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Pelebon Ceremony ANAK AGUNG NIANG RAI
(Puri Agung Ubud - August 18th, 2011)

On Thursday, the 18th of August 2011, will be held the Pelebon ceremony of Anak Agung Niang Rai of Puri Agung Ubud. She is the wife of Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati (1910-1978), penglingsir (head of royal family) of Puri Agung Ubud since 1931 until 1978 and widely known as "the King of Ubud".

Anak Agung Niang Rai is also the mother of Tjokorda Gde Putra Sukawati (Tjok Putra), Tjokorda Gde Oka AA Sukawati (Tjok Ace) and Tjokorda Gde Raka Sukawati (Tjok De). She also has five grandsons from these three sons.

Anak Agung Niang Rai was born in Bungbungan village, a village located in Klungkung regency of Bali around 1930. She married Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati of Puri Agung Ubud in January 1955.

Anak Agung Niang Rai then lived in Puri Agung Ubud and always accompanied her husband in serving the community. Tjokorda Agung was one of the most important figures in the history of Ubud. During his throne at Puri Agung Ubud, he pioneered the development of Ubud and it has made Ubud eventually became widely known as one of the art-cultural centers and a leading tourist area in Bali.

Anak Agung Niang Rai passed away at her age of 80s on Saturday the 14th of May 2011 (based on the Balinese calendar, the days was Saniscara Paing Wuku Ukir) at 8:15am. Her body then being lied down at Puri Agung Ubud. The Pelebon ceremony will be held on Thursday the 18th of August 2011 (Wraspati Pon Wuku Krulut). Thursday the 18th of August 2011 (Wraspati Pon Wuku Krulut).

The Pelebon ceremony or also known as a Ngaben (cremation) ceremony is one of the most famous Hindu-Balinese traditional-religious ceremonies. This ceremony is a form of respect from the families and local communities to Anak Agung Niang Rai.

Even though the ceremony is a cremation for the dead, but the atmosphere is always alive. Besides being a religious ceremony, the Pelebon ceremony also has become one of the most famous tourist attractions in Bali.

Pelebon ceremony is a ceremony to purify and return the elements of Panca Maha Butha (five elements of the universe that form the life) in human body (Bhuana Alit, the micro-cosmos) to the universe (Bhuana Agung, the macro-cosmos). The elements of Panca Maha Butha in the human body are:

- Pertiwi (the earth, solid matters): like the flesh, bones and teeth.
- Apah (the water): like the blood, tears, saliva and mucus.
- Teja (the light): like the aura and the light of eyes.
- Bayu (the air, the wind): like breathe and energy.
- Akasa (the space): the abstract elements (the ether) in human body

Pelebon ceremony is a Hindu-Balinese traditional-religious ceremony which had been held since centuries ago and still survived until now in the midst of changing times. In this ceremony we also can see the togetherness among the Puri Agung Ubud and the community, and among community members.

The body will depart the Puri Agung Ubud at around 12:30 pm. The body will be taken by a Bade (a cremation tower) with nine storeys and it is as high as 25 meters, accompanied by a 7.5 meters-high Lembu (a giant sarcophagus bull) and others Pelebon ceremony paraphernalia into the cremation location at the Dalem Puri Temple in Peliatan which is about 900 meters to the east of Puri Agung Ubud. The procession of this cremation ceremony is expected to finish at around 5 pm.

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