Balinese Birth to Death - A Journey Through the Rites of Passage

To be born in Bali is to be born into ritual.

Before a Balinese child even learns to speak, they are already part of a living rhythm of ceremonies—rites of passage that guide the soul from one life stage to the next. Each transition is marked not only by family celebration, but by sacred connection to ancestors, gods, and the land itself.

In the Balinese worldview, life is not a straight line—it is a circle. A returning. A remembering.

And that circle begins the moment breath enters the body, and continues long after the final breath leaves.

Birth – The Arrival of a Soul

The first rite in a Balinese life is not the act of being born—but the arrival of a soul into the physical realm. In Balinese Hindu belief, a newborn baby is a reincarnated spirit, often of a family ancestor, returning once more to the cycle of life.

The child is seen as sacred, not quite of this earth yet.

For the first 105 days, the baby is considered to still belong to the spiritual world. During this time:

• The baby is not allowed to touch the ground, symbolizing its connection to the divine

• Daily offerings and prayers are made for protection

• The family observes special taboos to keep the baby’s soul undisturbed

This period culminates in a ceremony called Nyambutin (or Nyabutan), when the baby is ceremonially introduced to the earth for the first time.

It’s not a moment of letting go—but a welcoming, a grounding of spirit into soil.

Otonan – Marking the First Birthday

In Bali, a person’s birthday is not based on the Gregorian calendar. Instead, it follows the Pawukon system, a 210-day cycle used in the traditional Balinese calendar.

When a child completes 210 days of life, they undergo the Otonan ceremony, which:

• Celebrates their survival and growth

• Acknowledges their karmic journey

• Invites blessings for the future

It’s a day filled with offerings, prayers, and family gathering, where the child is dressed in ceremonial clothes and honored with mantras from a priest.

Otonan repeats every 210 days for life—reminding each person that their existence is not just biological, but spiritual.

Tiga Bulanan – The Three-Month Rite

Around three months after birth, another ceremony, Tiga Bulanan, takes place. This ritual serves as:

• A purification for both baby and parents

• A strengthening of the baby’s spirit

• A step deeper into earthly life

Offerings include flowers, fruit, betel leaves, and holy water, and the child is often carried in a circle to honor the four cardinal directions, each representing divine guardians.

Tiga Bulanan is a symbolic transition from spiritual visitor to earthly resident—a gentle landing of the soul into form.

Tooth-Filing – Manhood, Womanhood, and the Control of Passion

One of the most visually striking ceremonies in Balinese life is the Metatah or Mapandes—the tooth-filing ritual.

This is not cosmetic. It is deeply symbolic.

In adolescence, Balinese boys and girls undergo a ceremony in which the upper six front teeth are gently filed. These teeth represent:

• Desire (kama)

• Greed (lobha)

• Anger (krodha)

• Confusion (moha)

• Pride (mada)

• Jealousy (matsarya)

Filing them down is a way to tame the lower nature, marking the spiritual maturity of the individual.

It’s a profound moment—often emotional—where the person is surrounded by family, dressed in ceremonial white and gold, and held in a state of blessing and transformation.

Marriage – Union as Sacred Duty

Marriage in Bali is not merely a contract between two people. It is a cosmic union, witnessed by family, ancestors, and the gods.

There are several types of marriage ceremonies in Balinese tradition, but the most common includes:

• Mekala-kalaan: the purification of the couple

• Mewidhi Widana: the central religious ceremony conducted by a high priest

• Ngerorod: a symbolic “kidnapping” ceremony still performed in traditional villages

Marriage is seen as a dharma—a sacred duty—through which life is continued and balance is maintained.

Even the wedding procession, filled with music, umbrellas, and ceremonial parasols, is not a party. It is a walking prayer.

Death – The Greatest Transition

In the Balinese worldview, death is not the end.

It is simply the moment when the soul leaves the body to continue its journey. But it must be done properly—because if not, the soul may remain trapped between worlds.

The most elaborate and significant rite in Balinese life is the Ngaben, or cremation ceremony.

This rite involves:

• Creating a tower-shaped sarcophagus (bade)

• Placing the deceased within it, with sacred items and offerings

• A public procession through the village, often with music and dance

• The ritual burning of the body, releasing the soul back to the divine source

Ngaben is not somber. It is celebratory, emotional, and powerful. It’s a final act of love from the family to help the soul move on with lightness and peace.

And for those who cannot afford a private Ngaben, mass cremations (Ngaben Massal) are held, proving that no soul is left behind in Balinese culture.

Memorials and Ancestor Worship

Even after death, the connection to the deceased continues.

Balinese families honor their ancestors through:

• Piodalan: temple anniversaries

• Galungan and Kuningan: major ceremonies that welcome ancestral spirits home

• Shrines in the family compound, where daily offerings are made

In this way, the dead are not gone—they are present, guiding, watching, remembered.

A child may be named after a grandparent. A dream may bring a message from a deceased relative. The boundary between worlds is thin, and life continues in multiple realms.

A Life of Ritual – A Community of Spirit

What makes these rites of passage in Bali so powerful is that they are never done alone.

From birth to death, the individual is surrounded by:

• Family

• Priests and healers

• Neighbors and community

• Nature and ancestors

The entire village may participate. Children grow up seeing ritual not as an event—but as daily life.

Even the youngest child learns to fold canang sari, sprinkle tirta, and sit quietly in temple ceremonies. It becomes part of their inner architecture.

A Personal Reflection – Witnessing the Cycle

I once attended a Ngaben in a small village outside Ubud. I didn’t know the family, but I was welcomed with flowers and tea, like a long-lost cousin.

I watched as men carried the tall tower through the streets, laughing and sweating. I heard the haunting notes of gamelan, felt the vibration of chants, saw fire and tears and smiles all at once.

And I realized—this was not mourning.
This was completion.
This was the other side of birth.

It was sacred. Messy. Profound.

And it changed how I understood what it means to live.

From Dust to Dewata

In Bali, life is not owned.
It is entrusted, guided, and eventually returned.

Every soul enters and exits through ceremony—a dance between the seen and unseen, between body and spirit.

From the gentle placing of a baby on the earth to the majestic flames of a cremation tower, Balinese rites of passage remind us that we are not alone, and we are never separate from the divine.

So the next time you see a ceremony in Bali, don’t just take a photo.
Stand still.
Feel the rhythm.
You may just catch a glimpse of eternity in motion.