Every 210 days the Balinese people decorate their streets with ornate penjor and visit their special temples to celebrate Galungan and Kuningan. During this religious holiday Bali comes alive with vibrant colours, the air is filled with the rapid rhythms of Gamelan orchestras and families work hard to prepare wonderful offerings.

This holiday is the most special and important time in Bali, but why do the Balinese celebrate Galungan and Kuningan?

According to the tradition Balinese people believe that their Gods return to earth on Galungan, stay for 10 days, and then leave on Kuningan. Galungan means “When the Dharma is winning” and implies a positive time in the Balinese calendar. This occurs every 210 days in the Balinese cycle of days, otherwise known as pawukon.

The Gods must be appropriately welcomed this is why so much time and effort is put into making sure everything is decorated beautifully, offerings called banten are prepared, music is played and prayers are practiced in the most sincere way possible. It is important that the Balinese people return to the kampung (village of birth) to join in the celebrations.

The first day of Galungan starts with an early visit to the temple to pray to their Gods for good luck and well-being. Before temple the men must wake up to slaughter the pig that is the main ingredient for the feast, it is spit roasted and then used for lots of different dishes including sate and lawar (a dish made of pork, jack fruit, chili and pigs blood), other foods include rice cakes and a wide selection of fruit. When the feast is over family and friends sit around talking and playing games, the men might even drink home brewed alcohol called arak. The feast for Kuningan is very similar but the rice must be yellow.

Happy Galungan 2013 to all those living in Bali.