The Month

     Bali has alot of traditional rituals base on Hindu religion. All of them have their own special occasion according to the balinese calendar system. The Balinese Calendar is similar to the Javanese, but for the present day, only a part of the javanese still use this calendar for their living. As the first post of this topic, I try to tell here by a very simple way to understand, not to mention if it makes you bored or confuse, so the illustration below is  easy to understand.

     One Year in balinese calendar is similar to the international system. The year contains of twelve month, but named in numerical, like: Sasih Kasa (sasih=month, Kasa=first), Sasih Karo (karo=second), and so on. One month contains of 28 or 29 days. (compare to 30-31 days in international calendar). Although it has less days in a month, this lunar system will be combine with solar system, so in the last periode, the year in balinese calendar will always be synchronized with the international calendar. For example, Nyepi will always progress in March until April, and still stand there. In the lunar system, like the islamic calendar, the Idul Fitri Holiday always progress earlier every year. In 2008 it falls in October, in 2009 it falls in September.

     The Month base rituals, such as Odalan (anniversary of the temple), Ngusabha Desa (Purification ritual for the local village) usually use the fullmoon moment, popularly in fullmoon of the Sasih Kapat (4th Month) or the Sasih Kedasa (10th Month). Nyepi (silence day) begins from Sasih Kesanga (9th month). The Wedding rituals also use the month, and this is more complex and sophisticated, because it combines several system of days, weeks (wuku) and month. For the itual like this, balinese people beliefe that there is agood day and bad day, so they prepare and select the best day of the days for the rituals, and hope the generousity from god, and they will be blessed.

      For the illustration, the first month in balinese, falls between June or July, and synchronized through the next month and will be overlapped in every 4 years. So, Nyepi Holiday, will be falled steady in March or April.