Pelebon, royal cremation in Ubud, Bali 2018

[kuuan]

On March 2nd 2018 there was a public cremation for a member of the Royal family of Ubud, Central Bali.

Cremations of royals naturally aren't all that frequent and the shere size of the event, specially of the socalled "Bade", or cremation tower, was very impressive. The body of the deceaed was loaded onto the tower at Ubud Palace from where it was taken to the cremation grounds, a procession that attracted 1000nds of spectators.

Early morning I had arrived at the pallace and was allowed to enter the courtyard where traditional dancers prepared for performances. After their dance, late afternoon, the coffin carrying the deceased was carried up a big ramp and loaded into the cremation tower and the procession across Ubud began.

At the cremation grounds the body again got taken out the tower and down a huge ramp to be loaded into the "Lembu" or bull. The bull had been part of the procession and then set up on a raised platform where the body of the deceased gets loaded and finally burned.

Here a photographic summery, from Pallace until the actual cremation.
The full set can be seen in this flickr album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/albums/72157694263603555
gear used ( for being the most tiny, lightweight but still powerful package ) Sony NEX5n, CV f4.5/15mm, CV f4/25mm, M-Rokkor f2/40mm and "Pen-F" Zuiko f3.5/100mm

explanaition of the ceremony


Preparations of Royal Cremation Ceremony explained by andreas, on Flickr

the bull, cremation tower and ramp


Untitled by andreas, on Flickr

detail of cremation tower


Untitled by andreas, on Flickr

preparing for performance

Untitled by andreas, on Flickr


legong dancer by andreas, on Flickr


selfie time by andreas, on Flickr


Legong by andreas, on Flickr

coffin getting carried up the ramp to be loaded onto the tower


the coffin is taken from the pallace to the cremation tower by andreas, on Flickr

the procession


procession from the pallace to the temple by andreas, on Flickr


Royal taken down the street by andreas, on Flickr

 

[kuuan]

Untitled by andreas, on Flickr


Untitled by andreas, on Flickr


around the cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr

snacks at the cremation grounds


warung at the cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr

Royals


royals at the cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr


Untitled by andreas, on Flickr

the bull arriving at the cremation grounds


"lenbu" bull arriving at the cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr

coffin being taken down the tower at the cremation grounds


carrying the coffin down the ramp by andreas, on Flickr


circling the bull three times by andreas, on Flickr

the cremation


the cremation by andreas, on Flickr

full set of 125 photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/albums/72157694263603555

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I've been to another world.
Thanks!

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

As a big fan of people pictures what I can say is... Kuuan, you are awesome!

Well done, I'll check out the full set soon.

 

[Wouter2]

If I recall well, in the old days the widows were expected to throw themselves in the fire to keep their deceased husband company. Clifford Geertz the anthropologist has described this quite vividly in one of his books, it’s worth a read.

 

[Greyscale]

These are fantastic. Thank you.

 

[kuuan]

I've been to another world.
Thanks!

thank you David! Glad you enjoyed them!

A Balinese couldn't say that.. 😉
I'd prefer if it said "documentary photography", "social documentary photography" or similar, not "travel", but it doesn't matter much.

 

[kuuan]

As a big fan of people pictures what I can say is... Kuuan, you are awesome!

Well done, I'll check out the full set soon.

thank you very much for your compliment Mike! I know, I have seen your photos of these beautiful ladies on the stret of mostly Tokyo 😉

please do check out the full set. There are more to come in my flickr thread soon taken during other events, in Bali it's festival season now.
In this "Pelebon" set there are some more "people shots" too, a few more right here:


residents of Ubud by andreas, on Flickr


Untitled by andreas, on Flickr


at the cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr


at the cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr


at the cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr


at the cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr

 

[kuuan]

If I recall well, in the old days the widows were expected to throw themselves in the fire to keep their deceased husband company. Clifford Geertz the anthropologist has described this quite vividly in one of his books, it’s worth a read.

this practice of Sati has been very rarely happening in Bali, according to the quite comprehensive wikipedia article, but it did with royals: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice)

 

[kuuan]

These are fantastic. Thank you.

happy you like them Mike, and that you let me know 🙂

 

[kuuan]

it has been festival seaon in Bali, well, it almost always is..and I have uploaded almost 400 photos taken during these last 6 weeks.

besides the album with photos of the royal cremation linked above there are others from a big, yearly temple festival, Ogoh Ogoh display and the socalled "Perang Api, or fire fight, at Balinese New year's Eve.

