cremation royal family of Ubud

Stay in Ubud, Bali give so much opportunities to see and explore balinese culture.One of it was the cremation ceremonies that would be a fantastic reflexion of balineses culture and one of the oportunity not to missed specially its not happend every day or event every year.

On the morning of the cremation with kimberly and Rolf, we set out to find a good spot from where to get better view and take photos shot of the cremation procession. We thought we had found a good spot on a staircase with only a few mothers and children but this soon filled up and i no longer had a clear view, so we decide to look for another spot. I thought we had finally agood spot and notice when two fire engines withpeople climbing all over them. Then we asked the officer if it possible to join them and so we seated on the back of the fire engine.
Within minute of having sat down the sound of the gong from inside the palace announced the beginning of the ceremony.A quit hush fell over the streets which was soon broken by the sirens and flashing light of the fire engines.

The maschine jerked forward and with one hand i held on to my camera and the other hand try to keep my daughter save while holding into the railing. It soon dawned on me that these fire engines were to head the procession. Soon the first bull was raised and carried amongst a roar of the public to be followed by the main tower. Another tower then another bull. These were carried by one village for the next ten metes and so on. I was able to see and documented the crowds (people were everywhere on the side walks,crodwing the balconies and rooftops) the expectant faces the excited shout from children with the sea of purple t-shirt belonging to the pallbearers.

The day was sweltering hot and the fire man started hosing down the crowds to allow them to cool off,eventhough so some people fainted,who would be quickly removed by stewards and administered to in quit side streets.

Close to the cremation grounds the procession had to take a sharp right turn. The fireengines back off allowed the procession to reach the cremation grounds. For the huge of tower it was quite difficult to make right turn. The bamboo platform on which this tower was build,was carried by 600 pallbearer underneath with 200 on the outside. The whole platform was almost as wide as the street and as it turnedthe corner a street stall went flying and traffic signs come down. The look of the strength and determination on the faces of the pallbearers as they turned the cormer was amazing. With the last gust of energy they made it to the cemetry and put the tower down next to king's bull

The fire man and us then went on a well deserved break,only to return later when the cremation was sbout to start. Many offering were bought for the king and many prayers and chanting. By the time the edifices were ablaze,the fireman moved into contain the fire. It seem the appopriate time to get off. But we cant not tell y how lucky we felt to have been follow this monumental event from the back of the fire-truck!