There are many festivals in Bali as well as holidays and other celebrations. But it is hard to keep track of them because they are calculated according to one of the island’s two calendars rather than the Gregorian Calendar. So they fall on a different day each year. Among the most interesting are the Tumpek days, which take place every 35 days, when the fifth day of the Pawukon Calendar coincides with a Saturday on the Gregorian Calendar.
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Religious Festivals in Bali
There are many festivals in Bali. And religious celebrations are the most numerous. While Indonesia is a predominately Muslim country, Bali is predominately Hindu. Not surprisingly, Hindu festivals are the most common cultural events in Bali.
In fact, Balinese Hinduism permeates daily life in the Island of the Gods. Spiritual practices are an important part of Bali’s cultural heritage. These traditional rituals draw heavily on Hindu mythology in Bali.
Tumpek Festivals in Bali Explained
Tumpek Festivals are among the most important Hindu rituals in Bali. And they are held on six auspicious days on the Balinese Pawukon Calendar.
Unlike the Gregorian Calendar, which has 365 days (or 366 days in leap years), the Pawukon Calendar has 210 days. Therefore, Balinese holidays fall on different days each year.
Tumpek days occur every 35 days. To clarify, they occur when the fifth day of the five-day Balinese week coincides with a Saturday on the Gregorian Calendar. In fact, there are six days in the Tumpek Cycle.
Of the six days, the most important is Tumpek Kuningan, which is the third day in the Tumpek Cycle. And it is usually referred to simply as Kuningan.
In fact, Kuningan is the last day of a 10-day celebration. And it falls on the Saturday following Galungan, which celebrates the victory of Good over Evil. To clarify, Galungan is the most important of the recurring Hindu ceremonies in the Island of the Gods.
The Pawukon Calendar is one of the two traditional calendars in use in Bali. The other is the Saka Calendar, which is a lunar calendar. In other words, it is based on the cycles of the moon.
Unlike the Pawukon Calendar, which has 210 days, the Saka Calendar has 354 or 355 days.
Further complicating things, some holidays are calculated according to the Pawukon Calendar. And others are calculated according to the Saka Calendar. For example, Tumpek days are calculated according the Pawukon Calendar.
But other holidays are calculated according to the Saka Calendar. To clarify, Nyepi, a.k.a. the Balinese Silent Day or Balinese New Year, signifies the start of the Saka year.
Tumpek Festivals in Bali – the Cycle
Please keep in mind that Tumpek days are among the most interesting festivals in Bali. And they fall on different days each year according to the Gregorian Calendar, which is the calendar in universal use around the world. And they often occur twice in the same year. Dates follow each festival day description.
Source: Kalender Bali Digital
Tumpek Landep
On Tumpek Landep, Hindu believers hang handmade offerings from vehicles and other metal objects and pray to the God of Heirlooms to sharpen their minds.
On this day devotees make offerings to objects that are made of metal. In addition to ceremonial objects, the custom extends to modern objects such as mobile phones, computers, automobiles, and bicycles.
On one of my trips to Bali, I was surprised to see employees at my hotel arriving with offerings dangling from the fronts of their cars and motor scooters. When I inquired, an employee told me about Tumpek Landep. Moreover, he accompanied me to a nearby temple that evening, where I was able to observe the tail end of a beautiful ceremony.
Only in Bali!!!
Tumpek Landep is one of the six auspicious days on the Balinese Pawukon Calendar. In fact, it is the first day of the cycle.
These days occur when the fifth day of the five-day Balinese week falls on a Saturday. And this happens every 35 days. In fact, it takes 210 days to complete the cycle. To clarify, the Balinese Pawukon Year has 210 days.
Click here for more information: Tumpek Days Explained>>
Held Across Bali
Tumpek Landep Dates
- 2023 – 3 June; 30 December
- 2024 – 27 July
- 2025 – 22 February; 20 September
- 2026 – 18 April; 14 November
- 2027 – 12 June
Tumpek Uduh
Tumpek Uduh is the second day in the Tumpek cycle. And it is the day the Balinese make offerings to the Food God. On this day, they show respect to trees and other plants.
Tumpek Uduh is one of the six auspicious days on the Balinese Pawukon Calendar. These days occur when the fifth day of the five-day Balinese week falls on a Saturday. And this happens every 35 days. In fact, it takes 210 days to complete the cycle. To clarify, the Balinese Pawukon Year has 210 days.
Click here for more information: Tumpek Days Explained>>
Held Across Bali
Tumpek Uduh Dates
- 2023 – 8 July
- 2024 – 3 February; 31 August
- 2025 – 29 March; 25 October
- 2026 – 23 May; 19 December
- 2027 – 17 July
Galungan and Kuningan
Galungan celebrates the creation of the universe. In addition, it commemorates the victory of good over evil. Moreover, Galungan marks the beginning of the new year according to the Pawukon Calendar. Finally, the festival lasts 10 days, culminating with Kuningan on the final day.
Because the Balinese traditionally used two calendars, you should not confuse Galungan with Nyepi, a.k.a. Silent Day (the Balinese New Year).
While Galungan marks the beginning of the new year according to the Pawukon calendar, Nyepi marks the beginning of the new year according to the Saka Calendar.
The festivities always begin on a Wednesday. And they continue for 10 days. Furthermore, they take place in family compounds. And in Bali, family compounds double as temp[es.
