A grand ceremony best told in pictures in enchanting Ubud.The quiet of the day was interrupted by Gamelan, Gongs, caused by a huge procession featuring 10,000 participants, and 300,000 onlookers, Naga Banda (Dragon), two bulls, and two 28-metre-tall towers reaching to the heavens.
Representatives from the Royal houses of Solo, Irian Jaya, and others , accompanied 60pendada (high priests), in paying their last respects to Tjokorda Gede Agung Suyusa, eldest son of the 10th child of the last King of Ubud ( Tjokorda Gde Sukawati), who contributed generously to temples in Bali; his nephew , Tjokorda Gede Raka, his aunt Desa, Raka, and 68 other, souls. These were two separate ceremonies which I will unveil in separate postings.
Tjokorda Agung Suyasa was Penglingsir Puri Ubud, or "king", who refused to be crowned. He passed away March 28th 2008, of cancer, survived by 2 wives, 6 children 12 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.
Tjokorda Gede Raka, actually passed on on 21st March 2008, a week before. He retired as senior officer in the Bali Regional Police Department in Denpasar in 1992.
Desak Raka was the first wife of the late Tjokorda Raka.
This is surely one of the grandest events ever in al Bali, and I was privileged to be there as photographer.
The previous cremation occurred in 1978 for Tjokorda Gede Sukawati, and on July 24th, 2004, for Muter, sister of Tjokorda Gede Sukawati.
But this in July 15th 2008 was surely one of the largest and spectacular events ever.
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