Cemetery is the last resort of the human being – the cemetery is getting large because almost every day someone die.

Cemetery in Bali will be remind the same from hundreds years ago up to now- not getting big or getting small. In Balinese tradition CREMATION is for last resort of their life - cremation the last and the biggest ceremony for human being according to Bali Hindu. This ceremony need well preparation in advance - normally they plan this ceremony at least a year in advance. And also the depending on family financial situations too. Not all died person can buried in the cemetery - the holy person or the priest - cannot be buried – and have to do cremation ceremony as soon as possible. I remember one of the priest passed away and his body remind in the house for a months until the cremation ceremony on.

Before we go head - there are several caste in Bali which

Brahmana the highest caste is the Priest

Satria ( cokorda )is normally the king

Wesia is the merchant

Sudra –is the lowest caste – this the biggest population in Bali .

The language from lower to highest caste is bit different too – which more polite and less casual talk  if meet or  visit  Brahmana house

So – if the priest pass away - they can not buried the body – because the holy man can not touch the  earth again-  thier soul should go straight way to the air. The rest of the caste  can buried and attached them to the earth for awhile- again its depend on the family financial. If the family have a good financial they may do cremation ceremony within a week or a month - if the family have a problem with financial so they buried the body for a while – then when they can afford then do the cremations ceremony.

The cremation ceremony can  cost  a lot money –because of the preparation and others thing. Now they have group (massal) ceremony which help poor family to do cremation - which really a good idea. The way work is the community will gathering with the family who has their family died still cannot afford to do cremations. The community will help to raise the finance and the those family just contributes a certain of amounts money . Normally a group ( massal) cremation held every 5 years and now they try to reduce in to 2 or 3 years .

Cremation preparations

One day before they start the ceremony the family have to go to the cemetery to dig the coffin  back , pick up the bone ,clean and bless it – and leave it the special place which the family member created  to keep the dry bone which is still in the cemetery area - before they cremated. They have to do this before sunrise which around 4 am .

Bull ( lembu ) and a container ( wadah )

A container have function to carry the dead person to the cemetery then transfer to the bull when arrive in the cemetery then burn it . The community ,relatives will carry both and bring it the cemetery and burnt including the dead body .

Take long time to make the bull and container – because container height can be 1 to 7 meters.

There is 2 type of bull white colour and black - White bull only for holy person or the priest and black bull for the rest of the caste.

Ceremony should  start in the morning however when releasing the dead body from the house should be after midday around 13 or 14 noon.

Very interesting process for this cremations-before the body and soul departure to the heaven -the family and relatives will standing around the body and help the priest the clean the dead person and put a dress ,make up and offering. Very sad view to watch the beloved one gone and departure to the heaven.

As usual Balinese music will be performance during the ceremony and the tune will be spirits of energy to help the person on the way to heaven.

Royal cremations

For the royal family cremation slightly different but still have same meaning. Normally they will leave the body remind in the special building which is call Semanggi - this building is special for dead person but still in the compound of the house.

They would leave it there for a months until get the right time and the right date to do cremations –the date have to be  chosen by the priest . they cannot do the ceremony any time they want – have to a special date according to Balinese calendar.

On the Royal cremation many of lowest caste would or attached to join cremation - this will be an honour for the lowest caste to join the Royal cremation.

So the last resort for human being is cemetery and cremation