Balinese ceremony at Pura Petitenget in Seminyak Bali

Pura Petitenget is located in Seminyak, where Jl. Petitenget meets the beach. This afternoon there was a Balinese ceremony going on there. Skies were slightly darkened, but a gazebo structure was set up to give people shade.

Approaching the ceremony, I could hear the rattle of the gamelan orchestra. Many seated Balinese people, mostly older people it seemed, were listening to the prayers of a priest over a loudspeaker. A local told me this was a ‘poleng’ ceremony, the poleng being the black and white checkered cloth, the banjar people wear. I could see people who were dressed head to toe in checkered cloth. One senior priest cavorted around, clasping a kris (wiggly sword) pressed into his chest.

While I watched, a handful of tourists gathered, taking in the music and the proceedings. The ceremony was directly in front of La Lucciola, an Italian restaurant that is favoured by the Seminyak crowd. I could see some fly-ass expat coochies, getting their drink on, and their snack on, the ceremony of no interest.

The reason Balinese set some temples up close to the ocean, is they feel it is sacred. On occassion priests will bring temple equipment to the ocean to be purified. When Balinese people perform a ceremony on the beach, they normally face the ocean, a trail of offerings often leading to the waters edge. I try not to block their view to the ocean and stand on the sidelines, where possible. Today people seemed totally cool with others watching.

The nearby temple, Pura Petitenget, had a steady line of worshippers entering. I never tire of looking at Balinese people in their ceremonial outfits, whether they be male or female. When my friend Darvis, was going on about western crap, that spoils his time shooting, he is referring to scenes like today, where random people dressed in soccer shirts, or Bintang t-shirts stroll through the frame. Funnily enough, here in Bali I don’t have that problem too much. When there is a big temple festival, most everyone there is dressed in traditional outfits, except the satay vendors who are parked under a tree.

Feel free to view a Balinese ceremony when you are in Bali. No need to wear special clothing, if you are not inside a temple, or at a wedding.