In Reply to: Airport, overpass and Nusa dua golf club posted by caryl on Tuesday, 2. July 2013 at 12:23 Bali Time:
Toll road to have Hindu blessing
by on 2013-07-09
Denpasar: A Balinese Hindu ritual will be held to consecrate the island's first toll road, which connects Benoa Harbor-Ngurah Rai International Airport-Nusa Dua, on Wednesday. Three Hindu high priests will officiate the religious ceremony: Ida Pedanda Gede Putra Bajing, Ida Pedanda Budha Jelantik Gunung Sari from Gianyar, and Ida Rsi Bujangga Wesnawa Kertha Bhuana from Gelogor Denpasar.
The ritual will start at 9 a.m., taking place on the road near Ngurah Rai International Airport toll gate.
The two-part ceremony, tawur gentuh and pemelaspasan, is aimed at appeasing the unseen spirits populating the site, as well as neutralizing any negative forces and spiritual imbalances created during the construction of the 12.7-kilometer toll road. The ritual is also aimed at asking the divine to bless the highway and protect the safety of motorists who would use it.
'As Hindu devotees, we believe that we should start everything with yadnya [holy offering]. The ceremony will also mark, in Hindu belief, that the road is ready for operation,' Ida Pedanda Putra Bajing said.
During the ceremony, a pakelem ritual will be held. Pakelem is a traditional Balinese Hindu ritual that involves the sacrifice of live animals by drowning them in the sea. Several animals will be sacrificed, consisting of a buffalo, a cow, a goat, five chickens with different colored feathers, a swan and a duck.
On Monday afternoon, Balinese Hindu devotees performed the preliminary ritual of mapepada to purify several animals which will be sacrificed in the ceremony on Wednesday. 'Mapepada is aimed at cleansing any impurities from the animals,' Ida Pedanda Gede Putra Bajing explained.
Public relations officer for PT Jasa Marga Bali Tol, Drajad H Suseno, said the public were welcome to witness the ceremony. 'I am sure that many tourists would be eager to see the ceremony. Please come,' he said.
Administration spokesperson, Ketut Wija, said that the administration hoped the toll road would immediately begin operations. 'We hope the road will also bring prosperity to Bali's people,' he said.
The construction of the road reached 100 percent completion in June this year. It is now ready for trial operation before being officially inaugurated in August by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. 'We hope the inauguration of the toll road could be conducted on August 14, as it is also the anniversary of Bali province,' he said.