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| July 18, 2008 | (Use j/k keys to navigate)  Email to a friend  Permalink |
A Royal Farewell in Bali
Last Tuesday, on the island of Bali, the head of the royal family of Ubud named Agung Suyasa was laid to rest in a rare, spectacular Royal Funeral - the largest in decades. Suyasa, two other members the royal family, and 68 commoners were cremated in a large Hindu ceremony - their bodies having been previously preserved, awaiting cremation, which is traditionally believed to free their souls for future reincarnation. (13 photos total)
Balinese men prepare a giant bull sarcophagus in which a deceased member of the Ubud royal family will be cremated before the cremation ceremony Tuesday July 15, 2008 in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. Balinese royalty and dozens of other prominent Balinese from Ubud were cremated Tuesday in a rare and elaborate ceremony for deceased royals. (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
Balinese men prepare to lift a giant bull in which a deceased member of the Ubud royal family will be cremated during the funeral procession Tuesday July 15, 2008, in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
Thousands of people join the procession prior to the Balinese royals cremation ceremony in Ubud, Bali on July 15, 2008. The remains of two Balinese royals were cremated before some 250,000 loyal subjects after being carried through this hillside town in huge spinning pyres representing the universe. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)
Balinese dancers perform during a procession of Pelebon or The Royal Cremation Ceremony in Ubud, on the Indonesian island of Bali, July 13, 2008. The bodies head of Ubud Royal family Tjokorda Gde Agung Suyasa, his nephew Tjokorda Raka, his aunt Desak Raka, and 68 Ubud villagers will be cremated on July 15. The cremation ceremony is a ritual, believed by locals, to send the dead to their next lives. (REUTERS/Beawiharta)
People carry the black bull sarcophagus and a tower prior to the Balinese royals cremation ceremony in Ubud, Bali ilsand on July 15, 2008. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)
Men play "sulings", traditional music instruments, during the procession of Pelebon or The Royal Cremation Ceremony in Ubud, on the Indonesian island of Bali, July 14, 2008. (REUTERS/Beawiharta)
People welcome and watch the black bull sarcophagus en route to the Balinese royals cremation ceremony in Ubud, Bali on July 15, 2008. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)
People carry a bull sarcophagus during a procession of Pelebon or The Royal Cremation Ceremony in Ubud, on the Indonesian island of Bali, July 13, 2008. (REUTERS/Beawiharta)
Balinese men walk away after setting alight a giant bull in which a deceased member of the Ubud royal family is cremated in during the funeral ceremony Tuesday July 15, 2008, in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. Balinese royalty and dozens of other prominent Balinese from Ubud were cremated Tuesday in a rare and elaborate ceremony for deceased royals.(AP Photo/Ed Wray)
A bull sarcophagus in which a member of the Ubud royal family was cremated burns during the funeral ceremony Tuesday July 15, 2008 in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
Black bull sarcophagi are set alight during the cremation of two Balinese royals in Ubud, Bali island on July 15, 2008. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)
A black bull sarcophagus is set alight during the cremation of two Balinese royals in Ubud on Bali island on July 15, 2008. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)
A Balinese man attends a cremation fire as the last bit of a mythical dragon known as a Naga is burning during a ceremony for a deceased member of the Ubud royal family on Tuesday July 15, 2008 in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
More links and information:
At Royal Balinese Funeral, Bodies Burn and Souls Fly - NYTimes 7/15
Audio Slideshow - NYTimes 7/15
Bali, Indonesia - Google Map
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
cool!
I like how it looks like smoke is coming of the burning bull's mouth
Also in 2008, this is the real power of tradition! Good photos, as usual!
http://tinyurl.com/5hs3zb
Picture# 12 looks straight out of hell.
This is the best new blog in years. Keep up the good work, Boston Globe. Every picture posted thus far has been visually spectacular and informative. How interesting that in an age of talking heads, some of the most informative and insightful media are . . . totally silent. Great, fantastic stuff.
Wow. The nighttime pictures are ridiculously amazing.
http://ericstoller.com/blog/
Wow - only a couple of days ago I uploaded the photos I took of a cremation in Bali in 1999 -- with the same kind of bull and everything! And it was also in Ubud!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fatcaterpillar/sets/72157606160758320/
Stunning pictures, blog is fantastic. wyonair
Whats with posting links to your own blogs? Are we supposed to check it out because it's relevant to these photos? I love the last one, I wish we could have seen the Naga dragon in full before it was burned.
