MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

Hope you enjoy this holiday season...

SELAMAT HARI NATAL DAN TAHUN BARU 2011

Love, Peace and Success for all human kind...

Geseënde Kersfees en voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar 2011

Gëzuar Krishtlindjet dhe Gëzuar Vitin e Ri 2011

2011 عيد ميلاد مجيد وسنة جديدة سعيدة

Շնորհավոր Սուրբ Ծնունդ եւ Շնորհավոր Նոր Տարի 2011

Marjinal və Yeni İliniz Mübarək 2011

Eguberri eta Urte Berri On 2011

Prettige Kerstdagen en Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar 2011

Весела Коледа и Щастлива Нова Година 2011

Шчаслівага Калядаў і Новага Года 2011

Veselé Vánoce a šťastný nový rok 2011

Glædelig jul og godt nytår 2011

Häid jõule ja head uut aastat 2011

2011 کریسمس مبارک و سال نو مبارک

Bo Nadal e Feliz ano 2011

გილოცავთ დამდეგ შობა ახალი წელი 2011

मेरी क्रिसमस और नव वर्ष 2011

2011 חג מולד שמח ושנה טובה

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2011

Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi 2011

Gleðileg jól og farsælt komandi ár 2011

Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo 2011

メリークリスマスと新年あけましておめでとうございます 2011

Frohe Weihnachten und Happy New Year 2011

Bon Nadal i Bon Any Nou 2011

메리 크리스마스와 새해 복 많이 2,011

Fete Nwèl ak Happy New Year 2011

Čestit Božić i Sretna Nova Godina 2011

Christmas atque novus annus MMXI

Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus un laimīgu Jauno gadu 2011

Linksmų Kalėdų ir Laimingų Naujųjų Metų 2011

Kellemes Karácsonyi Ünnepeket és Boldog Új Évet 2011

Честит Божиќ и Среќна Нова Година 2011

Milied it-Tajjeb u Sena Ġdida Happy 2011

圣诞快乐，新年快乐 2011

God Jul og Godt Nytt År 2011

Merry Christmas at Manigong Bagong Taon 2011

Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku 2011

Feliz Natal e Feliz Ano Novo 2011

Joyeux Noël et Bonne année 2011

Crăciun fericit şi un An Nou Fericit 2011

Счастливого Рождества и Нового Года 2011

Срећан Божић и Срећна Нова Година 2011

Vesel božič in srečno novo leto 2011

Veselé Vianoce a šťastný nový rok 2011

Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo 2011

Hyvää Joulua ja Onnellista Uutta Vuotta 2011

Sherehe ya Krismasi na Heri ya Mwaka Mpya 2011

God Jul och Gott Nytt År 2011

สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาสและปีใหม่ 2011

Noeller ve Happy New Year 2011

Щасливого Різдва і Нового Року 2011

کرسمس اور مبارک نیا 2011 سال

Noeller ve Happy New Year 2011

Merry Christmas và Chúc mừng năm mới 2011

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda 2011

2011 לעבעדיק ניטל און האַפּפּי ניו יאָר

Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος 2011

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GALUNGAN & KUNINGAN FESTIVALS

Happy Galungan Day (8 Dec 2010) and Kuningan Days (18 Dec 2010)

Galungan Days are the important religious celebrations for Balinese Hindus. The Galungan festivity marks the victory of dharma (order) over adharma (disorder).

According to the local legend, centuries ago, Bali came to be ruled by a cruel, godless tyrant named Mayadenawa, who banned religious festival, tore down temples and punished anyone caught worshipping their Hindu gods. While he reigned, pestilence and famine raged across the island. The crops withered, rivers turned dry and people grew sick. Indra - god of storms and war - heard the island's prayers and came to earth with a great army to destroy Mayadenawa. Following the terrible battles, the evil king was killed in the hills of Gianyar. He died on Rebo (Wednesday) of the 11th week of Pawukon calendar. Mayadenawa symbolizes the adharma and the day of his killing marks the victory of dharma over adharma. The Balinese Hindus express this victory with prayers, the feast, offerings and also the get-togetherness.

