Galungan Extravaganza

Good news: Evil has been defeated. At least for the next 6 months here in Bali.

Clearly something momentous was brewing. Gigantic curved bamboo poles decorated with palm and coconut leaves, rice, cakes, ribbons and flowers began to spring up in front of every family compound throughout Ubud. Local markets began running out of certain staples–tempeh, bananas, every form of vegetable. The bands of young men congregating on corners grew even louder. Young children stayed up well past any reasonable bedtime for a child. Finally, music–barong, which involves the rhythmic pounding of drums and pinging of tinny bells at unbearable decibels–filtered through earplugs and headphones becoming inescapable at any time of day or night.

Galungan had begun.

Celebrated for 10 long, loud days, Galungan commemorates the victory of Good over Evil. It’s like a cross between Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter and Halloween. On the first day of Galungan, Bali’s deceased return to earth, taking up residence in their old family compounds. On the 10th day, they are shooed back to their celestial habitats.

Kadek, a young college girl who works at the Ubud Public Library, gave me the skinny on Galungan. She told me the reason barong music is played so loudly is to drive away the evil spirits.

It’s working: I am so ready to leave.