Also want to commend this new blog. Amazing shots, one and all.
Absolutely amazing photos ~~ so beautiful they gave me goosebumps.
Great photos. I was actually in Ubud for the cremation and I think these photos capture the ceremony beautifully. It was truly an amazing event.
Please...don't ever call an end to The Big Picture. What incredible photography!
Amazing photos. Those night shots are incredible. I love this blog.
"Picture# 12 looks straight out of hell." - yes...
Great collection!
Alex
http://www.recentnews.co.uk
#7 - Just checked out your photos. There's a world of difference between these and yours. You may want to start by holding your camera still, then read up on proper exposure and lighting.
Also, IMHO, it's tacky trying to piggyback on this blog to get hits for your sophomoric efforts. We all have to start somewhere, but I'd suggest not tooting your horn until after the quality of your images improves.
Along with beautiful pictures you also carry a beautiful story. It's wonderful to "witness" and learn the traditions and cultures of others as they happen. Bravo!
love all the vividly pictures you took......excellent!
amazing pictures
Super ! Magnifiques photos.
Simply brilliant!!!
I will be still visiting itself, your photos are a marvel.
A greeting.
#16 - Just checked out your message. There's a world of difference between constructive criticism and pointless denigration. You may want to start by holding your mouth still, then read up on proper manners and good taste.
Also, IMHO, it's even more tacky trying to piggyback on this blog in an attempt to heal your own bruised ego. We all have to start somewhere, but I'd suggest not pointing out a person's imperfections until after the quality of your self image improves.
Maybe this was asked before, but who's taking these pictures?? Boston Globe correspondants? Is Alan the most well traveled man on the planet???
#23 - Alan tries to get a credit on every picture. You can see it at the end of the description. For example, I read "(BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)" as "someone named Bay Ismoyo from the 'AFP' service shot this photo, which Getty Images has now". (I may be wrong, though)
Generally, Alan is pulling the images from wire news services that the Globe subscribes to.
Ubud is an amazing place to visit. These are great photos.
if the money used for that farwell cerremony--pelebon--we allocate to make Indonesia Invincible then Indonesia will raise to Invincible very quickly and no more longer suffering and problem for Indonesian.
We watched the prepartatons all the week before this, but had to leave Ubud, so is great to see how it went in the end..
I'm curious what the town was like the days before.
I heard they shut done acess. Was it crazy and packed wilth all places to stay 100% full?
I LIKE BALI . THIS YEAR I MAKE SOME PLAN TO VISIT BALI AND TOBA LAKE .
ITS. A GREAT PICTURES. THANKS TO BOSTON GLOBE . YOU NOW THAT BALI IS IN MY COUNTRY . I REALLY PROUD TO MY COUNTRY . LONG LIFE INDONESIA
Great
This is an excellent blog, keep up the good work.
Hugs from Portugal
Free Schapelle Corby.
to # 22!! amazing comeback, I admire your kindness and your spunk! You're a wonderful advocate! Of all the comments, one nasty can turn it off topic and ugly, thanks for putting the "nasty" in their place & ever so articulately if that is a word! I envy your command of the English language and ability to be succinct! Now the rest of us can enjoy the fantastic sharing of cultures!
The pics are just wonderful. What camera do you use?
We just got back from Bali and were at the cremation ceremonies. It was absolutely amazing and these pictures tell and excellent story of the "real" thing.
Bali is a fantastic place to visit with its rich culture, breath taking rice fields and its amazingly friendly people. I highly recommend it!
That was a really big Upacara Ngaben in Hindu Bali.
ps: Respect local law, don't bring your herbal boogie boards to enjoy other's culture. You'll get burned.
It's not just a cremation ceremony & also it's not just a good pictures,It's a great installation,it's a wonderful masterwork,blended with beautiful Balinese traditional dance & Balinese musicians.It's a complete arts performance.we can't see this great of arts anywhere in the world .
We were there for this ceremony!!!. . . It was truly incredible. As spectators on the street, the perspective as to the size and weight of these structures are hard to believe. These photographs are remarkable, and well appreciated since we couldn't get into the cemetery area after the procession to see the cremation itself.
Bali is a fantastic place on earth!
