SELAMAT HARI RAYA TUMPEK UDUH
On Saturday (March, 20th 2021) a very special festival will be celebrated on my beloved island of Bali, it is called "Tumpek Uduh". This ceremony is particularly close to my heart because it is about the worship of plants and trees! One of the concepts in the Balinese Hindu religion is to keep nature in balance. And so in Balinese culture there are also ceremonies for all kinds of plants. Tumpek Uduh primarily refers to trees that allow fruits and flowers to flourish for offerings. The purpose of this ceremony is to respect the trees and plants. According to Hindu philosophy, plants are brothers and sisters of humans and are treated as humans. So there is a ceremony when the trees are seedlings, when they are planted, and when they are felled. Each tree receives a sacrifice, and the Balinese pray that the tree will have a healthy and fertile life. They pray that the plant would get enough water from divine nature to grow. The rain also provides coolness in this tropical country. Mother earth should give the plants all the nutrients they need for growth. In a certain sense it is a prayer for prosperity, but also a thanksgiving at the same time. They thank God (Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa) that he created these plants, the water and the earth for them. The plants or trees are also a manifestation of God. I am just thinking of my beloved Guruji Osho, who always emphasized that we are all part of the whole, whether the smallest blade of grass or the brightest star ... we are Buddha-Nature!
Coconut palms are especially venerated on this day, because they give coconuts and the extremely important palm leaves that are needed to weave the offerings. In the south of the island, coconut palms are therefore all wrapped in a sacred black and white cloth (poleng). At Tumpek Uduh, households bless their gardens, farms and plantations for a successful harvest, also in the run-up to the Galungan celebrations 25 days later, for which so many fruits, flowers and palm leaves are needed for temple offerings and decorations.
Thus, Tumpek Uduh has a deep meaning. It teaches humanity to be grateful for the harmony that helps people live in the natural world of life. Tumpek Uduh teaches to respect and appreciate the earth and everything on it, especially the plants that are present. There is a sign and a deep meaning so that man will always love the nature and the environment that helped sustain his life. People and the environment cannot be separated and always depend on each other.
Selamat Hari Raya Tumpek Uduh!
With love and gratitude, Nisarga🙏
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