Galungan is a Balinese Hindu holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma.Eiseman (1989) p353 It marks the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth. The last day of the celebration is Kuningan, when they return. The date is calculated according to the 210-day Balinese Pawukon calendar.
Significance Galungan marks the beginning of the most important recurring religious ceremonies. The spirits of deceased relatives who have died and been cremated return to visit their homelands, and the current inhabitants have a responsibility to be hospitable through prayers and offerings. The most obvious sign of the celebrations are the penjor - bamboo poles with offerings suspended at the end. These are installed by the side of roads. A number of days around the Kuningan day have special names, and are marked by the organization of particular activities.Eiseman (1989) p183
Name of day Activities 3 days before Penyekeban Cooking of bananas for offerings 2 days before Penyajaan Making of jaja (fried rice cakes) 1 day before Penampahan Slaughtering of pigs or chicken for feasts 1 day after Manis Galungan Visiting family 10 days after Kuningan Prayers, offerings - spirits return to heaven 11 days after Manis Kuningan Fun
Dates Galungan begins on the Wednesday (Buda), the 11th week of the 210-day pawukon calendar. This means that there are often two celebrations per solar year. Dates for 2018-2025 are as follows:balilocalguide.com
Year Galungan Kuningan 2018 May 30 June 9 2018-2019 December 26 January 5 2019 July 24 August 3 2020 February 19 February 29 2020 September 16 September 26 2021 April 14 April 24 2021 November 10 November 20 2022 June 8 June 18 2023 January 4 January 14 2023 August 2 August 12 2024 February 28 March 9 2024 September 25 October 5 2025 April 23 May 3 2025 November 19 November 29 2026 June 17 June 27 2027 January 13 January 23 2027 August 11 August 21 2028 March 8 March 18 2028 October 4 October 14 2029 May 2 May 12 2029 November 28 December 8 2030 June 26 July 6
References Balilocalguide.com Calendar of events Accessed 6 November 2018 Eiseman, Fred B. Jr, Bali: Sekala and Niskala Volume I: Essays on Religion, Ritual and Art pp 182-185, Periplus Editions, 1989 Pancorbo, Lo balinés", en "Fiestas del Mundo. Las Máscaras de la Luna". pp. 33–41. Ediciones del Serbal, Barcelona, 1996.
Notes
External links Video documenting Galungan ceremony preparations on Bali part 1, part2 How Galungan is celebrated in Bali