Sanghyang Jaran, A Sacred Traditional Dance
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- Bangli, Bali Indonesia
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Sanghyang Jaran, A Sacred Traditional Dance.
Bali is famous for its culture and tradition. The beauty of the culture is wrapped in tradition, one of which is a sacred dance. Besides beauty, aspects of the soul and supernatural also appear in a sacred dance. Such as Sanghyang Jaran Dance which has important values in religious rites as well as cultural forms of Balinese society, especially in Klungkung and Bangli.
The Sanghyang Jaran dance is only held during religious ceremonies, including other types of Sanghyang dance. The Sanghyang dance is a sacred dance that serves to resist disaster. The dancer will be possessed or loss of consciousness due to being infiltrated by a worshiped holy spirit.
The history of the Sanghyang Jaran dance started in 1894. Written in the lontar leaf in the Pekraman Jungut Batu Village, Lembongan Island, Nusa Penida, Klungkung Regency, it is told that Ida Pedanda Gede Punia from Bangli was outcast. At that time, Ida Pedanda Gede Punia was 'exiled' to Nusa Penida Island by Raja Bangli. Arriving at Nusa Penida, Ida Pedanda Gede Punia wasn’t well-received. Then he sailed to Nusa Lembongan.
At that time, Jero Mekel in Lembongan Village received his arrival well. Ida Pedanda Gede Punia is considered a saint from Bangli. In the end, he became a role model for the local community and developed a sacred art called the Sanghyang Jaran Dance.
The Sanghyang Jaran dance is truly unique because it is not accompanied by gamelan music. This dance is accompanied by a singing song. The faster the tempo of the song, the dancers' movements will follow the tempo. The dancer of Sanghyang Jaran Dance will bring a property that looks like a horse. Well, Jaran in Balinese means horse, so it is called Sanghyang Jaran. When dancing, the dancers will step on a burned coconut fiber. However, the dancers won’t feel pain or hurt, because they will be in a trance state.
This sacred dance is performed to protect the community from any disaster, and also as a form of gratitude to the Creator. Well, the Sanghyang Jaran dance also functions to express gratitude for the achievement of all hopes. Very meaningful, isn't it?
Do you have the habit of expressing gratitude for the achievement of hope? This kind of habit certainly has a spiritual content. Just like any other sacred dances in Bali. Unfortunately, currently there are only two Sanghyang Jaran Dance Groups that are still active, namely Sanghyang Jaran Oncar Srawa and Sang Hyang Tedok Pangkung. Even so, the hopes of its people are still being echoed.
