Back they came to work for ten days, only to stop for another month, for the week of galungan was near, the time when the gods came down to earth, and long after they had departed the island would remain in a holiday mood.
Colin McPhee, A House in Bali
I'd be lying if l said I planned my visit to Bali so as to hit their top two festivals.
No, I had no idea there were any festivals at this time so I'll have to say the gods were smiling on me when I made my travel plans. Perhaps I need to make an offering of thanks.
Galungan, my second Balinese festival, celebrates the victory of good over evil,
or dharma over adharma.
The festival begins on the 11th week of the 210-day pawukon calendar and it lasts for something like eleven days.
While this Wednesday April 5th is Galungan itself, for the Balinese the preparations begin several days earlier.
Ministering to all those gods is a lot of work. As I walk around town I see people - mostly women - working away, constructing the offerings.
Of course there are the penjor, the giant decorated bamboo poles that each household places in front of its home.
Shrines are enhanced too with lots of rather gaudy decorations. And then there are several additional tasks.
Three days prior to Galungan there is the cooking of bananas. Two days prior (today) is the making of fried rice cakes. One day prior (tomorrow) is the slaughter of pigs and chickens.
So tomorrow is the day of slaughter.
Well, I saw chickens being killed last
week. One minute they were walking around, a short time later they weren't.
As to the pigs I saw something in town today
that I wish I hadn't. I certainly didn't photograph it.
It was a truck bed containing a number of large pigs, each confined in a cage barely larger than the pig itself. Oh my, I want to get that picture removed from my brain. I don't know what else to say except poor pigs.
On that sad note, let's look at a picture of my street and then pictures of preparation for the festival.
My street
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:15
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/15s ISO 200
1024 x 682
273 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1888
Ubud or
All photos
In Ubud, and much of Bali, the major streets, those wide enough for cars, tend to run north and south, parallel to the streams and rivers carrying water down the mountain. There are not many roads running east west as they would require expensive bridges.
What they do have are smaller paths such as this connecting major streets.
My street
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:15
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/15s ISO 200
1024 x 682
273 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1888
Ubud or
All photos
In Ubud, and much of Bali, the major streets, those wide enough for cars, tend to run north and south, parallel to the streams and rivers carrying water down the mountain. There are not many roads running east west as they would require expensive bridges.
What they do have are smaller paths such as this connecting major streets.
My street
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:15
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/15s ISO 200
1024 x 682
273 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1888
Ubud or
All photos
In Ubud, and much of Bali, the major streets, those wide enough for cars, tend to run north and south, parallel to the streams and rivers carrying water down the mountain. There are not many roads running east west as they would require expensive bridges.
What they do have are smaller paths such as this connecting major streets.
Decorated shrines
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:18
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/2.0 2/7s ISO 200
1024 x 715
366 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1887
Ubud or
All photos
Everyone is decorating their shrines with colourful fabric and flowers.
They appear to be wearing sarongs.
Note the penjor on the left, ready for
being stood up. There are holders embedded in the ground for the penjors.
Decorated shrines
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:18
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/2.0 2/7s ISO 200
1024 x 715
366 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1887
Ubud or
All photos
Everyone is decorating their shrines with colourful fabric and flowers.
They appear to be wearing sarongs.
Note the penjor on the left, ready for
being stood up. There are holders embedded in the ground for the penjors.
Decorated shrines
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:18
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/2.0 2/7s ISO 200
1024 x 715
366 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1887
Ubud or
All photos
Everyone is decorating their shrines with colourful fabric and flowers.
They appear to be wearing sarongs.
Note the penjor on the left, ready for
being stood up. There are holders embedded in the ground for the penjors.
Penjor detail
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:22
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 320
924 x 1024
199 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1884
Ubud or
All photos
Penjors are often staged along the road, held up by a bamboo lattice sitting
on the sidewalk.
Of course this penjor competes with
parked
scooters and pedestrians for space on
the narrow sidewalks. Pedestrians are lowest priority so I often walk in the
street.
Penjor detail
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:22
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 320
924 x 1024
199 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1884
Ubud or
All photos
Penjors are often staged along the road, held up by a bamboo lattice sitting
on the sidewalk.
Of course this penjor competes with
parked
scooters and pedestrians for space on
the narrow sidewalks. Pedestrians are lowest priority so I often walk in the
street.
Penjor detail
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:22
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 320
924 x 1024
199 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1884
Ubud or
All photos
Penjors are often staged along the road, held up by a bamboo lattice sitting
on the sidewalk.
Of course this penjor competes with
parked
scooters and pedestrians for space on
the narrow sidewalks. Pedestrians are lowest priority so I often walk in the
street.
Sign advertising upcoming festival
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:23
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1000
761 x 874
318 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1882
Ubud or
All photos
Sign advertising upcoming festival
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:23
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1000
761 x 874
318 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1882
Ubud or
All photos
Sign advertising upcoming festival
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:23
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1000
761 x 874
318 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1882
Ubud or
All photos
Fine tuning a penjor
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:23
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1250
627 x 557
210 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1881
Ubud or
All photos
This penjor is unusual in that it is
wrapped in red.
