Getting into the Hindu Spirit!

A lot of the staff are Hindu and really wanted to celebrate the current 3 day ceremony called Galungan.  You can read my husband's blog for more details about it.  His website address is in several earlier postings.
Bob showed up early just to talk to us about our days plans and show off his outfit.  He is a Hindu priest and as such was dressed all in white.  White stands for purity - all the men had white shirts on and a lot of the ladies had white lacy tops on.  We wore t-shirts, shirts that had short sleeves as your upper arms must be covered.  It is interesting that you must cover your upper arms, but it is ok to wear a see through top.  The women do wear corsets under the sheer tops.  Bob also had his family come in to show off their finery.The first one is so you can see Bob's entire outfit.  This was a beauiful family!

Putu - one of Bob's drivers arrived early for our 12 pm pickup.  He had surongs and sashas for us ladies and the same for Mike plus the special hat and clothes that men wear.  He actually did the tying of the surongs and sashes for us.  It was not the authentic way as he explained we wouln't be able to walk if he did.  However - it did cause me problems later - as the side tie did not not always stay closed and I got called on it by and old women who tried to close it for me!  We saw some chldren at the festival who tried to climb a high step at one of the temples - and could not because of their clothes.
On the way we stopped for an offering and for flowers as you need those for the ceremony.  We passed a lot of people on their way to the festival.

When we arrived at the temple we joined the throngs of people entering the temple.  The guy in the green shirt is my husband.  We passed a mother and child (she with the offering on her shoulder) waiting for her husband to park their motor scooter and then saw the family climb the steps to the temple together.  Then we all joined the crowds entering into the temple.

We entered an area where people were sitting on the ground looking like they were waiting for somehing to happen.  See the person at the top far right of the picture.  He led the prayers.

Grandma taking care of the child - above.  Below - Stef and Putu waiting for the ceremony to begin.

These children look quite sedate here - but they gave their mother a hard time.  Like children everywhere they had a hard time sitting still.  After the prayer ceremony which involves  putting your hands in a prayer position and flowers in your hair, the priets go through the crowd and disperse the holy water.  Each person get 6 sprinkles with a brush - first one on the head, 3 into your cupped hands that you drink and the last one you touch to your head, then another to your head.  Then last the tray at the bottom is filled with rice and you take some.  You are supose to put so many on your forehead, 3 behind each ear and that is all I remember their may be more.  It reminde me very much of a Catholic genuflection.

Above - Steff getting her rice and trying to figure out where to put it.  Below - the three of us in all our finery just before we climbed a gabillion steps to get to the top shrine.  It was a dissappointment.  But I did get a few money shots.

We went to a second temple known for all the monkeys that hang around.

Heading to the prayer area.

When you pray in this area most all people take off their shoes, almost always flipflops, and sit on them.  The women in front of me wore heels - and sat on them.  It is very popular for women to wear a white mesh top with a correst of any color underneath it.  Very colorful tops are acceptable as well.  You must always wear a surong and a sash to enter a temple.  I did not get many pictures of this ceremony as I participated in it.  Having watched the ceremony at the first temple I pretty much had the ritual down.  I was sweating so much that most of the rice pieces just floated down my face!  It was extremely hot.

People are constantly coming and going.  You bring your offering usually in a decorative box, give your offering in a seperate area of the temple.  Then go to pray.  And then you can go leave to be with family.  It was very nice to have part of our family there with us.  Thank you Stef for traveling to Bali!

The ladies in the last two pictures are carrying their empty offering baskets home.  Below is a typically decorated street.  they leave the decorations up for both Galungan and Kuningan which is celebrated about 10 days later.  These two celebrations happen every 6 months.