Melukat: Exploring the Educational Significance of Purity in Balinese Ritual Practices and Religious Leadership Development

Abstract

This study explores the educational significance of purity in Balinese ritual practices and religious leadership development. Purity is a central concept in the Āgama Tīrtha religion of Bali, which is a unique blend of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Tantra. The study uses autoethnography as its methodology to understand the strength of the Balinese beliefs and the impact of ritual practices on education and leadership development. The study focuses on the water purification ceremony (Upacara Melukat), which is of central importance to the daily Sūrya-Sevana, worship of the sun. The study examines the impact of purity, pollution, anomaly, and taboo on Balinese gender roles, traditions, ceremonies, and religious leadership. It argues that the need for purity is the motivator for rigidity in Balinese society and religious leadership and that purity ideals could also be behind other biases. The study concludes that the motivation behind the rules and taboos observed and documented is the preservation of the very Balinese identity. This study contributes to the existing knowledge in the field of Balinese ritual practices, faith-based healing traditions, and religious leadership development.