Balinese Hindus use the Saka lunar calendar and the 210-day Pawukon calendar. Each of 30 seven-day weeks in one Pawukon cycle has unique name. The ten days between Wednesday of Dungulan, the 11th week, and Saturday of Kuningan, the 12th week, are a period called Galungan Days, starting on the Galungan and ending on the day Kuningan.

In the Gregorian calendar system, this year, Galungan Day occurs on Dec 08' (2010).

However, from six days before the celebration people are busy preparing the festivity. Started on Dec' 02, six days before the main celebration, called Sugian Jawa, is a special day to put the special offerings mainly in family temples for Gods and Goddesses, as the manifestation of the Almighty, while saving a prayer to purify ourselves. On the next day, called Sugian Bali, the same ritual activities with the preceding day are held.

On the Sunday (3 days before Galungan) called Penyekeban, from sekeb (to cover up), green bananas are sealed in huge clay pots upon which a small coconut husk fire burns. Lots of bananas are required for Galungan offerings, and this treatment ripens them quickly. This day is also believed as the day when Sang Kala Tiga (invisible disturber) is coming down the earth to seduce people to do bad things. Until the Galungan day comes, it is believed that Sang Kala Tiga is around us, so people should alert themselves by doing many good things and ritual to cast away the devil. The men set up the equipment associated with Galungan Ceremony such as bamboo, young coconut leaves and various kinds of flowers, material for making offering, while the women prepare various kinds of fruits.

The next day (2 days before Galungan) called Penyajaan, is devoted to making the many colored cakes of fried rice dough, jaja. This jaja is used to make offerings. The men decorate the family temple with white and yellow cloths which means the symbol of purity, and black white cloths (looks like chess board colors) which means the symbol of harmony, while the women very busy make various kinds of cakes for offering.

On the day before Galungan, called Penampahan - from nampah meaning to slaughter an animal-pigs or turtles are killed for the traditional Galungan morning feasts. Early morning the men join with their neighbors to slaughter a pig, than cook any types of Balinese dishes: lawar (a spicy hash of mixed vegetables teamed with meat and often fresh pig's blood), komoh, serapah, kuwah balung, sate lilit, jukut ares, tum bungkil and grill some chickens for the offering, at noon the men make a long bamboo pole or Penjor - an offering suspended from tall, curved bamboo pool with decorations. The arch represents Mt. Agung, the body is river that flows from the mountains to the sea, and along its route are the products of the harvest, tied to the pole; at the foot of the pole is a temporary shrine. It's also erected to welcome the victory day - to decorate the entrance of family compound. By late afternoon a day before Galungan Day, all over Bali decorated by penjor creating a very festive atmosphere in the street. While the women of the household have been busy for days creating beautifully woven 'banten' (offerings made from young coconut leaves)

Galungan day is a time for prayer, family get-together and offering. People pray at the family temples and other holy places to pray, dressed in colorful Balinese costumes. Women carry the offerings on their heads and men bring palm leave offerings in their hands, while the children walk hand in hand next to their parents. Usually people who live in town go to the hometown to visit their elders.

The day after Galungan, called Manis Galungan, is a time for visiting friends and relatives ; they forgive each other and remain together. It is also a day to relax and visit places of interest, after the long days of preparations for the celebration… and of course, the roads are packed with cars and motorcycles.

Ten days after Galungan Day Balinese Hindu followers will celebrate the prosperity day of Kuningan – kuning means yellow; this day Balinese Hindu make special offerings made from yellow rice) - which falls on Saturday (Saniscara), is the day when Gods and Goddesses accompanied by the holy ancestral spirits (pitara) come down to earth again to bless the people and the universe. It is believed that they will return to heaven in the midday. On this day, Balinese people do self-introspection by doing a meditation for human's prosperity. To the Balinese Hindu followers, the Kuningan Day is a time for commemoration say thanks to the gods for his mercy to the human races. Balinese Hindu has temple festival at Sakenan Temple on Kuningan Day, located in Serangan Island, known as Turtle Island.

If you happen to visit Bali ahead of Galungan Days, you'll discover that most temples are attractively decorated, dressed up with batik and white or yellow cloths wrapped around their individual shrines. The streets are lined with Penjor.

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