tumpek wayang,bali : a special day devoted to the lord of puppets

July 29th will see the Lord of Puppeteers, SanghyangIswara, being honoured as the Balinese Hindus celebrate Tumpek Wayang Day. On this day, puppeteers (Dalang) throughout the island will present offerings to their shadow puppets (wayang kulit) with the intention of honouring the Lord Iswara. The puppets are taken out from their cases to be blessed by their owners and placed in a position as if an actual performance is being held. The objective is to invoke smoothness and reliability during a real performance, and for the puppet to be able to captivate the audience.

Although this sacred day is a holiday for puppets and puppeteers, it is considered very unlucky if a baby is born on this day. The Balinese believe the child is prone to illness and injury from Kala, the demon god, and if a child should come to this world on this inopportune day, a special ceremony has to be performed in order to purify the child and protect it from harm.

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