Galungan Festival

Galungan Festival - On Galungan day, the Balinese believe that God and their respectable ancestors spirit visit the earth. The spirits must be suitably welcomed. The three days before Galungan ritual is called "Penyekeban". Two days before Galungan is called "Penyajahan". Hindu Religion in Bali make this ritual as a time of introspection. During this time, the Balinese also make traditional cakes known as jaja. These colorful cakes made from fried rice dough are used in offerings and also eaten as a special dishes on Galungan. A day before Galungan is "Penampahan" or slaughter day.

Galungan Festival in Bali

Galungan Festival

Bali Culture - Galungan is marked by the sudden surplus of traditional Balinese food, like lawar (a spicy pork and coconut sauce dish) and satay. On Galungan day it self, Balinese devotees pray at the temples and make their offerings to the spirits. Women are seen carrying the offerings on their heads, while the men bring palm leaves. There's also a ceremony known as Ngelawang that is performed in the villages on Galungan Day. Balinese visit their relatives and closest friends.

Galungan Festival Bali, one of the most important festivals in the Balinese calendar, is a time when the spirits of ancestors return to earth to live with the family. Women begin preparing a month before the festival, weaving intricate decorations from coconut palm leaves, baking festive rice cakes and stockpiling packets of incense.
Towering bamboo poles are erected outside every gate, turning simple lanes into avenues of magnificently decorated penjor -looped scrolls of coconut leaf, decorated with vividly colored leaves and tied with sheaves of rice and pieces of fabric, with intricate weavings of young coconut leaf and flowers dangling at the ends.


The day before Galungan Festival is devoted to preparing festive dishes. Fragrant trays of brilliant flowers, shredded leaves soaked in perfume and sticks of incense are also prepared.

Galungan Festival