Gebogan, Balinese Offering Culture to The God

In every ceremony in the Hindus temple, the Hindus usually make offerings to the God called 'Gebogan'. There are two kinds of 'gebogan'. First is 'gebogan' that contains with Balinese flowers. Second 'gebogan' which contains with Balinese fruit. 'Gebogan' dedicated to God is the kind 'gebogan' contain with Balinese fruits. Basically, they are arrangements of fruit, colorful flowers, chicken roasted and sweet cakes stacked on top of one another, forming cylindrical towers. These objects are not always combined together, however, and you will often find 'gebogan' made up of either just flowers or fruit, depending on the purpose. The offerings are attached to a banana tree trunk by sharp bamboo skewers. The base of a 'gebogan' can be either a wooden 'dulang' or a metal 'bokor' which support the weight of the tower. Coconut-leaf decorations, known as 'sampian', ornament the top of the offerings. 

What is included in 'gebogan' will vary from one part of Bali to another based on local tradition. But the offering is always a gorgeous sight to be hold. After they finished to make the 'Gebogan' they bring it to the temple to be prayed over. Once all the rituals are over, the 'gebogan' are taken home and the food is shared amongst family and friends. Since food spoils quickly in the tropics, it is either consumed straight away or given away to visitors. If you ever visit Balinese post-ceremony time, they will surely offer you fruit and cakes which come straight off a 'gebogan'. Traditionally, 'gebogan' only served as offerings to God and were symbolic of all that is found in nature. These days, however, 'gebogan' also function as decorations or ornaments for hotels, parties, special occasions, just like ornamental bamboo poles (penjor). 

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Tajen - The Balinese Cook Fighting

'Tajen' is Balinese word for cock fighting gambling, yet in the sense of true gambling of Bali 'Tajen' has developed from a small number of men gathering at the village temple during the ritual provocating their cocks to fight each other until one or either were dead or one gives up armed with sharp two sided knife tied at the leg of the cock involved in fighting. Both cocks will injure each other, even kills one or both. This sharp knife called  'taji' which word forms "tajian", and 'tajian' is assimilated into 'tajen' The bebebotoh is the name of 'tajen' gambler who use the money for betting at the cock fighting field called  'kalangan tajen'.

It is not known when Balinese started to know this type of gambling. Since the government of Indonesia declared with regulations that 'tajen' is one of gambling and is forbidden, the 'bebotohs' looking for a reason that 'tajen' is a necessity, for requirement of ritual, and always organize the 'tajen' during the temple ritual, or during family ritual. The birth of 'tajen' inspired a person to write superstitious forecasts. We do not able to find out weather the writing was made by a 'brahmana' or a common people. Seen from the language it would have been written around 18th century. This manuscript is called 'Pengayam-ayaman' or simply means the consultant for 'bebotohs' to foresee what cock will be the winner on certain day of the 'tajen', what color of the cock will be the victorious, and at what direction the cock should be provocated for the first time on the battle field. The manuscript claims to be able to give clues to the cock that will win the battle.

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