Tabuh Rah, A Tradition To Maintain The Sustainability Of Mother Earth

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  • Kecamatan Selat, Karangasem

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Tabuh Rah, A Tradition To Maintain The Sustainability Of Mother Earth.

Every tradition surely has a deep meaning. If you like cultural tourism, there are so many of it in Bali. Tabuh Rah, a tradition from Sukaluwih Adat Village, is one of them. It is a tradition to guard and maintain the sustainability of the earth through its ritual spirit.

Tabuh Rah is performed at every Panca Yad ceremony. This ceremony is intended for Gods, Resi Yadnya, Manusia Yadnya, Pitra Yadnya, and Buta Yadnya. Based on the meaning of the word, tabuh means to spread while rah means blood. This tradition is carried out with cockfighting so that chicken blood is spread on the ground and is destined for Mother Earth. The fall of blood to the ground is done to guard the safety of Mother Earth and drive away negative things.

The Tabuh Rah tradition is also called the Satha War. The term is coming from a Hindu religious belief that is largely embraced by the residents of the Sukaluwih Village. This village is located in Selat District, Karangasem Regency. Panca Yadnya ceremony is conducted once every 6 months by calculating the Balinese calendar. Precisely on Tuesday Kliwon, on a count of 210 days. Based on hereditary beliefs, the Tabuh Rah ritual must be carried out by the village ‘karma’. If it isn’t done, people in the village will experience misfortune, and the livestock at every house will die.

The morning before the Panca Yad ceremony began, Kentongan will be hit at 5:00 as a reminder to the krama's village to carry out the ceremony. At 6:00, Kentongan will be hit once again, indicating that the ceremony will be started soon. For this reason, the krama's village immediately prepare themselves and gather around at the Pura Penyatur. The women carry upakara in the form of offerings and other supplies. Men bring a rooster that is ready to fight. After gathering all the residents, the ceremony will be held soon. The first is to pair each rooster. When you have got a fighting partner, then sharp spurs are placed on the chicken feet. Then the fight begins. The citizen believes, losing or winning is not important, because the bloody battle is a ritual of Tabuh Rah that aims to save Mother Earth.

By "sacrificing" chickens, Mother Earth survives negative things. For about three sets of battles, the holy ceremony will begin. Prayers are offered, hope that salvation will be offered. The Tabuh Rah tradition is still carried out today and in every area on the island of Bali has its own terms in referring to this ritual. The noise of prayer, hope, and salvation can be sung in various ways.