(Puri Agung Ubud September 7, 2007)

On Monday August 20th 2007, Tjokorda Istri Putra Asmari died in hospital of Denpasar at the age of 76 years, after suffering from a sharp decline in health over the past few months. She leaves behind her younger brother, Tjokorda Gde Agung Suyasa, a half - brother, Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa, two half sisters, Tjokorda Istri Oka & Tjokorda Istri Rai, two children, Tjokorda Gde Budi Suryawan & Tjokorda Istri Sri Candrawati, their spouse and five grandsons.

Born in 1931, Tjokorda Istri Putra Asmari was oldest child of Tjokorda Gde Ngurah & Tjokorda Istri Muter of Puri Saren Kauh, the western wing of the central Ubud Palace. In the early '50s she married Tjokorda Gde Putu Sudharsana from Puri Saren Kangin, the eastern wing of the palace.
So this is the base for all the preparations leading up to the Pelebon (Royal Cremation).

After graduating from high school, Tjok Istri Putra Asmari continued her education by enrolling in a teacher's college in Gianyar. In 1949 she began her long teaching career at the No. 1 Ubud Primary School until her retirement in 1990. Being a working mother became even more necessary when in 1975 she lost her husband. As she wanted her two children to have the opportunity of a tertiary education she continued to work hard for them to be able to graduate, while attending to family & village commitments without the support of a spouse to share the load. With the success of her offspring in their later lives, she knew that all of her struggles at this time in her life were worthwhile.

Upon Tjok. Istri Putra Asmari's death, word was spread amongst the extended family of Puri Ubud. Because of a number of temple ceremonies being held in the Ubud area at the time a decision was made that her body should remain in the ceremonial bedroom at Puri Saren Kangin, where she would be considered to still be "sleeping" until such time as a formal announcement of her death could be made. Once this announcement is made, the extended Puri family becomes sebel (unclean), so that they should attend no other ceremonies until after the cremation ceremony is over.

It was determined from Balinese calendar that an auspicious date for the cremation would fall on 7th September. By 23rd August preparations for the cremation began in earnest with the formal announcement of Tjok Istri Putra Asmari's death. The heads of the various families of Puri Ubud gathered to work out a schedule for all of the intricate preparations that precede the royal cremation. To be able to prepare for a cremation ceremony even on the simple of scale, a huge amount of labor is required. One of the first things that needed to be done was to call together all the heads of the different banjar (local councils) of the Ubud area to discuss a schedule for them assisting in all of the preparations. Five banjar are involved with the preparations of this cremation - Ubud Kelod (Southern Ubud), Ubud Tengah (Central Ubud), Ubud Kaja (Northern Ubud), Sambahan & Taman Kelod (Southern Taman). Each day since then people from the extended Puri family and banjar have come to Puri Saren Kangin to help with the preparations for the royal cremation. While the women have been helping with the preparations of the mountain of offering required for the ceremonies, the men construct the temporary platform needed, as well as cooking some of the food that makes up a part of the offerings.

Another member of the Puri family, also from Puri Saren Kangin, to be cremated with Tjok Istri Putra Asmari is Tjokorda Bagus Sudharsana, the fifth child of the late Tjokorda Gde Oka Sudharsana, older brother of Tjok Putra Sudharsana, Tjok Istri Putra Asmari's husband. Tjok Bagus died in May 2005 at the young age of 45 years, and an effigy of his body will be used in the cremation ceremony.

One of the interesting parts for visitors to Bali to view is the construction of the tall bade (tower) that will be used to transport the body from the Puri to the cremation grounds and the two lembu (bulls) that hold the body of Tjokorda Putra Asmari and the effigy of Tjok Bagus as they are cremated. While the lembu are being built just outside of Ubud & will be brought to Puri close to the date of cremation, the bade is being constructed in the outer courtyard of Puri Ubud & on the street outside the Puri.

Because of the height of the bade, a lot of the work is done in the few days leading up to the cremation on the roadway leading to the north from the central intersection of Ubud, where the procession for the royal cremation ceremony will start, heading approximately 1 km east to the cremation grounds of the Puri.

Before the actual cremations, various other ceremonies are held to prepare the soul for its departure from the world. On 27th August a procession will head towards the beji (holy spring) at Campuhan to retrieve holy water. Later that afternoon a Mesiram (bathing ceremony) will be held, where the body is bathed with water perfumed with fragrant flowers, then anointed with offerings and fine clothes, to be blessed by the pedanda (high priest) who officiates at this ceremony. People from other Puri in Bali, as well as other friends of the family are invited to witness this very important ceremony held in the privacy of the Puri. In the days leading up to the cremation many people will come to call at Puri Saren Kangin, as they will also do on the actual day of the cremation.

At around 13.00 hrs on the 7th the body of Tjok Istri Putra Asmari & the effigy of Tjok Bagus will depart to the cremation grounds in the bade specially built for the occasion. The procession to the cremation ground will also include the lembu and many offerings that are used in the cremation.

Four days following the cremation, on 11th September, there will be another very important ceremony for the journey of the soul of Tjok Istri Putra Asmari, called a Ngasti, held at Puri Saren Kangin, followed the next day by Nyegara Gunung ceremony, where pilgrimage is made to the sea (Goa Lawah) & the mountains (Besakih). These ceremonies are to lift the soul to a more purified state so that she may then find a home prepared for her within her merajan (family temple).

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

Please observe the dress requirements expected of people who wish to join in with a cremation ceremony:

• Wear sarong tied at the waist with a selendang (sash)
• Wear a top covering your shoulders

Ask one of the staff at your hotel if you do not have the required dress or need help in learning how to wear it properly.

Do not get in the way of anyone in the procession. As it takes off the crowd carrying bade & lembu will get very boisterous, so do not stand too near or you may get trampled.

Do not ever put yourself in a position higher than the pedanda and do not get to near the fires as the burning gets underway.

Please remember that the cremation ceremony is not put on for the benefit of tourists. It is the most important ceremony for the Balinese to provide a safe departure from the physical world for the souls of their deceased.