Spiritual Tourism: a Case Study of Foreigners’ Participation in The Pitrayajna Ceremony in The Desa Pakraman of Muncan, Selat, Karangasem, Bali

Nararya Narottama

doi:10.24922/eot.v3i1.20841

Abstract

The influence of globalization appears to occur worldwide and affect any joint of life, including small village near Mount Agung, named Muncan Pakraman village, Karangasem, Bali. When the series of Pitrayajña ceremonies (Balinese traditional cremation series) took place in 2009 at this village, a lot of foreigners from various countries got involved, includeing Germany, Turkey, Israel, the Netherlands, UK, Spain, Belgium and Italy. They were involved not only as a spectators or tourists, but participated in the ceremony for their ancestors, and deceased loved ones and took part in "Ngayah" (working together and voluntarily, without being paid). Pitrayajña ceremony is processions of sacred ceremonies, which usually performed only by Hindus, especially in Bali, was also participated by foreigners (international students of Ratu Bagus Ashram), who were having a spiritual journey to find their true identity. Formally, they were not Hindus, but believed in the teachings of the Hindu religion, and their activities are form of spiritual tourism implementation in Bali. The main problem of research is to reveal how the phenomenon of deconstructing Pitrayajña ceremony in Bali, how the participation of foreign persons in this ceremony, what motivated them, what was the public perception of the deconstruction of Pitrayajña ceremony, the views of the Hindu leaders in Bali to the deconstruction of the Pitrayajña ceremony and whether there was a change of meaning, if the changes are purely the universality of Hindu religion itself, how its impact on society, and its relation to spiritual tourism. With the formulation of a clear scope, this research is also expected to produce maximum findings.

Highlights

Pitrayajña ceremony is the Balinese community effort to keep their balance, as well as holding various religious activities, as the implementation of the teachings of Hinduism
When the processions of Pitrayajña ceremony took place, there were several foreigners from various countries took part, they came from Germany, Turkey, Israel, the Netherlands, England, Spain, Belgium and Italy
Ofir decided to participate in the ceremony of Pitrayajña in the Pakraman of Muncan, because he wanted to connect again spiritually to his late father, in the ceremony he felt a very strong spirituality

Summary

Introduction

Pitrayajña ceremony is the Balinese community effort to keep their balance, as well as holding various religious activities, as the implementation of the teachings of Hinduism. For Hindus, this ceremony is very important, for that reason, people of Pakraman Muncan, Karangasem held Pitrayajña mass ceremony in 2009, the ceremony was initiated by the Maha Gotra Pasek Sanak http://ojs.unud.ac.id/index.php/eot. Sapta Rsi (MGPSSR) of Village of Muncan. When the processions of Pitrayajña ceremony took place, there were several foreigners from various countries took part, they came from Germany, Turkey, Israel, the Netherlands, England, Spain, Belgium and Italy. They participated in the ancestral ceremonies of the deceased parents and the beloved ones. They participated in the "ngayah" (working together voluntarily, without being paid) and together with the community to hold various sequence of processions such as cremation, mamukur and Ngalinggihang Dewa Hyang, there were nine foeigners‟ Sawa (Soul) in the ceremony

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Conclusion