Galungan a profitable time for ‘penjor’ sellers
Wasti Atmodjo, I Wayan Juniarta, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar
The religious festival of Galungan is a profitable time for the vendors of ritual paraphernalia, particularly those selling penjor, or decorated bamboo poles.
“I have been overwhelmed with orders for a week,” penjor seller I Ketut Runa said Monday.
Galungan, one of the Balinese Hindus’ biggest religious festivals, is this Wednesday. As a custom, the Balinese erect penjor in front of their houses one day before the festival.
Penjor are said to represent the victory banner used by ancient Balinese to greet the heavenly army of Lord Indra following its victory over the island’s atheistic king of Mayadanawa. Until today, Galungan is still viewed as the celebration of “dharma” (good) over “adharma” (evil).
Runa is the owner of Wisuka Karya shop on Denpasar’s Jl. Supratman. The shop sells various ceremonial goods, including bamboo poles, young coconut leaves and penjor.
On Monday, rows of neatly stacked bamboo poles filled his shop’s front yard, all from several villages in Tabanan and Bangli regencies. Runa sold a seven-meter-long bamboo pole for Rp 8,000, a Rp 5,000 increase over the regular price.
“Its cheaper here than in other places,” he said, adding that a bamboo pole of similar size could fetch Rp 10,000 elsewhere.
Runa could sell up to 2,000 bamboo poles during the Galungan period.
To make penjor, the bamboo pole is adorned with decorations made of young coconut tree leaves, which Runa sells for Rp 8,000 per stem. Then a sampian (tail crown) of coconut or palmyra leaves is attached with a loose string to the tip of the pole. It sells for Rp 8,000 in Runa’s shop.
The penjor is then erected on the right side of the house’s front gate, next to a small shrine made of woven bamboo strips. Seven days ago, Runa had a stock of 1,500 bamboo shrines selling for Rp 5,000 to Rp 15,000, and by Monday only a few remained.
The erected penjor bears a striking resemblance to the curved tail of the dragon commonly found in Balinese traditional paintings and sculptures.
“Indeed, penjor is the symbol of Basuki, the dragon of fertility,” said Hindu scholar Ketut Wiana.
“Basuki is the supernatural force that guards the island’s rivers, lakes and forests. All these elements play a critical role in the survival of the island’s agriculture sector.”
By erecting penjor, he added, the Balinese conveyed their wish for a prosperous future as well as their gratitude for God’s protection and generosity.
“That’s why the penjor’s decorations comprise rice stalks, fruits, beans and cakes. This is our acknowledgement to the numerous blessings the Lord has provided us,” he said.
Besides bamboo poles, Runa also sold fully decorated penjor.
“These days, many people don’t have the time to make the penjor themselves,” Runa said.
He sold the penjor for Rp. 80,000 each. Despite the heavy price tag, the demand was so high that he had already turned down several orders.
“We could only make 50 penjor. I don’t have enough workers to make more than that,” he said.
Making penjor was a task that required skills and artistry, and qualified workers with were hard to find, he added.
Source: The Jakarta Post
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