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Workforce at Pakendungan Temple |
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 Yesterday, staff from operational management of Tanah Lot Object and all committee of tourism awareness group "Surya Chandra Tanah Lot", ngaturang ngayah (workforce) at Pakendungan Temple. Because, on next Saturday there is ceremonial event on that temple which exact with Kuningan Day. In the morning on 7 AM, all staff and commitee already start the workforce or ngayah. The word ‘ngayah’ is hard to define, it is derived from the word ‘ayah’ means ‘voluntary work,’ and the word ‘ngayah’ itself can be defined as ‘working voluntarily.’ Though the ‘ngayah’ activity is voluntarily based activity but constant failure to join this activity will result the wrath of God and community. The wrath of God is believed to be the source of misfortune but the worst and most feared misfortune for the Balinese comes from the wrath of community. The constant failure to join ‘ngayah’ activities during a long period of time is considered as a sign of inconformity and disloyalty to the society, for Balinese the golden rule is ‘if we share the good time we must also share the bad.’
In some cases, this kind of offend is end up with exclusion from the community. The temple anniversary and ceremony are events that must be held at any cost. For a simple anniversary a small family temple, minimum three-day preparation is needed and at least five able men and women are required to prepare the anniversary. When the time of the preparation comes, no excuse except death is accepted for an absent, a failure to join the ngayah activity is punished with a fine. Occasional absents are tolerated as long as the fines are paid, but constant absent is another story. The ngayah activity requires time and effort, and time is what most Balinese who work as employee do not have.
This situation creates a different view of ngayah among the Balinese, some say it is a voluntary work, some say it is an obligatory work and what I fear most is when some Balinese say it is an oppressive work. Penjor is one important Balinese religion instrument at the ceremonial occasion usually stood on the home ground often on the roadside and decorated in young coconut leaves. A Penjor is offering in the form of decorated bamboo pole whose gracefully curving upper end is said to resemble both the tail of the barong, symbol of goodness, and the peak of the sacred mountain, Mount Agung. Penjor will put down in front of Pakendungan Temple and on entrance gate. |
