held high in the air. They seem to be half
in trance, with rigid bodies and stern gaze fixed into the distance.
The balian (wizard) approaches with a helper, carrying a great vessel
of water, and sprinkles the gods, the holy elders, the musical instruments,
and all the assembly, who kneels in devotion and presses round. All
stretch their arms towards him, the palms of their hands turned upwards
to receive the holy water, which they swallow greedily, then reach
out again to receive more, and wet their face and head with it. They
all want more and still more, till at last not a drop of water is
left over. The little heaps of rice, previously prepared, are now
distributed among the people. Then all rise to their fret and the
Bataras and Dewas are carried into the temple. The images of the gods
are placed in their litters to the accompaniment of song, and a long
procession is formed, which winds first three times round the main
temple, then down the steps and along the village to the shore of
the lake, where a short prayer of purification is held, directed towards
the lake, the Batoer mountain, and the flaming sunset. Then all return,
to the triumphant music of several gamelans, with flags and spears
and lances waving against the evening sky, to the great court of assembly
(bale agoeng),' where the images of the gods are all set up in the
fenced pavilion (bali semangan) belonging to them, surrounded by countless
high, magnificent offerings. All night through the gamelans played
on the high assembly tables.'
In Tenganan the libation of toeak under a certain tree is followed
by a kind of dance by men and boys, wearing their krisses and best
clothes, with spread arms and rather rolling gait moving towards the
gamelan, which is seated in the great pavilion behind a woven enclosure.
They greet each musician by name with a gesture, and bow to the ground,
the younger men first and then the old. Before the ritual combat,
toeak was again poured out from great bowls standing by the Bale Gede,
into banana-leaves, and carried in turn by boys across the square,
where a man received it, drank and poured it out on the roots of a
tree, while some irresolute dance steps were done by a few boys.
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