Fascinating oblation is always present in the worship of Hindu devotees in Bali. It may normally consist of flowers, leaf, and cake on the regular worship. On other occasions like temple festivals, holidays, or rites of life cycle it would be more complete colorful young coconuts and assorted fruits depending of the kind and scale of the ritual.
There may be a slight difference in the forms of offerings at some certain regions in Bali, however they are fundamentally the same and refer to official referential sources. Offerings essentially represent the expression of gratitude and devotional worship to God. Assuredly it must be at all times adjusted to the affordability of devotees. Religious teachings have offered some options to choose from without reducing the meaning and sincerity. Then who is the ‘architect’ behind all of these?
The Balinese call them ‘tukang banten’ or offering makers. This is a socio-religious profession just as priest, puppeteer, traditional architect (undagi), meditan, traditional healer, and so forth.
Prior to being deeply involved in this noble task, they must undergo an initiation rite and go with their divine inspiration – known as ‘taksu’. By and large, the offering makers can learn quickly because of guidance of this divine inspiration. In relation to this, prior to ritual activity, the offering makers will be delivered banten panguleman or an offering of invitation as an appeal for the making of offerings.
As this profession contains a devotional service to God and his devotees, there will be no fixed fee for this. At the end of the ritual, the offering maker receives a set of offerings to be presented at their ‘taksu’ shrine. Within the offering, it ussually includes some money which the sum is not determined, merely based on sincerity of the family that organizes the ritual, or at least dpends on what is usually paid by others in its vicinity.
Making offerings is not only the responsibility of tukang banten but also of all devotees. At least, devotees shoudl know the simplest of commonest offering presented in regular occasion. Meanwhile, tukang banten will have the capacity as the ‘architect’ of manten making on one hand, consultant and instructor on the other. People who find difficulties in making the offering can consult.
Apart from learning by doing, people can now take short course of banten making or even watch a television program interactively aired by a local private station in Bali. By watching the program, audience can enhance their skill of making banten and concurrently upgrade their knowledge on the symbolical and phylosophy ment by the offerings.
Since banten makers (only those who also serve as temple priest) are under control of customary villages and do devotional service for it, so they are entitled to get some benefits like a uniform and cremation ceremony after death on the account of customary village. All of these are usually carried in traditional village legislation known as ‘awig-awig’. In addition, government of certain regencies in Bali cover their medical service.
News by BTN
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