Ngaben Cremation Ceremony in Island of the Gods

Ngaben Cremation Ceremony in Island of  the Gods

Ngaben is a Hindu cremation ceremony in Bali, Indonesia. In the Panca Yadnya, this ceremony is included in Pitra Yadnya, the ceremony devoted to the ancestral  spirits. Ngaben ceremony is to restore the ancestral spirits  (dead) to the place of origin. A Pedanda said, humans have Bayu, Sabda, Idep, and after death Bayu, Sabda, Idep was restored to Brahma, Wisnu, Siwa.

Ngaben ceremony usually done by family relatives of the deceased, as a form of respect for a child against his parents. In once, this ceremony usually spend 15 million to 20 million rupiah. The ceremony  is usually performed by festive, no sobs, because in Bali there is a belief that we should not cry over one who has died because it could hamper the spirits journey to the place.

Day of Ngaben implementation is determined  by looking for  a good day  which  is usually  determined  by Pedanda. A few days before the ceremony Ngaben done families assisted by the public will make "Bade and Lembu" a very stately made of wood, colored paper  and other materials. "Bade and the Lembu"is a corpse which will be done Ngaben.

In the morning when the ceremony is  done, the family and relatives  and the community  will gather to prepare the ceremony. The bodies will be cleaned or commonly called "Nyiramin" by society and family, "Nyiramin" is led by people who are considered  the oldest  in the  community. After that the bodies will is applied Balinese traditional clothes like a person who is still alive. Before the top event carried out,  the whole  family  will give their last respects  and gave the prayer. When everything  is ready, then the corpse will be placed in "Bade" to rollicking carried to the graveyard where Ngaben ceremony, accompanied by a  "gamelan", "Kidung Suci", and followed the whole family and community, in front of "Bade" there is a white cloth significant  long as the the spirit pacer to the place of origin.

At every fork in the road or crossroad is "Bade" is played 3 times. Arriving at the graveyard, Ngaben ceremony done by placing the  bodies  in "Lembu" which has been prepared starting with other ceremonies and prayer spells of Ida Pedanda, and "Lembu" burned to be Ash. Ash is then thrown into the sea or rivers are considered  holy.

After this ceremony, the family can still pray for ancestors of holy places and temples respectively. This is what  causes the  family ties  in Bali is very strong, because, they always remember and respect for ancestors and parents. There is a belief that the spirits of ancestors  who suffered the reincarnation  will be  back in the family circle again, so usually a grandchild is a reincarnation  of his parents.