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.

Saraswati Day Ceremony | Celebration of Knowledge in Hinduism

Saraswati Day is Celebrated Every 210-Days

On May 02th, 2015, Hindu's followers in Bali celebrate Saraswati Day, the day to worship God in his manifestation as the master of all knowledge every six moths which's based on Balinese calendar, called pawukon on Saniscara Umanis Watugunung. This is a time to give their great honor to the knowledge.

Balinese Hindu believes that knowledge is an essential medium to achieve the goal of life as a human being. Saraswati Day is celebrated to honor God as source of the knowledge. God, in this particular celebration, is manifested as Saraswati Dewi, Goddess Saraswati. She is depicted as a beautiful lady with four hands holding a musical instrument, meditation bead chain, as well as palm leaf manuscript. Many times the Saraswati is depicted to be standing on the swan. The beautiful lady is a symbol that the knowledge is attractive by many people. The musical instrument symbolized the knowledge is entertaining, the more you are into it the more beautiful and interesting it can be. The manuscript (or book) is where the knowledge is kept. The chain is a symbol that knowledge is never finish to learn, there is no beginning and ending.

In Bali Saraswati Day also has various religious steps before and after the actual day. Six days before Saraswati is Pemelastali, a day to free our selves from worldly desire. Four days and the following days before Saraswati are called Paid Paidan, Urip and Patetegan which mean days to control desire, constantly do introspection by holding the purity of the knowledge. On day before Saraswati is called Pengeredanaan,a day to prepare Saraswati Day both spiritually and physically. Book are collected, cleaned and placed in properly places. Special offerings are made to be used for the following celebration.

Saraswati Day is celebrated every 210-days on Saniscara Umanis Wuku Watugunung based on Balinese Pawukon (cycles) calender. On the actual day of Saraswati, offering are placed on the books and shrines. Worships are held at the temples in family compound, villages, businesses and others from morning to noon. Prime worships are held in school's temples attended by its student and teachers. In the afternoon and evening is a good time to held religious discussion.

The following day of Saraswati is called Banyupinaruh, a day to have spiritual and physical cleansing. Normally Balinese will go to nearby beaches or water spring or river to have the special bathing. Worship will also be held in the village temples or other respective temples afterward.The Hindus in Bali usualy doing this celebrated at the morning.

Happy Saraswati Day, On May 02th 2015

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Unique Tradition Before Silent Day

(Tawur Agung Kesanga Day On 20th March)

In Bali Tawur Agung Kesanga is a Hinduism spiritual ceremony which aims to purify, and cleansing the earth. Tawur Agung Kesanga is held a day before the celebration of Balinese New Year Nyepi. Its on Tilem Kesanga , new moon of ninth month based on Balinese calendar.

The Tawur Agung Kesanga ceremony is followed by Pengrupukan, the purification of the home environments, Banjar, village, and so on, which is done by spreading offerings, flame torch, and sounding objects to make noise: drums, bells, ceng-ceng, kulkul ,balinese gambelan, etc., in order to control the Bhuta Kala the evil spirit , so the next day the Nyepi celebration would take place peacefully.

The Tawur Agung Kesanga ceremony is held at the main crossroad or central meeting point of four directions. Its called “Catus Pata” in Balinese. In our village it is located just in the front of Keramas traditional market.

This ritual was going well. After we completed this ritual, many young people from all over the village came here and carried their Ogoh-Ogoh, a giant replica doll – symbol of evils (Bhuta Kala) and placed them around the area of ​​Catus Pata. Later in the evening or sandikala, from this point they started the Ogoh-Ogoh parade marched through over the village and end up to the grave and burned the Ogoh-Ogoh.

The next day, on Nyepi day, the Hinduism hold the Catur Berata Penyepian.Nyepi is celebrated by doing nothing, people stayed in the house implement Catur Brata Penyepian, that are amati geni (not light a fire), amati karya (not working), amati lelungan (not traveling), and amati lelanguan (no fun). The streets will look lonely without a vehicle, and no activity of the people who look. Around of Bali will no activity even the airport and television channel.

Happy Balinese New Year (Nyepi Caka 1937) !

PHOTOS GALLERY

photos of Ogoh-Ogoh, a giant replica doll