SÊMBADRA E-ISSN: 2716-5043

VOLUME 3 No. 1, April 2021 Halaman 40-47

RITUAL AESTHETICS OF ACI SANG GRODOG CEREMONY IN LEMBONGAN KLUNGKUNG VILLAGE,

I Gede Yuda Pramada Pascasarjana Pendidikan Seni Budaya, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Email: [email protected]

I Nengah Mariasa Pascasarjana Pendidikan Seni Budaya, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT This study aims to determine the aesthetic meaning of the Sanghyang Grodog ritual in Lembongan Village, Klungkung Bali, which has its own and unique characteristics, different from other Sanghyang in Bali. The uniqueness and number of dances in Sanghyang Grodog ceremony attracts further investigation to capture the meanings that exist in the Sanghyang Grodog. Aci Sanghyang Grodog is a ritual art that is believed by the local community as a medium of ceremony to prevent the emergence of calamities that disturb the villagers, including drought and epidemics of deadly diseases as well as the ceremony to ask to the greatness of God to maintain harmony and balance in the universe. As a ritual or ceremony, Sanghyang Grodog has a special concept of presentation starting from actors, stages of performance, performance structure and so on. This research will examine the problem of the aesthetic meaning of the Sanghyang Grodog ritual. Sanghyang Grodog is a "ceremony to ask for salvation" which is performed every two years. This is done to neutralize negative elements so that they become positive. The elements that have been neutralized by the Sanghyang Grodog ritual are believed to have a good overall impact on the environment and community of Lembongan Village and the universe as a whole. This research was conducted using qualitative research methods where all data were obtained from participant observation, interviews, literature study and documentation. Data analysis was performed by reducing, clarifying, describing, concluding and interpreting all information selectively. Keywords: Aesthetics, Ritual, Sanghyang Grodog

INTRODUCTION aesthetics are applied properly and in all aspects of life consistently in the arrangement of religious always prioritize aesthetic aspects, as well as life and art, so that a balance is created in in producing a work of art. Every Balinese every religious activity as well as the resulting cultural creativity, including art, cannot be works of art. Humans as social beings cannot separated from the noble values of Balinese live alone, it also applies to the religion culture, especially the aesthetic values that activities in Bali, even in its secular form. come from Hinduism. Hindu aesthetics will The Sanghyang Grodog Ritual always be the axis and soul of the realities of Performance is a ritual ceremony located in art life in Bali. The basic principles of Hindu the village of Lembongan, Nusa Penida,