I won't post photos of all of that here, but for anyone interested please visit:

1: the temple festival: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/sets/72157694426338275
a sample:

annual temple festival by andreas, on Flickr, CV Heliar f4.5/15mm, Sony NEX5n


2: the Ogoh Ogoh ( big papermache "gods", "spirits", though I concentrated more on the people): https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/sets/72157664841605887

Kali - Ogoh Ogoh by andreas, on Flickr, Voigtlaender SL f2.6/75mm, Sony A7


3: The "fire war": https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/sets/72157666862518048

Perang Api by andreas, on Flickr, OM Zuiko f2/28mm, Sony A7



And there are many more in an album with all the photos taken so far in Bali 2018 ( more to come )
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/albums/72157665701472518


ogoh ogoh competition by andreas, on Flickr, CV Heliar f4.5/15mm, Sony NEX5n


ogoh ogoh competition by andreas, on Flickr, CV Heliar f4.5/15mm, Sony NEX5n


Pura Penataran Dalem Ped by andreas, on Flickr, CV Heliar f4.5/15mm, Sony NEX5n


planting rice by andreas, on Flickr CV Heliar f4.5/15mm, Sony NEX5n


Untitled by andreas, on Flickr, M-Rokkor f2/40mm, Sony NEX5n

hope you enjoy, andreas

 

[peterm1]

It is difficult to find anything more spectacular and dramatic than a Balinese festival of any sort. Some nice pictures here. Well done.

On my last trip to Bali I did something uncharacteristic and stayed at Ayana resort - a 5 star place on the cliff tops south of the Airport to have the rare experience of being pampered. Mostly I stay somewhere reasonably priced and modest and in fact one of my most happy experiences in this regard was staying in a tiny 3 star place on the beach at Seminyak. The upside of staying at a place like Ayana is obvious. The downside though is that it is so seductive you simply find it hard to escape to make photos. Which is pretty well what happened to me so I did not make an awful lot of shots that trip. An object lesson for next time maybe.

Never the less had there been a major cremation on I think I would have made the effort. I did at least get to see the Royal Palace at Ubud on one day trip but to be honest I was shocked at just how frantic, crowded and busy Bali is now having last been there maybe 12 - 15 years before.

 

[kuuan]

Peter Bali certaily has lot's to offer for photographers! Some resorts are awesome, sure can imagine that one can have a good time there. Nevertheless I wish you more time to go out and shot next time.

..I did at least get to see the Royal Palace at Ubud on one day trip but to be honest I was shocked at just how frantic, crowded and busy Bali is now having last been there maybe 12 - 15 years before.

I have come pretty much every year, usually staying various, time ago up to 6 months a year since about 25 years. Changes have been trastic! Tourist ghettos already existed back then, but Hip shops and restaurants domintate ever growing areas and traffic jams make life difficult. However, that huge and stunning temple festival I had linked photos to took place only 5 km to the east of Ubud with 10 thousands tourist crowding the streets and I was the only foreigner there..

And a view that I'd like to share: just like with any "traditional" society I have some insight to, I do not agree with the notion that "it had been better before and now is getting spoiled" that one can hear often. More importantly I see a liberation from social hierachies, patriarchy and similar often abusive power structures, decisively improved education and emerging personal rights and liberties for an ever growing number of people

 

[peterm1]

Peter Bali certaily has lot's to offer for photographers! Some resorts are awesome, sure can imagine that one can have a good time there. Nevertheless I wish you more time to go out and shot next time.



I have come pretty much every year, usually staying various, time ago up to 6 months a year since about 25 years. Changes have been trastic! Tourist ghettos already existed back then, but Hip shops and restaurants dominate ever growing areas and traffic jams make life difficult. However, that huge and stunning temple festival I had linked photos to took place only 5 km to the east of Ubud with 10 thousands tourist crowding the streets and I was the only foreigner there..

