Klakat : The Art of Processing Bamboo as a Means of Yadnya Ceremony in Bali
Hinduism in Bali is known as a religion that has many ceremonies. The existence of ceremonies in Bali, of course, cannot be separated from the presence of cultural arts and ceremonial facilities, and one of them is Klakat. Klakat is one of the religious ceremonies for Hindus in Bali which is made from woven bamboo worms.
Klakat is a unit of several strands of bamboo which are made for the implementation of Balinese Hindu ceremonies. Klakat which is made from woven bamboo in this way, consists of several types and has many benefits in Hindu ceremonies.
In general, klakat is categorized into 3, namely: Klakat Agung, Klakat Sudhamala Lanang, Klakat Sudhamala Istri. We can classify this klakat as a means of upakara which is commonly referred to as a means of uparengga.
Klakat Agung (Source : Editorial Collection)
The shape of this klakat is rectangular (square). However, each klakat has a more specific shape. In the Klakat Agung, on the inside there are 25 holes which are rectangular in shape and also the size of the Klakat Agung is the largest compared to Klakat Sudhamala Lanang and Istri. For the Sudhamala Lanang Klakat, in the center hole there is a cross symbolizing the swastika which means the 4 omnipotences of Sanghyang Widhi Wasa which are called cadhu sakti. Then the shape of Klakat Sudhamala Istri in the middle is in the form of 8 corners/octagons which means the 8 glories of Sanghyang Widhi Wasa who are called asta aiswirya. The size of the bamboo used to make Klakat Sudhamala is 10 to 15 cm and uses tiying kuning (old and yellow bamboo).
Klakat Sudhamala Lanang dan Klakat Sudhamala Istri (Source : Editorial Collection)
This klakat functions as local wisdom of the Balinese people which has been passed down from generation to generation by the ancestors of the Balinese people. Klakat Agung and Klakat Sudhamala have different ceremonial functions. The great klakat serves as the base for the Upakara Caru or for the Bhuta Yadnya Ceremony. Meanwhile, Klakat Sudhamala Lanang and Wife functions as a complementary means to the God-Goddess Ceremony (Siwagotra-Siwagotri) which is placed in the Sanggar Agung. Apart from that, Klakat Sudhamala is also used as a complement to the Nyekah Neseng/Pitra Yadnya ceremony.
