Bali Traditional Cremation Procession
Ngaben is a cremation carried out in Bali, especially by the Hindus. Since most of Balinese are Hindus, Ngaben is a ceremony you will often see in this island of thousand temples. Ngaben is meant to restore the ancestral spirits to its original place. Ngaben is usually conducted by family relatives of the deceased, as a form of respect for a child to his parents.
Unlike other burial or death ceremony, Ngaben is held in a festive way. It may cost 15 to 20 million rupiah. The ceremony will be colorful and without sobs. It is due to the Balinese belief that they should not mourn those who have died because it could hamper the spirits of the journey toward his place.
The day of execution is determined by finding a good day which is usually determined by Pedanda, the religion leader. A few days before the ceremony conducted, the family assisted by the community will create a “Bade and Ox”, a very grand wooden statue, covered in colored paper and other materials. “Bade and Ox” is a place to put the body.
After going through some traditional rituals, the body will be then placed carried to the final place accompanied by a gamelan, traditional musical orchestra. Then the “Ox” will be burned to become Ash. Ash is then dumped into the sea or rivers that are considered sacred.