Thanks for sharing this rare ceremony for all the world to see! Cleared of the jihadist extremists, Bali is certainly wonderful, and its people are also. You may find it is like heaven on earth! Visit this wonderful island when you have the chance. Been away for 38 years from Indonesia, but still have intimate ties with friends in this, what the Dutch called "de gordel van smaragd".
Thanks for posting all of these great photos. My daughter is is Bali on a service project and was in Ubud to see this great event. She said that the crowds were so thick that they almost got trampled in all of the excitement. Since we are not there with her, it is awesome to see such great photos of something so spectacular that she was able to witness. Thank-you again!
it is just marvelous and spectacular photos, keep up the work and thank you for sharing these awesome pictures as well as the explanation texts.
Thanks for sharing,never seen anything like that since I'm from Indo myself.
Your fantastic photograph take,......i am the witness of the ceremony. beautiful,.......pleased viisit Bali and Indonesia next week 6 August start for The Sanur vestival welcome to Bali and please not bring drugs because penalty death sentence. thanks
In this difficult economic situation his type of cremation cost a lot of money but it is not only tradition but Religion, so let's go for it !
The pictures are stunningly beautiful !!
looks greats......
Every NGABEN ceremony is very very costy indeed! However, Balinese people normally preserve bodies of loved ones for some time, oftentimes for years, waiting for a suitable 'time' for a mass ceremony like this one, when someone rich enough could afford to have this religious, grandiose ritual conducted. Hindu is a peaceful religion and the Balinese embrace Hindu.
My daughter Aya from Japan was lucky to be in Bali during this ceremony. I was born, grew up and spent most of my life in Indonesia myself. Saya merindukan Indonesia. Hidup Indonesia !!!
I Love Indonesia......
Bob, this are awesome pictures!! Thanks for sharing with me.
Conoscevo, ma mai visto foto così efficaci. Grazie a Hedy Tisna per avermele mandate da Singapore.
Beautiful! Indah sekali!
I have a home in Penestanan (next to Ubud). When last there in May, the preparations were beginning for this event. I have never seen such large cremation bulls...and I have seen scores of cremations.
I have taken hundreds of photos of burning towers and bulls, but these are by far the best I have ever seen.
The King of Ubud was very beloved.
Bali is truly heaven on earth....they live their beliefs.
Wonderful pictures. I am going to saw all the pictures in the Residential Home.
Saya sangat senang menyaksikan photo2 pengabenan di Bali.
Very impressive!!! Excellent photograpy.
Excellent photography. Having been in Ubud for two big cremations, I know the enormous crowds that gather and how difficult it is to get good photos. Bali is truly a magic place, and the world can learn a lot from the way Balinese treat each other and those of us who visit.
Fantastic photographies! Fantastiques photos!
I miss Bali so much, your expressive pictures make it worst. Bali...... wait for me next month. Babi Guling Bu Oka, Ayam Kadewatan, Warung Murni wait for me........
Nice Picture..as Indonesian i love bali so much...
Terima kasih untuk foto2 mengenai crematie di Bali. Saya lahir di Denpasar dan Oma saya dari Tejakula. Waktu crematie teachir di Ubud dari Niang Rai Mengwi saya juga menghadlirnya, tetapi sayang karena terlalu banyak peninjaunya maupun turis2 saya tak dapat mengikuti pembakaran mayatnya. tetapi dengan foto2 yang diatas saya kagum dan puas sekali, seperti benar2 real. Yang saya juga bangga dan hormati penduduk Bali, bahwa waktu itu seluruh jalan dimana mayat liwat dibersihkan, dan karena saya ir listrik bahwa kabel listrik diputuskan. Bayangkan kalau itu terjadi disini pasti protes karena tak ada penjualan di restoran, maupun tak ada listrik di rumah selama satu hari.
Salam dari negeri Belanda
Hey....i love Bali ya....great pictures....i hope you understand the meaning from
this ceremony.....its holy....mmmmhhhh i misss you my island....
Tina Tarot
the grey witch
THIS IS WHAT THE GREAT HINDU TRADITION WOULD HAVE BEEN
TO US -- IT AS NOT A BULL BUT A 'HE-WATER BUFFALO' -called BHAINSAA' in hindi - THE VEHICLE OF LORD YAMA , THE GOD OF DEATH
This is Bali life. Thank you.
wow, great ceremony. I never seen such ceremony (they call it Ngaben) even tough i am Indonesian and my homeland is not far from Bali.
Great picture. i love this site.