Otonan Ceremony Bali

23/12/2021 23:22

Birthday is an award that is usually held every year. However, in Bali, there is another award which is held earlier, every 6 months to be exact. It's called the Autonan Ceremony in Bali. This ceremony also has a meaning that is no less important than giving birthday gifts.

In fact, online, the Otonan Ceremony held by the Balinese Hindu community can be interpreted as a birthday celebration ceremony. However, the meaning of birthdays in their beliefs is different from birthdays in the general public's understanding.

The Otonan ceremony in Bali in its implementation is a proof of human gratitude to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa. The implementation is based on the weton count in Javanese culture. Entering Bali, the word Weton also changed to oton which literally means born or can also be interpreted to be incarnated into the world.

Step by Step Implementation of the Otonan Ceremony in Bali

Autonomy itself, according to Balinese Hindus, is a birthday whose arrival must be celebrated every 210 days. This ceremony is not related to being born as a form of gratitude and all the blessings given. At the same time, Autonomy also affects one's behavior and way of life.

This ceremony must be done since the baby is 210 days old. Then the ceremony is carried out regularly until he dies. There are several stages that need to be considered in the implementation of this important ceremony for Balinese Hindus, namely:

1. Worship performed by the priest to ask for testimony against Hyang Widhi

2. Stages of worship addressed to Shiva Raditya (Suryawastawa)

3. Stages of offering respect to ancestors who have died

4. Worship performed at the time of the haircut

5. Worship performed as the core of the otonan ceremony and praying

This ceremony can be done in a simple way or just like that. Can be adapted to the conditions of each family. It's just that, the implementation of the Otonan Ceremony in Bali for the first time, is usually carried out on a large scale. Moreover, with this first ceremony, it is an important effort to welcome new family members.

In addition, please note that the haircut performed in the Otonan Ceremony, is only done once in a lifetime. This stage of the event was carried out when Otonan was first staged. In addition, there are important things that must be considered. The Otonan ceremony is usually carried out festively when it coincides with the full moon.

A Form of Gratitude to God Through Balinese Otonan

The implementation of the Otonan Ceremony does look so burdensome, because it must be done by living life. But for the Balinese, the view is different. The Otonan ceremony is an expression of their gratitude for all the gifts they have received throughout their lives.

The Otonan ceremony teaches Balinese people to always be grateful for all the blessings they get. Therefore, the existence of this ceremony is actually much more important than birthdays in the eyes of Hindus in Bali. So, if tourists come across a ceremony like this in Bali, it is meant to pay homage.