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Every temple and shrine has aspecial date
for annual ceremony, or "Odalan" every 210 days, including
the smaller ancestral shrines that each family possesses. Because
of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some
kind takes some village in Bali.
Galungan.
Galungan is literally a celebration of the creation of the universe,
in which the Supreme God. Creator of the universe is Worshipped,
an all ancestral spirits called to come down to earth and dwell
again in homes the family shrines and graceful "Penjor",
tall arching bamboo decorates with palm leaves and flower, as well
as small bamboo altars bearing intricately woven palm-leaf "lamaks",
placed at gate of each home.
Kuningan.
Ten days after Galungan, this is the day on which the ancestor are
bidden farewell with more offerings and freshly woven "Lamaks",
and the barongs take to the roads converting along with their troupes
of following children.
Nyepi.
Balinese New Year's day according the Caka calendar this is a day
inactivity and silence throughout the island 24 hours. Fires may
not be lit so cooking must be done the day before. Great purification
offerings are made in every village on the day before to appease
the evil spirit and general exorcism is held that evenings large
gangs of children roam the villages dressed in garnish attire and
bearing burning torches, chanting and banging on homemade cymbals
to scare the evils spirits away. Traditionally the day of nyepi
is spent at home fasting, in a prayer and meditation, but only more
religious Brahman families follow this custom.
Saraswati.
A special day is devoted to Saraswati , the Goddess of learning
science and literature, once a year according to Wuku calendar.
On this day no one is allowed to read or write, and offering are
made to the lontar, Palm-leaf books, books.
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