And a view that I'd like to share: just like with any "traditional" society I have some insight to, I do not agree with the notion that "it had been better before and now is getting spoiled" that one can hear often. More importantly I see a liberation from social hierachies, patriarchy and similar often abusive power structures, decisively improved education and emerging personal rights and liberties for an ever growing number of people

Yes things get better as well as worse. Not everything is bad or problematic by any means. For example the people working at the large resorts such as the one where I stayed seemed to benefit economically and educationally as do their villages. They were trained and this gave them more options for their future. But in some ways I am sad to see unconstrained and uncontrolled development for example. I recall the tiny hotel called Hotel Puri Naga on the corner of Jalan six six, where I stayed in Seminyak 15 years ago as being fairly quiet and nice though only 3 stars. It was pleasant to walk 50 meters along the beach road to a tiny cafe for breakfast or later in the day for a beer. Both seem still to be there but are absolutely surrounded by packed, miscellaneous developments of various sorts in that kind of ugly mish mash way one so often sees in Asia. The danger for the Balinese is that it can turn tourists off coming and therefore be self limiting. Never the less its an interesting place to visit even now especially if one gets away from the tourist hot spots and heads upland to the hills or otherwise off the beaten track. Like you I especially enjoyed visiting places where mainly the locals were. I still got a few nice images of both scenery and more especially people. (below)

Faces of Bali 1 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Faces of Bali 2 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Faces of Bali 4 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Lonely sea, lonely sky Jimbaran Bay Bali by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Red on blue Jimbaran Bay Bali by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

 

[kuuan]

great photos Peter, thank you for that!

Of course you are right too. That double six road you mentioned another 10 years earlier, so 25 years ago, had been a rice field. Now, coming from the airport, it is a mere 30% of distance stretching to Changgu and beyond that has completely filled up. All the area between that beach stripe and Denpasar, all used to be ridefield, now also is filled up new roads, bulldings, businesess asf.
Number of tourists arriving must have at least tenfolded or gone up x50 or x100, who knows. Quality of services provided have improved immensly.

Many locals have become extremely rich. However exploitation of workers still is rampant. Official minimum wage for a typical worker in a tourism related hotel, restaurant or shop is 150 US / month. Many however are paid less than 100 usd working up to 10 and more hours 6 days a week.

I don't blame anyone working in the industry who tries to use the contact with a tourist to obtain benefits. I am not talking ladies. Balinese ladies, as Balinese men used to say, "still" are too good for that. I leave that for interpretation.. All the "boys", who, "in the good old times", used to work in hotels as gardeners and security asf. for no pay but a place to sleep, food and the license to make a profitable hook up seem history now.

With all the problems existing "traditionally" or introduced by tourism, I am certain that a growing number of people are increasingly liberating themselves from the contraints of a patriachal caste society, specially women, and tourism and international contacts are driving forces behind that.


chicken by andreas, on Flickr, M-Rokkor f2/40mm, Sony NEX5n


around cremation grounds by andreas, on Flickr, CV Heliar f4.5/15mm, Sony NEX5n


Untitled by andreas, on Flickr, CV Heliar f4.5/15mm, Sony NEX5n

 

[bayernfan]

at the end, i hope people celebrate my life rather than mourn my death. i'd rather they be laughing than crying. that's the general spirit i get from this set of images. bravo sir on a great story.

 

[kuuan]

at the end, i hope people celebrate my life rather than mourn my death. i'd rather they be laughing than crying. that's the general spirit i get from this set of images. bravo sir on a great story.

thank you for that comment and sentiment!

in the case of a member of the royal family, or any other rich person, the cremation takes place within a week or two after dying. Stunning how all the required artifacts are built that fast!

More common people bury their deceased first and perform the cremation during a communal cremation, which comes cheaper, that usually takes place during the month of August. The remnants will be unearthed and cremated. Some wait a few years, this because the cost still is considerable and families may have to save up first. That is, unlike the royal cremation shown, cremations commonly take place a considerable time after the death. It is a very joyful event then because finally the duty is performed, finally the soul is set free.

taken during a communal cremation in Ubud 2012:

Untitled by andreas, on Flickr, Sony NEX5n + kit zoom, Bali 2012

another in a smaller village just two days ago:

cremation ceremony by andreas, on Flickr, CV Heliar f4.5/15mm, Sony NEX5n, Bali 2018

most "joyful" and truly stunning and moving passing away I have ever experienced had been in Saigon. A dear Vietnamese friend, in his late 40s, had cancer. He refused to get treatment and prepared for dying.
During his very last days daily around 30 friends had been partying with him, drinking, singing, feasting, until he passed away
Mr. H..g, never forgotten

Untitled by andreas, on Flickr