Ngaben is a way of cremating human body in funeral ceremony for Balinese Hinduism. So Ngaben should not be a tourism object or a comodity for tourism, actually. Because, as a funeral ceremony, it is not worth of becoming it as a performance at all. We don't want to pray to the God so that there are many people die, and we can offer this package to you !

The philosophy
Ngaben is not identic with cremation. We can not explain it exactly to you, but you can the following story for more information. Ngaben has a wider and complicated understanding than just cremating a human body. Beginning with a belief of Hindu the five basic elements which compose anything in the universe. The five unit elements is called Panca Maha Buta which consists of soil, water, ether, wind and fire. And a human body is composed by these elements. At the end of a human life, his body should be extracted so every element could back to its original source as soon as possible. Spiritually this process, which is known as Ngaben or cremation, is intented to support the soul of the died man in getting paradise. And that is another belief behind this process. When the process of firing the body in the cemetery finished, the dust as the result of cremation will be taken and bring to the sea and blow it out there. This is a symbolic of unifiying the creation (human, the dust) and his Creator (the God, the sea). Some parts of the dust will bring back to home and put in the family temple. When the process of making the soul of the died body holy, all the process of Ngaben will complete. After that, all his anchestors will owrship to the holy soul for safety, walfare, and happiness. So the belief continue, and the family does not loose one or more of their members because of death. They still live together, but at different place and dimension. Some time this will take more than a day, usually 12 days.
From this very very very short story you know that cremation, or firing the body in the cemetery, is not the point or the most important thing or the only one process in Ngaben ceremony. It's just a part of a number of processes.

Cremating the Body
This process will be done in a local cemetery. The process begin with putting the body on a wooden sarcophagus, then bring it and put it down on a 'bade' (a high special artistic tower for this occasion). The bade is very weight and made from bamboo, wood and paper. The bade containing sarcophagus (and the body inside) then are carried out by hundreds of villagers and its family to the cemetery. This procession is very attractive and fascinating. At every cross road they breakthrough the bade will be rotated three times before keeping on the cemetery. Sometime when the bade is rotating some people will go down to the river (if any) and wash the bade with water of the river. Reaching the cemetery, again the bade will be rotated three time before putting it down and getting the sarcophagus down from the bade. After being worship to the God, a priest will lead the cremation process. And the time is coming, the bade and the body is fired to complete the ceremony ....

Your Attitude
The people around you are most villagers. Please try to honor the died man (who are being cremated) and be nice with the people. They like visitors with familiar attitude. Usually anyone can take pictures at the ceremony. But you someone doesn't permit, please obey him.

Rate
Rate for this tour package is relative. The rate you pay to us is to pay transpotation, guide and driver we supply to you. No enterance fee for anything. Always use our inquiry form to check the availibility of this package before booking it.

Note
This is a special and accidential event tour. There is no schedule for this condition. If you are interesting in this tour, please contact our tour operator for more information and availibility check. This tour will spend about 5 hours of your time.

Fare includes
- Air conditioned transport
- English spekaing guide
- A professional driver
- Soft drinks