- TUMPEK Uye celebration is dedicated to glorification of animals posing human friends having occupied the Earth earlier. The Hindus celebrate it every 210 days in accordance with Balinese calendar.
The Deputy Governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, together with the Regent of Klungkung, I Nyoman Suwirta, the Regional Apparatus Organizations of the Bali Province and Klungkung District carried out the Tumpek Uye Day celebration with the Segara Kerthi Ceremony, which took place on the beach of Dalem Ped Temple, Nusa Penida, Klungkung, on Saturday or Saniscara Kliwon Uye (Mar 25).
In his remarks, Deputy Governor Cok Ace expressed his gratitude for the cooperation of various parties in organizing the event. According to him, Tumpek Uye, which is also called Tumpek Andang or Tumpek Kandang, is interpreted as a holy day to glorify animals or livestock. Why are animals glorified? In Balinese belief, animals are human relatives and they have even inhabited this earth much before humans. In addition, the virtue of an animal is that it always devotes its life to satisfying human needs and desires.
Animals have a place to live on land, in the air, and in the sea. This time the Tumpek Uye celebration is held at sea with the Segara Kerthi ceremony, understanding the sea as the estuary of all life (campuhan sarwa prani). The sea is a habitat for various types of animals, a source of life and livelihood for humans, so that we must protect it together.
Furthermore, Deputy Governor Cok Ace explained that the importance of breeding animals and protecting the sea must be disseminated massively so that all Balinese people understand, internalize, and implement it consistently, sustainably, in an orderly and disciplined manner as well as full sense of responsibility.
The Governor of Bali has instructed all components of Balinese society, such as the Leaders of Vertical Institutions in Bali; Mayors/Regents throughout Bali; Chief of Customary Village Assembly from the Bali Province level to the lowest and their colleagues as well as all Balinese people to celebrate Tumpek Uye Day as the implementation of Balinese people’s life rules based on the values of local wisdom known as Sad Kerthi in the New Era of Bali.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor invited the whole community to work together to implement the noble values of Segara Kerthi as the implementation of the Nangun Sat Kerthi Loka Bali Vision through the Planned Universal Development Pattern towards a New Era of Bali.
Furthermore, Deputy Governor Cok Ace added that the series of Tumpek Uye Day celebrations were carried out simultaneously throughout Bali on that day began with physical (sekala) activities followed by niskala (ritual) activities.
Bali Provincial Government carried out ritual activities in the form of sea purification, animal feeding, and Tumpek Uye prayers. Sekala or physical activities were carried out by releasing turtle hatchlings into the sea; releasing birds into their habitat, vaccinating dogs and cows, and cleaning up trash around the beach.
The Bali Provincial Government chose the location of Nusa Penida Island as the venue for the Tumpek Uye Day celebration because on this island there are various sacred mysteries regarding the purification of animals and the sea. “By asking for grace before Ida Sesuhunan (Deities) who is residing in all the holy places in Nusa Penida, we will be given a bright path to tread life in order to realize the New Era of Bali,” he said.
District and city governments throughout Bali also celebrated the Tumpek Uye Day physically (sekala) and ritually (niskala) in their respective places. Likewise, vertical institutions, villages and urban villages, customary villages, families, educational institutions, community and private organizations, and communities carry out the Tumpek Uye Day celebration as stipulated in the Bali Gubernatorial Instruction Number 3/2023.
“I hope that the Tumpek Uye Day celebration and other tumpek are used as a way of life by all Balinese people to maintain harmony between humans and their natural environment,” he concluded while releasing turtle hatchlings into the sea accompanied by the invitees who attended.
In the event which was also attended by the people of Nusa Penida, he jointly performed a prayer led by Ida Rsi Agung Pinatih Kusummayoga, from Griya Kerta Yoga Tulikup, Gianyar, and priest at Dalem Ped Temple, Nusa Penida. (Source: baliprov.go.id)
