PAGERWESI DAY

Happy Pagerwesi Day, On May 06th 2015

Today Balinese Hindu religion, celebrate of Pagerwesi Day. Pagerwesi day is part of a major holiday in Bali's Hindus, who are always there on Wednesday, every 210 days. And is part of the Saraswati day, also takes place once every 210 days, on Saturday. Saraswati is the feast day of the Lord's descent science to mankind. So on that day, Balinese Hindus celebrate it with utter gratitude to God for having given intelligence and knowledge, so that they can live well and this world. While the Pagerwesi meaningful to improve the firmness of faith and to pray to the Almighty God for the world and its contents are given salvation.

Balinese people will commemorate Pagerwesi. The word is derived from two words Pagerwesi Java language, pager (fencing) and wesi (iron). Pagerwesi literally means the "iron fence". Pagerwesi is dedicated to honour Siva, the God manifestation as Sanghyang Pramesi Guru, guardian of the universe, which is meant to ask for protection a.nd prosperity. Pagerwesi has a very close relationship with Saraswati which falls four days after Saraswati Day. After people received knowledge on Saraswati Day, Pagerwesi is the day to show our respect to the teacher and the main Guru (God or Siva). Another correlation between Saraswati and Pagerwesi is that the knowledge must be protected from bad influences and misuse

Pagerwesi is the day when Balinese fortify the space around themselves to ward off evil spirits, a day of offerings for the protection of the village and families and the world around them. As on the day Galungan, on the day of Pagerwesi, “penjors” (a tall decorated bamboo poles) are raised which makes it a day as almost as important as Galungan. 

On this Wednesday in Bali, all activities of the government offices and schools were closed. With the goal, so that all Balinese Hindus perform religious rites in peace, and walked with linear. Because the Balinese Hindus, this day is a very big day. Every Pagerwesi day in Bali, all Balinese Hindus perform religious rites in their homes. Conducted since early morning till noon. There is a belief for Balinese Hindus, ancestors descend into the world of heaven only in the morning, and returned to heaven at noon.

Just like other rituals in Bali, on the Pagerwesi day, also held a religious ceremony to deliver to the offerings as well as a series of leaf, flower and fruit in the family temple (Merajan). Because the family temple (Merajan) is an ancestral place is down to earth, so the family temple is part of the highly purified. In addition to praying at the family temple, Balinese Hindus also pray to be some nearby temples.

Pagerwesi day is actually a normal working day in Indonesia, but Bali Governor grant a dispensation to all employees who are Hindus, and dismiss students to perform a series of rituals. So on this day, many people capitalize on this holiday to visit relatives. So long ago, visiting relatives and family activities at this Pagerwesi Day has become a tradition for the people of Bali.

The philosophy of Saraswati and Pagerwesi celebrations are that people must keep knowledge, health, food, cloth and gold high in their lives to keep the universe in balance.