A cornerstone of Balinese Hinduism is the belief in the cycle of life, reincarnation. The rites of passage that go along with this cycle from birth to death include oton - the birth date according to the Balinese calendar, which occurs every 210 days.
The most celebrate are the first and third birthdays, followed by a tooth-filing ceremony during late teenage years. Death is celebrate through cremation, as the soul is released from its earthly existence in what is usually an elaborate procession involving the entire community.
Ngaben in Hindu Bali means the separation of the soul from the body, which can only be achieved through cremation. The death ceremony is a festive affair, a celebration of the return of the body to the five elements that make up life : earth, water,fire, air, ether.
As the Balinese believe in Hindu reincarnation the ritual is not a sad one; families celebrate the individual's passage through the life cycles, which ultimately results in moksha, or the final rest.
The date of cremation needs to be ascertained by the priest to ensure it's a good day to return the souls of loved ones home (dewasa luwung). Coffins in the shape of buffalo or temple structure made of paper and light wood is carried in a procession to the place where fire from holy source is used to send the deceased to the afterlife. The ashes are then carried o the ocean by the family.
