For every Balinese cremation, whatever the scale, there are many, many preparations and preceding rituals to be done before the final send-off. Here we take a look behind the scenes for today’s royal cremation of the Ubud prince Tjokorda Raka Sukawati, inventor of the “Sosrobahu” engineering technique for building flyovers.
The trickiest bit to building the ‘bade’ tower is adding the top tiered roof ‘tumpeng’. This took place yesterday. Photo©Agus Suka Adi Surya
Just before dawn in the palace, a high priest performs rituals for consecration for the immediate family. A fairly private affair. Photo©Rio Helmi
Exhausted retainers who have been working the night through, catch a short break. Photo©Rio Helmi
The family of the deceased prays in the palace courtyard. Photo©Rio Helmi
One of several occasions when the family symbolically crushes the ashes. Photo©Rio Helmi
Under the waning moon, the ‘Pedanda’ high priest begins the consecration of the actual cremation ground. Photo©Rio Helmi
The pedanda consecrating the cremation ground after ritual measuring ‘nyikut’. Photo©Rio Helmi
A final prayer after the consecration of the cremation ground this morning, just before sunrise. Photo©Rio Helmi
Thanks Rio, for some great photos of our family’s ceremonies. They are appreciated by us in far off places. Richard and Putri.
Richard and Putri, we are happy that there is this aspect as well to our blogs – not only information but a balm to those who are homesick
or who miss their families.
best to you
R
With respect to all the bereaved, I nonetheless wonder at “royal cremation”. Wouldn’t it be enough to say “nice cremation”?
Well I suppose as the deceased being cremated are from a royal family, there is a tabloid tendency to use that term. And the scale and complexity are certainly quite particular to the palaces. If they are particularly well executed, how about “nice royal cremation”?
Thank you for posting, i do miss Ubud.
Nice work Rio!
Aloha Tony – glad.you liked it.