Rerajahan: Balinese Sacred Drawing
Rerajahan: Balinese Sacred Drawing
by Sidarta Wijaya
Religious symbols, icons, or signs can be found in surprisingly numerous numbers in Bali. Surprisingly? Since they are perfectly interwoven in everyday Balinese life, one hardly realizes their existence. Some religious symbol can easily be recognized, for example Rerajahan. Rerajahan is the most obvious and easily recognized Balinese religious symbol.
What is rerajahan?
Rerajahan is a drawing of sacred characters or images on a piece of cloth, metal plate, pottery, leaf, fruit, wood, weapon, basket or skin. The drawing of the rerajahan can be categorized into 11 groups: 1.Drawing of holy characters (vijaksara) or short incantation 2. Drawing of sun, star or moon combines with holy characters 3. Drawing of flower, especially lotus flower with holy characters on its petals 4. Drawing of animals such as tiger, crocodile, lion, snake or dragon 5. Drawing of human or part of human body 6. Drawing of distorted human body such as human with animal head, animal with human head, or human without head 7. Drawing of gods and goddesses, with their weapons and vehicles. 8. Drawing of distorted gods or goddesses or in their angry personifications. 9. Drawing of gods’ weapons combines with holy characters. 10. Drawing of demons, spirit or strange creatures; sometimes equipped with their weapons. 11. Drawing of sacred buildings
Various Purpose
Rerajahan serves various purposes range from inviting the gods to descend to mortal world to harming or killing the enemy. Basically, the functions of rerajahan can be categorized as follow
1. to get protection and magical power from the god that is drawn in the rerajahan for example the power to prevent rain
2. to purify the body and soul
3. to enhance the spiritual power of someone or something
4. to get a unique talent or power, for example ability to run fast or can not be seen
5. to get sympathy or admiration from other
6. to drive away
by Sidarta Wijaya
Religious symbols, icons, or signs can be found in surprisingly numerous numbers in Bali. Surprisingly? Since they are perfectly interwoven in everyday Balinese life, one hardly realizes their existence. Some religious symbol can easily be recognized, for example Rerajahan. Rerajahan is the most obvious and easily recognized Balinese religious symbol.
What is rerajahan?
Rerajahan is a drawing of sacred characters or images on a piece of cloth, metal plate, pottery, leaf, fruit, wood, weapon, basket or skin. The drawing of the rerajahan can be categorized into 11 groups: 1.Drawing of holy characters (vijaksara) or short incantation 2. Drawing of sun, star or moon combines with holy characters 3. Drawing of flower, especially lotus flower with holy characters on its petals 4. Drawing of animals such as tiger, crocodile, lion, snake or dragon 5. Drawing of human or part of human body 6. Drawing of distorted human body such as human with animal head, animal with human head, or human without head 7. Drawing of gods and goddesses, with their weapons and vehicles. 8. Drawing of distorted gods or goddesses or in their angry personifications. 9. Drawing of gods’ weapons combines with holy characters. 10. Drawing of demons, spirit or strange creatures; sometimes equipped with their weapons. 11. Drawing of sacred buildings
Various Purpose
Rerajahan serves various purposes range from inviting the gods to descend to mortal world to harming or killing the enemy. Basically, the functions of rerajahan can be categorized as follow
1. to get protection and magical power from the god that is drawn in the rerajahan for example the power to prevent rain
2. to purify the body and soul
3. to enhance the spiritual power of someone or something
4. to get a unique talent or power, for example ability to run fast or can not be seen
5. to get sympathy or admiration from other
6. to drive away