Hari Galungan - Bali

Galungan, one of the most important Balinese festivals, is the culmination of celebrations held in honour of the creator and ancestral spirits. According to Balinese-Hinduism, the creator of the universe is Ida Sang Hyang Widi. During these celebrations, it is believed that spirits of the ancestors return to the earth. The festival is the celebration of good and the overcoming of evil; the victory of Dharma and the defeat of Adharma. With the return of these ancestral spirits to their former homes, the Balinese are expected to demonstrate kindness through making offerings and chanting prayers. At the end of the celebrations, the ancestral spirits go back to their home, and this is marked by offerings of yellow rice to mark the end of Galungan.