According to tradition, gods come down to earth during this period. In addition, the souls of ancestors pay visits to their families.
If the festivities begin on a Wednesday, the preparations begin two days earlier. On Monday, cakes are prepared. And they will be used as offerings on the following Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the men slaughter pigs to make pork kebabs and blood sausage. Furthermore, men also make “penjor“. To clarify, penjor are beautifully decorated bamboo trunks. And they are mounted on the sides of the roads and in front of houses.
The festivities end 10 days later with Kuningan. This is a celebration of purification. Traditionally, the Balinese believed that their ancestors souls left their family compounds on this day.
Because the Pawukon calendar has only 210 days, Galungan will take place again in 210 days, with Kuningan following in 10 days.
Click here for more information: Tumpek Days Explained>>
Held Across Bali
Galungan and Kuningan Dates
- 2023 – 4 January to 14 January; 1 August to 12 August
- 2024 – 26 February to 9 March ; 23 September to 5 October
- 2025 – 23 April to 3 May; 17 November to 29 November
- 2026 – 15 June to 27 June;
- 2027 – 11 August to 21 August
Tumpek Krulut
Tumpek Krulut is one of the six auspicious days on the Balinese Pawukon Calendar. These days occur when the fifth day of the five-day Balinese week falls on a Saturday. And this happens every 35 days. In fact, it takes 210 days to complete the cycle. To clarify, the Balinese Pawukon Year has 210 days.
Tumpek Krulut is the fourth day in the Tumpek cycle. And it is the day that the Balinese pay respect to musical instruments such as bronze gamelans, masks, and dance costumes. Devotees lay objects in front of a large gong. And they recite prayers, sprinkle holy water, and make small offerings.
BTW, a gamelan is an ensemble of musical instruments played with mallets
Click here for more information: Tumpek Days Explained>>
and a set of drums.
Held Across Bali
Tumpek Krulet Dates
- 2023 – 18 February; 16 September
- 2024 – 13 April; 9 November
- 2025 – 7 June
- 2026 – 3 January; 1 August
- 2027 – 27 February; 25 September
Tumpek Kandang
Tumpek Kandang is one of the six auspicious days on the Balinese Pawukon Calendar. These days occur when the fifth day of the five-day Balinese week falls on a Saturday. And this happens every 35 days. In fact, it takes 210 days to complete the cycle. To clarify, the Balinese Pawukon Year has 210 days.
Tumpek Kandang is the fifth day in the Tumpek cycle. And it is the day that the Balinese express their gratitude for their domestics animals. On this day, animals might receive special foods. Or they might be dressed up in special clothes.
Cows usually receive the greatest attention because of their role in plowing fields. However, dogs, monkeys, elephants, and other animals are also celebrated.
But don’t confuse this as a form of animal worship. Instead, it is done to express their appreciation to the gods for the services that animals provide.
Click here for more information: Tumpek Days Explained>>
Held Across Bali
Tumpek Kandang Dates
- 2023 – 25 March; 21 October
- 2024 – 18 May; 14 December
- 2025 – 12 July
- 2026 – 7 February; 5 September
- 2027 – 3 April; 30 October
Tumpek Wayang
Tumpek Wayang is the sixth day in the Tumpek cycle. And it is the day puppeteers honour the Puppet God. Interestingly, it is considered inauspicious for a baby to be born on this day. When this happens, puppeteers perform a purification ceremony to protect them from harm.
Tumpek Wayang is one of the six auspicious days on the Balinese Pawukon Calendar. These days occur when the fifth day of the five-day Balinese week falls on a Saturday. And this happens every 35 days. In fact, it takes 210 days to complete the cycle. To clarify, the Balinese Pawukon Year has 210 days.
Click here for more information: Tumpek Days Explained>>
Held Across Bali
Tumpek Wayang Dates
- 2023 – 29 April; 25 November
- 2024 – 22 June
- 2025 – 18 January; 16 August
- 2026 – 14 March; 10 October
- 2027 – 8 May; 4 December
Other Hindu Festivals in Bali
Saraswati
On Saraswati, the Balinese pay homage to the goddess of knowledge and books by sprinkling water on images of her and on books. Children are an important part of the festival as they pray and make offerings to her at the temple of their school.
Saraswati Dates
- 20 May 2023
- 16 December 2023
- 13 July 2024
Pagerwesi
Pagerwesi is closely related to Saraswati, which is celebrated four days earlier. And its purpose is to protect the knowledge that was gained on Saraswati in the battle against evil. In fact, it is one of the biggest festivals of the year in Bali. And it is celebrated at night, mostly at home and at the gravesites of deceased family members.
Pagerwesi Dates
- 24 May 2023
- 20 December 2023
- 17 July 2024
Muslim Holidays in Indonesia
Idul Adha – 17 June 2024 (Tentative)
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Idul Adha is a Islamic holiday in Indonesia, which is a predominately Muslim country. While Bali is predominately Hindu, the island has a large Muslim minority.
As with the rest of Indonesia, schools and most businesses on the island are closed.
Idul Adhait falls on the 10th day of the last month on the Islamic Calendar. It is also known as the Day of Sacrifice. Idul Adha is a feast day for Muslims. And many Muslim families sacrifice a sheep, goat or cow on this day. ,
Idul Adha Dates
- 2025 – 7 June
- 2026 – 27 May
- 2027 – 16 May
- 2028 – 4 May
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