace
Introduction Balinese society today is intimately connected to the long historical development of Hinduism in Bali which was first identified in the eighth century along with the visit to Bali of Rsi Markandya , a Brahmin Hindu saint from India ( Wikarman , 1997 : 14-6 ; Ardhana , 2002 : 59-60 ). The Hindu religion has inspired people to live in organised and harmonious communities , backed up by their own laws and creeds . Traditional communities still exist within this social structure , which are of three types : desa pakraman , banjar , and sekehe . Desa pakraman denotes a village in which a local community is defined by a sacred and political space and governed by certain taboos , ritual protocols , and laws , whilst banjar refers to a social community / organisation within the village based on mutual needs especially in religious activities ( Sutjaja , 2009 : 37 ). Finally , sekehe denotes an organised group , possibly derived from one or more villages with a specific social function and distinct professional roles and responsibilities . Clifford Geertz ( 1980 : 47-8 ) argues that these social
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