40 I Gede Yuda Pramada, Estetika Ritual Aci Sanghyang Grodog Desa Lembongan Klungkung, Bali

Klungkung Bali. Sanghyang Grodog materialized it will be more specific and have performance has the uniqueness because of its own distinctive characteristics. the large number of Sang-hyang that is Sanghyang Grodog ceremony has truth performed in a single ceremonial procession. values which are used as an implementative Sangyang Grodog at Lembongan is a unique basis for every activity and action. The Ritual ritual, and is different form the other types of of Sanghyang Grodog when associated with sanghyang in mainland Bali that normally the belief in the greatness of God who created perform with one dance in one ceremonial the universe and its contents, has a function as procession. The uniqueness of Sanghyang a repellent for reinforcements, and aims to Grodog lies in the various kinds of maintain harmony and balance in the Sanghyang consist of 23 types. The universe. In a series of ceremonies that are performance is fully supported by the held for 11 days and with 23 types of inhabitants of Lembongan and accompanied Sanghyang, the uniqueness and the large with properties and procession from the number of Sanghyang performances in a beginning to the end of the ceremony. This series of ritual ceremonies is the hallmark of ceremony involves almost all of the people in Sanghyang Grodog. This ritual activity is very Lembongan Village, both as the main different from other Sanghyang in Bali, ceremony actor or the organizer of the because there is no trance or trance process. ceremonial procession. They are playing a This ritual activity is not merely a religious significant role in the procession of activity but also an artistic activity in which Sanghyang event. as a place for the overflowing of artistic The Sanghyang Grodog ritual as a form expression to evoke the values of art morality of religious ceremony cannot be separated and mental peace based on aspects of truth in from the art activities that support it. It is one art. In Bali, people's belief in a process and of the beautiful creativity of the human mind's artistic activity if it is based on sincerity, then result. This ritual is a product of human produces a work of art that not only has cultivation that is full of aesthetic elements, quality but also focuses on inner satisfaction which bring out the values of beauty that in seeing the artwork produced. Likewise, the please humans sense. The aesthetics that Sanghyang Grodog ritual is a process of appear in the Sanghyang Grodog Ritual religious activity for the Balinese people in cannot be separated from the values and Lembongan Village which is also a work of customs of the people of Lembongan Village art that has the aim of maintaining harmony and its surroundings, therefore, this ritual and balance of the universe and its contents. ethically and logically is highly believed and Aesthetics means beauty. Beauty acceptable for its presence by the community. includes natural beauty (beauty that cannot be It is a ritual performance that holds created by humans), and beauty that is made sacralization and social function. It involves by humans (beauty that is created and supporting various components of society embodied by humans). This man-made beauty which consists of implementing Sanghyang, is what is called art (Djelantik, 2004: 13). Art sekaa gending, those who prepare offerings, is always associated with the element of implementing dance, stakeholders and other beauty. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle (in community members in back-to prepare a Soedarsono, 2003: 109) gave the view that art variety of means both physical and non is not required to be "beauty" but also physical form for the course of the ceremony. "goodness", even in the sense of "truth". Sanghyang Grodog ritual ceremony is a Aesthetics is everything that makes us work of art and culture whose form of fascinated, stunned, amazed, and in it contains occurrence is very specific and unique. Every the meaning of goodness, truth and fun work of art that is born is based on a different between the observer and the object he background, so when the artwork is observes (Triguna in Iriani, 2006: 105). The 41

Sêmbadra, Vol. 3, No. 1, April 2021 position of Balinese art as a result of taste, the concepts of Satyam, Siwam, Sundaram, in creativity, and artist's initiative, cannot be Hindu aesthetics are indeed a cavity and separated from the bonds of noble religious foundation for religious and artistic life in and cultural values, including aesthetics, Bali, to create products and activities which live and develop in the community containing art in Bali that breathe Hinduism, where the artist is from. Balinese art, which is which will have the potential to create the result of the creativity of Balinese- harmony and world peace. The Sanghyang cultured artists, is very full of aesthetic Grodog ritual which is a form of religious content that is imbued with cultural values ceremony in Lembongan Village, Nusa bound by Hinduism (Dibia, 2003: 93 in Penida, Klungkung, Bali uses a qualitative Wicaksana, 2018: 23). research design. The method to be used in this There are three Hindu aesthetic concepts research is qualitative research methods, that guide the development of art activities in namely research on descriptive research and Bali, which are synergies that require balance tends to use analysis with an inductive or harmony in a cultural activity, art or ritual approach. Descriptive qualitative method is ceremonies in Bali. The three main concepts used in this research because all data obtained or principles of Hindu aesthetics that build art from field research results from interviews, in Bali, namely, truth (Satyam), holiness observations, documentation and library (Siwam) and beauty (Sundaram). (Satyam) is reviews will be described or explained in the concept of truth in Hindu aesthetics, detail in accordance with the facts found which emphasizes more on moral aspects that related to limitations or the scope of research. are focused on steadfastness, sincerity, (Sugiyono, 2009: 205) including honesty in activities. The aspect of Qualitative research is closely related to truth in a religious ceremony in Bali is the descriptive presentation of data, because fundamental to the disclosure of truth values the results of the interviews and observations in an activity or ceremony. The second are described in detail as they are according to concept is holiness (Siwam). The Balinese what is being studied. All types of data people who live according to the order of obtained in the field are described Hindu religious teachings, always breathe descriptively, namely describing, recording, religion in the practice of artistic, cultural life analyzing and interpreting all types of data by synergizing various noble values contained obtained. in religious teachings optimizing the teachings of divinity for the resulting works DISCUSSION of art. Art and cultural activities are created Dharsono (2007: 10) states that aesthetic based on the belief and faith in God that God value is basically the ability of an object to is the source of everything as an offering to cause aesthetic experiences which can later be him, so spiritual devotion has the media in guessed from various points of view of the proving that humans are devoted to the truth. creator. Third is beauty (Sundaram), various The life of Balinese people, who are values of beauty are always present in every predominantly Hindu, cannot be separated cultural product, especially art that is reflected from artistic activities, this is as if they have in several dimensions, which will create a become a unity in the implementation of balance, and this can be seen how Hindus use religious ceremonies. Hinduism is the main aesthetic values to create and achieve a source of the values that animate Balinese peaceful life. As one of the cultural results of culture. In the implementation of religious society, a ritual must clearly have certain ceremonies, many artistic activities are meanings and values, as something that is witnessed to support the implementation of conventionally created by humans and used these rituals. Every result of Balinese cultural together as the Sanghyang Grodog Ritual. creativity, including art, cannot be separated Based on the above review, it can be said that from the noble values of Balinese culture,

