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Please
see the Klub Kokos Guidebook for more detailed information about a
royal cremation and a
mass cremation, plus many photos.
Tjokorda Istri Niyang Muter
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Tjokorda Istri Niyang Muter
Puri Ubud
24th July, 2004
Throughout the month of July visitors to the Ubud area will be able
to witness a hive of activity, centered on the preparations for the biggest
cremation ceremony of the decade & possibly the last of the really
big royal cremations. To find out more about the most important of the
Pitra Yadnya (Life Cycle) Ceremonies for the Balinese, read on.
On the morning of Tuesday 6th May 2004, the day before her Balinese "birthday"
(oton) Tjokorda Istri Niyang Muter died at the grand old age of
94 years. Tjok Muter leaves behind 2 children, 8 grandchildren and 16
great-grandchildren. She was the last to die of the 11 children of the
old King of Ubud, Tjokorda Gde Sukawati.
Born on 21st January, 1910, Tjok Muter was the twin sister of Tjokorda
Gde Agung Sukawati, who died in 1978. On his father's death, Tjok Agung
became the head of the central part of the Ubud Palace, Puri Saren.
His twin sister married Tjokorda Gde Ngurah of the western wing, Puri
Saren Kauh, so this is the base for all the preparations leading up
to the Pelebon (Royal Cremation Ceremony).
Upon Tjok Muter's death, word was immediately spread amongst the extended
family of Puri Ubud. Because of a number of major temple ceremonies
being held in the Ubud area at that time, a decision was made that her
body should remain in her bedroom at the Puri, where she would
be considered to still be "sleeping" until such time as a formal
announcement of her death could be made. Once this announcement is made,
the township of Ubud becomes sebel (unclean), so that no other
ceremonies should be held in this area until at least 3 days after the
cremation ceremony is over. In the meantime, hundreds of family &
friends rotate to maintain a constant 24 hour a day "wake" at
the Puri by her bedroom.
It was determined from the Balinese Calendar that an auspicious date
for the cremation would fall on 24th July. Another member of the Puri
family to be cremated is Ibu Henny Sudharsana, from the eastern wing,
Puri Saren Kangin. She is the wife of the late Tjokorda Gde Oka
Sudharsana, who was cremated last December. She had died in March of this
year, & an effigy of her body will be used in the cremation ceremony.
At the same time, mass cremations (Ngaben Massal) of 52 people
that have died over the past four years within the five main banjar
(local councils) of the Ubud area will also be held on this date. Preparations
for this will be centered near the Puri, on the road leading north
from the central intersection of Ubud.
By early July preparations for the cremation begin in earnest with the
formal announcement of Tjok Muter's death. The heads of the various families
of Puri Ubud gather together to work out a schedule for all of
the intricate preparations that precede the royal cremation. To be able
to prepare for a cremation ceremony even on the most simple of scales,
a huge amount of labor is required. Because Tjok Muter was of direct royal
descent from the central Puri of Ubud, her cremation is therefore
on a much bigger scale than those of the lower castes of Hindu-Bali. One
of the first things that needed to be done was to call together all the
heads of the different banjar of the Ubud area to discuss a schedule for
them assisting in all of the preparations.
Each day since then hundreds of people from the different banjar
come to the Puri to help with the massive amount of preparations
for the royal cremation, as well as preparing for the mass cremation.
With the birth of the twins back in 1910, the community of Ubud considered
this a very special blessing from God, sprinkling the water from the babies'
first bath on their rice fields. They now look upon their helping with
the preparations for Tjok Muter's cremation as a way of repaying their
debt to her. Also, because of the leading role that Tjok Muter's son,
Tjokorda Gde Agung Suyasa, has played for the past two decades as an advisor
in religious & community affairs & temple ceremonies throughout
Bali & beyond, many banjar from further afield also come to
offer their services to help. While the women have been helping with the
preparation of the mountains of offerings required for the ceremonies,
the men have been constructing the temporary platforms needed, as well
as cooking some of the food that makes up a part of the offerings.
Perhaps the most interesting part for visitors to Bali to view is the
construction of the lembu (bulls) that will hold the body of Tjok
Muter & effigy of Ibu Henny at the time of their cremation, &
the huge badé (tower) that will be used to transport them
from the Puri to the cremation grounds. Because Tjok Muter was the twin
sister of Tjok Agung, her cremation will be held on a similar scale to
that of his back in early 1979, & will include a naga banda
(dragon) to lead the procession to the cremation grounds, something that
is rarely seen even in royal cremations. A gifted group of carvers is
used to build the lembu, badé & naga banda,
being constructed in the outer courtyard of the Puri, where evening
dance performances are usually held, as well as on the street outside
the Puri. Because of the towering height of the badé,
a lot of this work is done in the few days leading up to the cremation
on the roadway leading to the north from the central intersection of Ubud,
where the procession for the royal cremation ceremony will start on 24th
July, heading east to the cremation grounds of the Puri.
During the days leading up to the cremation ceremony, various other ceremonies
are held to prepare the soul for its departure from the world. On 16th
July the Mesiram (Bathing) Ceremony will be held, where the body
& effigies are bathed with water perfumed with fragrant flowers, then
anointed with offerings & fine clothes, to be blessed by the pedanda
(high priests) who attends this ceremony. People from many other Puri
throughout Bali, as well as other friends of the family are invited to
witness this very important ceremony held in the privacy of the Puri.
In the days leading up to the cremation thousands of people will come
to call on the Puri, as they will also do on the actual day of
the cremation. Two pedanda will be in attendance on the 23rd for
a final ceremony before the body of Tjok Muter & the effigies depart
to the cremation grounds the next day. There will be two processions within
the last three days before the cremation, one from Peliatan to the Puri
Ubud, bringing back the naga banda after it has been through
a special blessing ceremony, while the other one is from Campuhan after
collecting holy water there for the last ritual blessing of the body &
effigies.
While the ceremonies held within the walls of the Puri are private
affairs, for the family & invited guests, once the procession spills
outside of the Puri walls to the main road & to the cremation
grounds, it then becomes public, with the whole of the Ubud community
joining in to assist Tjok Muter, Ibu Henny & the 52 other souls in
their smooth departure from this world. Visitors to Ubud on 24th July
may also want to join in the huge procession to the cremation grounds,
to witness the most spectacular of all ceremonies in Bali. Your interest
is welcome, as long as you remember to respect the importance of this
day for everyone involved.
Twelve days following the cremation, on 5th August, there will be another
very important ceremony for the journey of the souls that were cremated,
as well as a number of others from the Puri that have been cremated over
the past few years. A Maligia Punggal ceremony will be held, much
of which will be on the roadway leading to the north from the central
intersection of Ubud. This ceremony is to lift the souls of the departed
to a more purified state so that they may then find a home prepared for
them within each of their respective merajan (family temples) at
the Puri.
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