Tawur Agung Kasanga Ceremony

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A. Overview

Tawur Agung Kasanga Ceremony is a series of ceremony which is held towards Nyepi (Day of Silence). Nyepi alone is based on Saka calendar, that is the dating system of India. Saka calendar began in the year 78 of Gregorian calendar. Then such a dating system spread and reached Indonesia, especially to the communities that embrace Hinduism.

The day is celebrated annually in the ninth month of Saka calendar which is called Cetranasa, or Kasanga according to Javanese-Balinese Saka calendar. The month coincides with March to April.

Various ceremonies conducted towards and on the day of Nyepi contain religious as well as social values. Such a day is a process to purge the macro cosmos (universe) and the micro cosmos (self) to realize the wealth and the happiness spiritually as well as physically. It is also a chance for Hindu people to get accustomed to yoga states. The states include not only the physical, but also the spiritual ones, such as mortifying the flesh. The moment can also be the time to improve the social relationships amongst the people.

The Ceremony of Tawur Agung Kasanga is also called Wisuda Bumi. Such a ceremony is a ritual to ask for welfare and harmony of universe and its contents. It may hopefully tighten the sense of togetherness, brotherhood, and the awareness amongst people; and create the harmony between human and nature. Through the ceremony, Hindu people beg spiritual and physical peace and the harmony between human and their Creator.

B. Features

The philosophical ground of Tawur Agung Kasanga Ceremony is one of the stories in Mahabharata. It tells that one day Goddess Kunti and the Pandawa came to a jungle during their odyssey. Then Goddess Durga or Queen Bhukatala asked one of the Pandawa to be a sacrificial victim. But Goddess Kunti’s love to the Pandawa was beyond her love to herself. She objected. She preferred sacrificing herself for the sake of protecting the Pandawa. Such sincerity of hers then freed them from the curse of Queen Bhutakala.

The Pandawa eventually gained what they deserved and the universe returned to the cosmic order. Goddess Kunti’s sacrifice in the story reflects in the Ceremony of Tawur Agung. In the ceremony, body and soul that were sacrificed by Goddess Kunti are now replaced by animals, such as chicken, goat, dog, or buffalo.

Apart from praying and sharing the holy water, in the Ceremony of Tawur Agung Kasanga some dances are also performed. Gambyong Dance becomes the dance before the priest reads off the Holy Book of Veda. Other dances are Pendet Dance from Bali, Rejang, Dewa, and Jempana. The playing of Mandragiri Mount and Ogoh-ogoh that are followed by Ganjur music are also attractions. It makes the ceremony not only a religious ritual, but also an entertaining performance.

The holy water that is shared to the Hindu people is taken from some water sources around Yogyakarta and Central Java. The Hindu people drink some of the water and they spatter the rest on their bodies. They believe that the water that wet their throats and their bodies can purge their hearts and minds. Initially the water is put in three different temples inside the complex of Prambanan Temple. They are Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma Temples.

They are named after the gods in Hinduism. Siva is the destroyer, Vishnu the protector, Brahma the creator of the universe. Praying is the core of the ceremony.

The following day, on Nyepi, the Hindu people carry out the Catur Brata Ritual for 24 hours. It consists of four things, namely amati lelungan (abstaining from going), amati karya (abstaining from working), amati lelanguan (abstaining from pleasure), and amati geni (abstaining from fire or light). Nyepi is a chance for the Hindu people to contemplate and look back before they live new lives in the upcoming year.

C. Location

The Ceremony of Tawur Agung is conducted in the location of Prambanan Temple. Prambanan Temple is located in Prambanan Village, in the east of Yogyakarta and bordering Klaten Regency.

D. Access

You can get to the location of the ceremony by personal or public transportation. The routes of the buses that pass through there are 1A and 1B from Adisucipto Airport to Prambanan. If you start from Giwangan Bus Station, take a route 3A bus and switch to route 1A or 1B at the bus stop before Adisucipto Airport. If you start from Tugu Station you can directly take the bus of route 1A. The fare of the bus is Rp 3,000.

E. Ticket

To watch the ceremony, you must enter the location of Tourist Park of Prambanan Temple. The ticket costs Rp 15,000.

F. Accommodations and Other Facilities

The ceremony shows numerous dances to watch. Moreover, the visitors can broaden their insights of religion and Indonesian culture. To watch the Ceremony of Tawur Agung Kasanga will be a fantastic experience. And since the ceremony takes place in Prambanan Temple, the visitors can use the facilities available around the complex of the temple which include hotels, restaurants, souvenir shop, etc. Besides, the location is easily accessible for it is situated in the highway that connects Yogyakarta and Solo and is near the Transjogja bus stop.

Text: Mujibur Rohman
Translation: Al-Amri Arif Sandy
Photo(s): Collection of Jogjatrip.com
(Primary data and various sources)

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If you are from outside Yogyakarta and want to visit this place by travel agency services,
please contact:

Maharatu Tour and Travel

Jl. Sisingamangaraja No. 27 Yogyakarta.
Telp. +62 274 8373005. Fax. +62 274 379250
Email : maharatu@maharatu.com -maharatu257@yahoo.com
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