Penelope Gan | Photo Blog just some cl!cks by me …
Religion and Trance
People of varying faiths throughout the world are said to have experience a transcendence state from different perspectives with many textual references supporting such claims; ranging from the Bible (Matthew 8:28-34), the Torah (Genesis 6:4) to the Qu’ran (Verse 275).
Para Bhakti on Thaipusam
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated on the full moon of the Tamil month of Thai which falls in January or February in the Gregorian calendar. Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan – the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati – and the occasion in which Parvati ‘arms’ Murugan with a vel (lance) to vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.
Ramayana Dance
Ramayana has been expressed the world over via music, dance, painting, sculptures and plays. In Bali, fragments of the Ramayana have been incorporated into creative dance forms that are both accompanied by a musical band – gamelan, or that of human voices. The Ramayana told is as follows…
Sanghyang Exorcism Fire Dance
Lulled into trance by the chants, the ‘horse rider’ in Sanghyang Djaran’s movements and dance in and out of the smoldering pile of burning coconut husks is in sync with the rising and falling chorus of chants.
Kecak (ˈketʃak)
A form of Balinese music drama performed primarily by hundreds of men only in loin cloths, Kecak infuses peripheral cultural elements of the Balinese Sanghyung exorcism ritual and fragments of the epic Ramayana in 1930s to gain wider acceptance. Today Kecak is adapted and performed for tourists.
‘Ngaben’ Offerings – Balinese Cremation
Appearing to be more of a festival of conspicuous consumption than one that carries the air of sobriety of a typical funeral, offerings can extend to include whole suckling pigs, fabric, perfumery and even “afterlife helpers”, in addition to the little sculptures of coloured rice dough pinned on palm baskets, sate lilit and fruits.