42 I Gede Yuda Pramada, Estetika Ritual Aci Sanghyang Grodog Desa Lembongan Klungkung, Bali especially aesthetic values that come from negative elements so that they become Hinduism (Triguna, 2003: 94). Aesthetics positive. The elements that have been comes from the word aesthesis in Greek neutralized by the Sanghyang Grodog ritual which can be interpreted as a beautiful sense are believed to have a good impact both on a of pleasure that arises through the application scale and on a non-scale (noetic) for the of the five senses (Djelantik, 1995: 5). universe and its contents. This Sanghyang The aesthetic aspect as part of the cultural Grodog ritual is carried out to prevent the and artistic life of the Balinese people also emergence of calamities that disturb the has rules or arguments that cannot be villagers, including drought and epidemics of separated from the influence and inspiration deadly diseases. These two disasters were of the teachings of Hinduism. Emphasis and classified as difficult to overcome by the efforts to build elements of beauty in art people of Lembongan Village, who at that activities in Bali, always pivot on the time were still traditional and very much aesthetic proposition of the Hindu spirit itself. dependent on the goodness of nature to be Hinduism, which is pervasive in the realm of able to survive. In addition to its function as a aesthetics, contributes to the development of neutralizer of negative elements, the holding sleek Balinese art and has a special Hindu- of Sanghyang Grodog in previous times was a nuanced identity. Therefore, Latra (2003: 96) ritual that the people of Lembongan Village views Hindu aesthetics as a way of looking at had been waiting for. This ritual is also an art the sense of beauty (Lango), which is bound performance and becomes a separate by Hindu religious values and based on the entertainment for the people of Lembongan contextual of Hindu teachings in the contents Village and its surroundings. of the Vedic Scriptures. There are several concepts that are the main foundation and are The Concept of Truth (Satyam) in considered important in Hindu aesthetics such the Sanghyang Grodog Ritual as; (the concept of shiwam (purity), the The concept of truth (Satyam) in Hindu concept of satyam (truth), and the concept of aesthetics tends to emphasize the moral beauty (sundaram). aspect, namely talking about sincerity and Etymologically, there is no meaning of sincerity in carrying out the Sanghyang ‘grodog’ in the term of Sanghyang Grodog Grodog ritual. In a ritual in Bali, the values of ritual. The term "Grodog" arises from the truth will always be found, which are used as sound generated when the wooden wheel on the basis for the implementation of every which the Sanghyang property is placed is activity and process of carrying out religious moved and it comes into contact with the ceremonies. Ritual activities if carried out ground where the Sanghyang procession takes based on sincerity, will emerge a creativity place. The tighter the wooden wheel is moved that has a quality that can not only be assessed or pushed, the louder the sound of the grodog from the material aspect, but more on inner will be. The ceremony or what is often called satisfaction. This shows that, in the ritual of Aci Sanghyang Grodog is a sacred cultural art the Sanghyang ceremony it is not only a place performance and is carried out every time of for the overflowing of ritual expressions, but the Tilem Sasih Karo ceremony. Aci when viewed as a whole, the 23 existing Sanghyang Grodog does not stop just in the Sanghyang performances lead to the form of dance, that is dancing the properties realization of artistic expressions and of Sanghyang, but is more of a perfect blend instincts, and this is expected to motivate the of gending rhythm (singing, audio, sound), preservation of the values of art morality and visual (form, design, visual) and kinetic peace of mind. based on aspects of truth in movements dancing properties. religious rituals. Sanghyang Grodog is performed every The concept of Satyam (truth) which two years with the function of neutralizing binds the ritual activities of Sanghyang 43

