Attending A.A. Mangkling’s Ngaben in Bali was an honour.
The Hindu-Balinese believe the body is impure, a temporary shell, having no significance at all, except as a container of the soul and its anchor to the earth.
All thoughts at the time of death are concentrated upon the spirit and its passage to heaven.
The body is just there to be disposed of, and instead of grieving the Balinese prefer to throw a great celebration. And in the process hastening their dead friends soul to oneness with god.
The village community members banjar work together to make the bamboo stretcher for the first ritual, nyiramin layon the bathing of the corpse.