UBUD CREMATION STOPS DAILY ACTIVITIES

UBUD CREMATION STOPS DAILY ACTIVITIES

People daily routines In Ubud stopped recently during the cremation ceremony of Tjokorda Raka Dherana SH on Tuesday, 15 July 2008. He was the former regent of Gianyar during the period of 1983-1993. Thousands of people including tourists crowded the street to see the ceremony. Street activities totally stopped at 11.00 am and some roads were also closed especially for the procession. Overhead electricity and telephone lines had been disconnected since early morning to allow the tall cremation tower to pass. People gathered in the front yard of the palace and visitors looked on admiring the ceremonial materials and equipment. The "Petulangan", which is used to burn the corpse, was a 3-meter effigy of a black bull and the "Naga Banda", which is used to transport the body to the cemetery, was a 12-meter high tower with a story’s. An event such as this rarely happens on such a large cremation. It can only be used for priests, noblemen or people with a similar caste status called "brahmana". The incessant beating of wooden drums sounded the beginning of the ceremony with all the villagers dressed in white gathering around. The procession went mm the family palace to the cemetery with the effigy and cremation tower being carried by the local men. Village women and family members carried the hand-made offerings as part of the procession. The ceremony was complete at around 4.00 p.m with electricity, telephones and roads returning to normal.