General Election in Bali collided with Traditional Ceremony

The general election and traditional ceremony had been held at same time by people in Bali, April 9, 2009. As the light of the morning star faded and the sun crested over Gunung Agung, Bali’s tallest mountain, devotees began arriving at Pura Besakih, the largest and most sacred place of worship. It was the first month of the Balinese calendar, an occasion to be marked by Bhatara Tarun Kabeh (The God’s Visit on Earth) ceremony.
This event emerged apathy toward a democratic party which projected a very low voter turn out in Bali.
“I’m not going to vote. People don’t care about the election or who is in charge, as long as the country still running this system,” says Ketut, about to ascend the hundreds of steps to the main temple, Pura Penataran Agung. He also states the most important is religion; that’s Balinese culture.
While, Nyoman, who is guiding voter through the collection of colored ballots in Besakih KPPS officials says he hopes people will come in the morning and the go to the temple after.
Bali has a huge rural population and education for a lot of people is not privileged to, Nyoman points out.
For some people, the traditional ceremony is as important as general election, so they didn’t want to pass this event.
“It’s only once every 5 years, so why not come?” one of them says.
Back at Besakih, worshippers gather on every level of the complex’s 23 temples. By midday the sun beats down, they try to find a cool spot in the shade of one of the many temple spires. It shows how the condition contrasts between the polling station and lively joy ceremony.
It’s also important to note the main events of the ceremony were still give a chance to allow people time to vote, but by 11 o’clock celebration are in full swing. People take their turn to pray, give offerings to the gods and receive blessings in return.
“Yes, of course I voted!” says Made enthusiastically; he is one of devotees who also come to the Besakih. “Just this morning, on my way to the temple,” he explains, and also states that In Bali, people have one side for God and one side for the nation.
Although, only 300 of Besakih’s 1000 registered voters, it shows their democratic duty to this nation.
Meanwhile, up at the temple, the gods visited earth for who they voted for and to communicate off the record.


Reference: Harrington, Morgan. 2009. Sacred Tradition vs Civic Duty. The Jakarta Post: Jakarta.