Sêmbadra, Vol. 3, No. 1, April 2021 Grodog is basically a medium to direct classifications shown, which are outlined in people's views and actions, so that they are appearances, performances, as the final relevant to the context of truth in Hinduism. practice of an art and cultural construction Elements of beauty, art, splendor, process, as a medium that summarizes and entertainment and other things that tend to be provides a presentation of the truth values summarized in these rituals arouse the spirit contained therein. The ancestors who and give suggestions to the people or society designed this Ritual had thought about and to act in accordance with the values of truth in realized the value of truth, itself in a real Hinduism as moral guidance. realization of being religious and artistic in The disclosure of the value of truth in this social life. Likewise, ritual actors, the context can generally be seen in an effort to community, and the audience can guess and deepen and explain the sentialism of the analyze the content of truth values, if there is thoughts of traditional leaders and an art object that practices directly to convey stakeholders in a ritual procession design that the message of truth. The truth that has been lasts 11 days devoting all their ideas and stated in a ritual is intended as an expression knowledge about all understandings of the of gratitude and in the form of a sincere holy truth, which are related to the number of offering to the Creator in the hope of asking Sanghyang that will be carried out. When for the peace of the people and keeping examined in depth on this ritual, many human life from all dangers. teachings of truth can be found which can be used as a basis and guide in carrying out the The Concept of Chastity (Shiwam) wheel of life's reality. The concept of truth in the Sanghyang Grodog Ritual that has been revealed in this ritual when its Bali is a very beautiful island, given the meaning is absorbed is, on the one hand, as an name of the Island of the Gods, the Island of effort to conserve nature and its contents, and Heaven, this is a gift for God's creation, a this has a positive effect on people's lives. In tremendous gift to the Hindu community in accordance with the function of the Bali. Gratitude for what God has given to his Sanghyang Grodog Ritual, namely as a people for this gift makes the people carry out gratitude for the offerings of the people, a the offering ceremony for this gratitude with ritual to repel reinforcements and ask for various religious ceremonies, including the balance and harmony in nature for human reality of art being presented as offerings to survival. The concept of truth in a ritual God. All types of religious and artistic provides the strength to make adjustments and activities aimed at symbolism of offering to survive changes in human civilization, God are categorized as sacred arts, and the including the art civilization that is being hit Sanghyang Grodog Ritual with 23 Sanghyang by the rapid advancement of science and is one of them. technology today. For example, the The Sanghyang Grodog ritual is a form Sanghyang sampat procession (property in the of religious ceremony and is also a ceremony form of a broom) is the first time it is carried that is closely related to the offering of art to out, this means that everything before the God. In Bali, this ritual is generally the ceremony is carried out first cleansing either implementation of a ceremony in the form of on a regular basis and in no time, or Yadnya, which comes from the Sanskrit physically and mentally, buana alit and bana language which means sacrifice of worship, agung, with The goal is that when it is clean Yadnya means sacred worship or anything in body and mind, the ritual implementation related to the existence of a sacrifice or will definitely be given a smooth running offering which is based on the sincerity and process until the end. purity of the hearts of the people with full The concept of truth (Satyam) in the devotional awareness. In carrying out the Sanghyang Grodog ritual, can be found in the service, there will be an offering in the form live performances of each of the Sanghyang of ‘banten’ as the medium of the ceremony.

