The Royal Cremation Tower to the Afterlife Completed: Peliatan is Full of Joy

Bali, Indonesia - More than ten men detailing the upper section of the cremation tower-  the 11-tier tumpang,-  began to wrap up their delicate work. The buckets of glue were put aside, as sacks of latex sheet and vinyl fibers were piled in the corner. Colorful art paper and numerous small bits of artistic detailing were packed, discarded, and separated from their well-executed creation. A small Balinese gazebo, the bale bengong, had been utilized for weeks as a temporary workshop for the construction of the Tower for Tuesday's (2 November) Royal Cremation at Peliatan, Ubud, Bali.

Ketut Nama, a local painter who is part of the team, said that there wouldn’t be any more work as all was finalized. The artists broke off earlier than usual and headed home to return to the puri in the evening, where their unspoken devotions are, by tradition, attached.

In the evening, an unscheduled dance performance was staged in loving honor of the departed IXth King of Puri Agung Peliatan. Around twenty women in white kebaya, traditional female costumes worn in most islands of Java, Bali, and Lombok, started to gather under another bale already occupied by the  gamelan orchestra. The dynamic instrumental music resonated from these powerful musical instruments. Not only was the sound harmoniously clear, but the delicate details of each facet was also glamorous. A lady with a sitar, a violin-like instrument, came late, but her music was very compelling. When she played and blended in with the melody, it was simply extraordinary.

Unlike any other puri that set out saleable performances, the royal palace of Peliatan, Puri Agung Peliatan, organized the beautiful legong dance, followed by a puppet show fully complementary to the public. No tickets were sold, nor security guards to thwart any unwanted guests. Balinese, Indonesians, Asians, and Europeans and many more were huddled in admiration. Cokorda Krisna Pudak, a royal family member in charge for documentation, was excitedly pleased.

The show was not too lengthy but was bursting with highly artistic and momentous gestures, indicating that the people were in their best mood to celebrate the life of a departed king. Rarely in the history of the traditional system of Balinese royalty had a raja been revered and loved like Ida Dwagung Peliatan, the IXth Raja of Puri Agung Peliatan. Historically, the puri plays a long and essential role in the delicate balance between representatives of other puri – or royal houses - and the public alike. Peliatan last night was once again the epitome of grace, further enhancing Bali’s secure reputation globally with its presentation of the incomparable legong dance.

Source: http://www.indonesia.travel

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