Note that the penjor is always
placed to the left of the gate.
Fine tuning a penjor
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:23
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1250
627 x 557
210 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1881
Ubud or
All photos
This penjor is unusual in that it is
wrapped in red.
Note that the penjor is always
placed to the left of the gate.
Fine tuning a penjor
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:23
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1250
627 x 557
210 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1881
Ubud or
All photos
This penjor is unusual in that it is
wrapped in red.
Note that the penjor is always
placed to the left of the gate.
Decorated shrines
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:27
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
1024 x 672
286 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1880
Ubud or
All photos
Decorated shrines
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:27
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
1024 x 672
286 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1880
Ubud or
All photos
Decorated shrines
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:27
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
1024 x 672
286 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1880
Ubud or
All photos
Penjor base with offering
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:31
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
692 x 912
214 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1879
Ubud or
All photos
A
penjor has an offering at both the
base and dangling from the tip. You can't have too many offerings.
Penjor base with offering
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:31
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
692 x 912
214 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1879
Ubud or
All photos
A
penjor has an offering at both the
base and dangling from the tip. You can't have too many offerings.
Penjor base with offering
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:31
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
692 x 912
214 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1879
Ubud or
All photos
A
penjor has an offering at both the
base and dangling from the tip. You can't have too many offerings.
Placing penjor in position
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:48
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1600
682 x 1024
274 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1878
Ubud or
All photos
Placing penjor in position
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:48
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1600
682 x 1024
274 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1878
Ubud or
All photos
Placing penjor in position
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:48
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 1600
682 x 1024
274 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1878
Ubud or
All photos
Penjor being readied
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:50
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 6400
1024 x 670
300 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1877
Ubud or
All photos
These fellows are taking a penjor out to the street, and getting ready to raise it. The green thing is the offering at the base.
I've
no idea how well these pictures will
look if you're not on a tiny screen.
For all I know I bolloxed them all up.
You see I do everything on an iPhone,
well except for the original pictures
which are taken with
my Fuji. Once I move them to the phone I
cut their resolution so they won't
take forever to load. Let's say, 15Mb down to about 0.5Mb. Typically.
I cannot tell from here if I've overdone it,
I'll know when i get home
where I can re-do them if needed.
Penjor being readied
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:50
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 6400
1024 x 670
300 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1877
Ubud or
All photos
These fellows are taking a penjor out to the street, and getting ready to raise it. The green thing is the offering at the base.
I've
no idea how well these pictures will
look if you're not on a tiny screen.
For all I know I bolloxed them all up.
You see I do everything on an iPhone,
well except for the original pictures
which are taken with
my Fuji. Once I move them to the phone I
cut their resolution so they won't
take forever to load. Let's say, 15Mb down to about 0.5Mb. Typically.
I cannot tell from here if I've overdone it,
I'll know when i get home
where I can re-do them if needed.
Penjor being readied
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:50
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 6400
1024 x 670
300 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1877
Ubud or
All photos
These fellows are taking a penjor out to the street, and getting ready to raise it. The green thing is the offering at the base.
I've
no idea how well these pictures will
look if you're not on a tiny screen.
For all I know I bolloxed them all up.
You see I do everything on an iPhone,
well except for the original pictures
which are taken with
my Fuji. Once I move them to the phone I
cut their resolution so they won't
take forever to load. Let's say, 15Mb down to about 0.5Mb. Typically.
I cannot tell from here if I've overdone it,
I'll know when i get home
where I can re-do them if needed.
It just keeps coming
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:51
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 5000
1024 x 711
260 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1876
Ubud or
All photos
It just keeps coming
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:51
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 5000
1024 x 711
260 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1876
Ubud or
All photos
It just keeps coming
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:51
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 5000
1024 x 711
260 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1876
Ubud or
All photos
The penjor end finally appears
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:52
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 5000
1024 x 725
301 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1875
Ubud or
All photos
Actually I think there is more,
the offering on the top is yet to come.
The penjor end finally appears
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:52
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 5000
1024 x 725
301 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1875
Ubud or
All photos
Actually I think there is more,
the offering on the top is yet to come.
The penjor end finally appears
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:52
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 5000
1024 x 725
301 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1875
Ubud or
All photos
Actually I think there is more,
the offering on the top is yet to come.
Penjor being staged
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:54
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
1024 x 829
300 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1874
Ubud or
All photos
Note the bamboo scaffold that holds the penjor off the ground, ready for being raised into its final position.
Penjor being staged
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:54
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
1024 x 829
300 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1874
Ubud or
All photos
Note the bamboo scaffold that holds the penjor off the ground, ready for being raised into its final position.
Penjor being staged
Mon, 3 Apr 2017 at 18:54
in Ubud, Bali
X-Pro2 16 f/1.4 1/40s ISO 4000
1024 x 829
300 kb
jamesgaston.ca/photo/1874
Ubud or
All photos
Note the bamboo scaffold that holds the penjor off the ground, ready for being raised into its final position.