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All the instruments of ceremonial equipment beauty that is created in this Sanghyang that will be used for offerings are sacred and Grodog Ritual rated not only from an will then be purified again when they are used aesthetic standpoint externally, but must be in ritual ceremonies. seen also from the internal aesthetics or All of the ceremonial equipments such as content, that there is a message of kindness cloths, fruits, eggs, coconut leaves, bamboo and content of the implied meaning in it. and so on, must be genuine or unspoiled, such Performing arts that always exist in a as freshly picked banana or flowers that are religious ritual in Bali is full of magical kept clean and pure. Every Sanghyang elements and serves as a complement, even procession will begin with a mepprayascita sometimes become essential or major in ceremony, or a ceremony to purify the religious rituals tied to certain symbols makes Sanghyang equipment or gegulak and the reality of art in Bali has a very important property, offerings, and the community of function of sanctity. The symbols in the ritual actors, all through a procession of cleansing contain religious elements, either in the form ceremonies physically and mentally, to purify of an offering, solicitation or an ngkapan the mind, soul and release worldly thanks and gratitude from the people to God. defilements. In connection with this, various uniqueness The community and art actors in and beauty were born for rituals and Lembongan Village strongly believe that, the performing arts activities in Bali. implementation of this ritual, with 23 This reality than raises various views Sanghyang art activities aimed at Ida Sang that show the intimate relationship between Hyang Wasa, God Almighty, will reward art construction and Hinduism in Bali. These them with goodness in their lives. Community views, of course, provide reinforcement of the service in carrying out this ritual as an effort appearance of a real implementation of Hindu of gratitude and holy offerings will provide aesthetic constructs in art life in Bali. Related positive benefits in life. The concept of to the ties between the embodiment of art and Shiwam aesthetics or purity is very visible in Hinduism in Bali, it can be seen that art and the implementation of the Sanghyang Grodog Hinduism in Bali are two elements that cannot Ritual. be separated, and complement each other in Sanghyang Grodog ritual as a medium of Bhakti activities or worship of Ida Sang religious ritual which is bound by certain Hyang Widhi Wasa. Hinduism in Bali sanghyang properties symbols such gegulak, provides space and an open container for all Sanghyang Sampat sapu, Sanghyang Jaran, the elements of art, to realize its role as a form Sanghyang Bunga, Sanghyang enjo-enjo, of symbolism Hindu ideology embraced by Sanghyang Giling-milling, Sanghyang Kelor manners or Balinese. This statement is etc made the performance art in Bali brings reinforced by the opinion of Mantra (1989: 2) the important function of holiness i.e. a in Morawati (2012: 1) which assumes that the symbolistic form that based on religious thick content of rational, ritual, emotional, elements; as a prayer of gratitude to God. And and belief elements contained in Hinduism the most important thing is in this ritual there tends to position art as a ritual drama and are no dancers and performances who are in means to strengthen beliefs and formulate trance process. religious conceptions in people's lives. Given The gegulak dancers (Property this position certainly arts as a vital element, Sanghyang) dance by pushing a tool which contributes as an aesthetic based media containing a wheel towards the front, and in an effort to facilitate the understanding of turning back, repeatedly. Sound arising from the people to understand the meaning and the spinning wheel was the origin of the name function of all hidden in the diversity of Sanghyang Grodogm because the wheels symbolic elements in Hinduism (Danu Tirta sound grogdog-grodog. The uniqueness and 2019: 90). A good life for humans is to 45

