Cremation Ceremony

Ngaben The Cremation Ceremony in Bali

Ngaben is one of Hindu’s great ceremony in Bali where the corpse is burnt, accompanied by holly songs and offerings. Hindu’s believe that ngaben will return the soul of a dead person to their abode in heaven or send the dead through a transition to his next life. Ngaben is also a form of a respect to their parents by releasing the soul from worldly attachment. Families that conduct ngaben ceremony generally try not to cry at the grave yard since they believe that tears would only incommode the deceased journey to their eternal abode.

 How to counduct a Ngaben?

Few days before the climax ceremony, the family would consult the “dewasa” (good day) to a priest to determine the proper day to conduct this ceremony. The process began by built a stage as a place for nyiramin (bathing the corpse), made a lembu (a buffalo shaped sarcophagus where the corpse will be put into and burnt) and wadah (temple structure made of paper, bamboo and light wood). This lembu will be carried to the village grave yard in a procession.

Before climax ceremony, all family members will give their last respect and begun to pray in order the deceased will somehow get a better place in heaven. Afterward the corpse will be put into wadah and carried to graveyard, followed by flock of people and gamelan (Balinese traditional music) and “kidung suci” (holy mantra). In front of the wadah, there will be placed a long piece of  kasa (white cloth) heading the ways of the deceased soul to reach their eternal abode.

Ever past T-junction or crossroad, wadah will be turned clockwise three times in order the soul will not return to his or her home. Arrive at the graveyard, the corpse then will transferred to lembu, followed by mantra chanting by the priest and the lembu will be burnt and it ash carried to sea or river. When all ceremony had been completed, the deceased considered as ancestor, who believed will reincarnate into their family.

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