Magedong-gedongan ceremony is a ritual that is performed when the baby is still in the womb of his/her mother. The ceremony serve not only to protect the child from ‘the unseen evils or the supernatural world’, but also to ensure that the baby is born healthy, intelligent and grows up to be a good, honest and respectful human being. During pregnancy, the mother is forbidden to do evil and say rude because it could affect the nature and character of the baby.

When the baby is born, the family will do a ritual to treat the placenta as it is considered as the sister/brother of the baby. The placenta washed and then inserted into the coconut. After being given a mantra (sacred prayer), the placenta in the coconuts planted in front of the home and given pandan leaves as a symbol of black magic repellent disorder…

The first post-natal ceremony – ‘Upacara Kepus Pungsed/Puser’ – takes place when the baby’s umbilical cord falls off. The cord is put into an egg-shaped container made from coconut leaves, called a tipat taluh. Some parents prepare a special trinket made from silver or gold that is ceremoniously hung around the baby’s neck, serving as a good luck charm and also to protect the baby. Occasionally, this ceremony is termed ‘Upacara Ngelepas Aon’, so-called because…

The second post-natal ceremony is celebrated when he or she is twelve days old. This is called ‘Bajang Colong/Ngerorasin’ and has the aim of cleansing the baby’s soul from any negative influence which could have been passed on via its mother’s uterus (Balinese believe that a child is accompanied in-utero by four unseen siblings which may influence him or her in later life if the baby is not purified). At this time the baby is also given its name. First, a number of candle…

This ritual is called Tutug Kambuhan ceremony which is aimed to clean up the baby and mother from things impure. After execution of this ritual, the baby and the mother will be allowed to enter the sacred areas such as temple.   Nyambutin Ceremony held after the baby is 3 months old. This ceremony aimed to request to The God that the soul of the baby really has to be on his body.  Until this day, babies are not permitted to touch the ground. For this ceremony, parents ador…

After 6 month old baby in bali calendar we held Ngotonin ceremony. One of the activities carried out in this Ngotonin ceremony is cutting the hair of the baby. The Balinese believe the baby’s first hair is dirty. The hair cutting goal to appeal to the God that the baby is released from the sins in a previous life, so that in this reincarnation can start a better life.  This ceremony is equivalent to annual birthday for the most people in the world

The coming of age of a child is at the first menstruation for the girl and laugher sound for the boy. The ceremony is asking purification blessing of any stains and to announce to the neighbors or the community member that there is a new young woman or young man in their society

This ceremony can be done after adolescent or the coming of age of about 14-15 years old, the six upper tooth including the canine are filed to symbolize the six evil spirits in his/her body named Sad Ripu which caused conflict in all human are now overcome, such as :   1. greediness       2. rudeness         3. wrathfulness     4. like to lie 5. like to be praised 6. like to slander. And from now they are con…

Marriage is a must for the Balinese people to continue the generation and to keep the house private including the family temple. So a new couple is expected to have children.  In Bali is known with two different customs of getting marriage called kawin lari or  marriage by elopement and the other one is married by proposal, both are legal, more than 90% the marriages are by and the rest are by proposal, married by elopement is more romantic, they choose their partners by their own choice

The cremation ceremony is carried out when people die especially for the Hindu Balinese with great preparations some days before. It could be done directly after people died or by burying the death body first at the cemetery ground. When the family has enough preparation or financial, so the body is taken back and cremated it’s bone. The cremation ceremony commonly spends much money. The main purpose of cremation ceremony is to return the five elements of human nature. Those five elements ar…