Sêmbadra, Vol. 3, No. 1, April 2021 maintain self-purity, both in thought, word over with the property. The Sanghyang and deed and to remain firm in self-control. dancers will tune gegulak back and forth in the middle of Catus Pata, shouting with great The Concept of Beauty joy, as a form of gratitude for God's grace to (Sundharam) in the Sanghyang his people so far, and asking to always be Grodog Ritual kept away from misery. The attraction and charm of Balinese Sanghyang enjo enjo will continue to be culture as a creation and a gift given by God danced around alternately by the public (Ida Sang Hyang Wdhi) to Hindus in Bali, Pengayah until time expires. The procession give Hindus people in Bali a spiritual closed with a cover by Seka gending and encouragement to giving back the sincerity of performed ceremonial procession with God through prayer and religious ceremonies offerings that cover has been prepared. The to the Sang Hyang Wdhi. beauty of Balinese culture, the beauty in Hindus have an aesthetic view that is performing rituals through the Sanghyang art bound by divine spiritual values declaring that that is displayed is a gift from God to the God is the Most Beautiful and the source of people, guiding the people towards goodness all beauty and believe that everything is the and peace. artistic worth of God's creation. The concept of beauty (sundaram) is found in many religious and artistic activities and it can be seen how Hindus use aesthetic values to create and achieve a peaceful life. In working out the sense, when there is a presentation on the work of Balinese art, which supports the activities of the ritual, whether art, performance art, or other artistic works, it will Picture 1. Sanghyang Sampat be reflected in a slick aesthetic values which are symbolic and philosophical, aesthetic values Hinduism animates the form, content and layout of the presentation of Balinese art works. Beautiful human life manifested by deepening gratitude for all the grace of God worship (Brahma), and make all the activities of life as an offering and yadnya sincere to God through the universe and its contents. In the Sanghyang Grodog ritual, the ritual offerings gegulak with Sanghyang property is Picture 2. Sanghyang Grodog (boat) offered, its mass-enjo enjo, Sanghyang tangible that human males with the shape of the genitals highlighted. This is philosophically defined as the seed of fertility in human life. Sanghyang is celebrated with cleansing as the initial process, meprayascita and followed by giving offerings accompanied by a priest. As the ceremony Picture 3. Sanghyang Penyalin progresses, the song Sanghyang will be performed by the mothers who are in charge CONCLUSION of performing the song. The chanting was Esetika Hindu concept that builds the repeated continuously and Sanghyang would reality of life in Bali namely art, Satyam be danced as soon as the praying process was (truth), Siwam (purity) and Sundaram

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(beauty). The concept of Satyam (truth) in Soedarsono R.M. 2003. Seni Pertunjukan ritual reality, covers the truth in terms of the Indonesia Dari Perspektif Politik, Sosial, rules for performing the Sanghyang Grodog dan Ekonomi. ritual, and its relation to the ritual art of the . 2002. Seni Pertunjukan di Era sanghyang, which is ultimately contained in a Globalisasi. Yogyakarta: Gajah Mada performance or the final result of the ritual. University Press. This is mostly positioned as a form of Satyam (holiness), which is realized through ritual Sugiyono. 2009. Metode Penelitian offerings and sincerely to God as a holy Kuantitatif, Kualitatifdan R&D, offering, and will foster happiness, Bandung: Alfabeta. satisfaction and human inner peace. The Triguna, Ida Bagus Yudha. 2000. Teori living conditions of these people will bring Tentang Simbol. Denpasar: Widya humanity towards the ultimate goal of Hindu Dharma. life that is Moksartham jagadhita yes Caithi Dharma ", which means well-being born and , Ida Bagus Yudha. 2003. Estetika inner perfection. Hindu Dan Pembangunan Bali. Denpasar: Widya Dharma. REFERENCES Wicaksana, I Dewa Ketut. 2018. Danu Tirta, I Made. 2019. Konstruk Estetika “Implementasi Estetika Hindu Dharma Hindu dalam Realitas Seni di Bali. Jurnal Pawayangan oleh Dalang Kulit Pangkaja Pascasarjana Institut Hindu di Bali.” Desertasi. Dharma Negeri Denpasar. Vol. 22. No. 1. Yudabakti, I Made, Watra, I Wayan. 2007. Darmayasa. 2018. Bhagavad Gita. Denpasar: Filsafat Seni Sakral Dalam Kebudayaan Yayasan Dharma Sthapanam. Bali. Surabaya: Paramita. Dharsono. 2007. Kritik Seni. Bandung: Rekayasa Sains. Dibia, I Wayan. 1999. Seni Diantara Tradisi dan Moderenisasi. Denpasar: Institut Seni Indonesia. Djelantik, A.A.M. 2004. Estetika Sebuah Pengantar. Bandung: Masyarakat Seni Pertunjukan Indonesia Bekerjasama dengan Arti. Hadi, Y Sumandio. 2006. Seni Dalam Ritual Agama. Yogyakarta: Pustaka. Latra, I Made. 2003. Estetika Kakawin Ekadauauiwa. MUDRA XXII (1): 91- 101. Morawati, Ni Luh Ayu. 2012. “Pementasan Tantri Sebagai Media Komunikasi Budaya Di Banjar Babakan Desa Sukawati Kecamatan Sukawati Kabupaten Gianyar.” Skripsi. Insitut Hindu Dharma Negeri Denpasar, Denpasar.

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