Bali is a fascinating place to live and to visit. Beyond the beaches, natural beauty and many physical things lies the meaning of every ‘manifest’. Manifested world is just like the tip of the iceberg of the invisible universe. Reasons and purpose of manifestations are hidden. Meaning of life is gradually unfolded with the understanding of each layer beneath. In Bali, Niskal and Sekala are the essence of these layers of life. What is seen is Sekala, it is a colourful world of festivity, rituals, dance, and drama, painting, praying, rules of living and what one does not see is Niskala; it is the set of guidelines underlying the manifested world. Sekala and Niskala are ways of saying “the seen and the unseen,” the outward appearances of things and all the symbolic or mystical or ritual meanings of all the things. What makes Bali the most mesmerising place is the Niskala of Sekala. The central idea of Sekala and Niskala is to attribute equal respect to what is seen and not seen; which is the basis of the spiritual side of Bali.
Though every act of Balinese Hindu is the representation of Sekala and Niskala, there are some of the revelries which form the core of this philosophy. Eka Dasa Rudra is one such festival of Bali. It is a monumental and highly sacred ceremony held every 100 years to acknowledge the spirit of Rudra. Eka Dadsa Rudra means ‘11 Rudras’, to express the omnipresence of the God of danger and wildness. The ceremony must take place in a year with two zeros. The last record of Eka Dasa Rudra being held was on March 28, 1979, Saka year 1900. In the trio Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh, ‘Mahesh’- Shiva is for destruction. In the cycles of growth, Shiva ensures that the world will come to an end if something goes wrong. Nothing lasts forever. To give way to the new, the old must go. But man wants to hold the existing, there is always the fear of destruction. Eka Dasa Rudra is all about this fear and much more. The feeling of love, fear, devotion, belief, and everything that is ‘life’ is about Eka Dasa Rudra celebration.
Sekala & Niskala explore both tangibles and intangibles in the realm of Balinese religion, ritual, and performing arts through the event of Eka Dasa Rudra. Seen (Sekala) and the unseen (Niskala) elements of Bali’s cultural life are so well demonstrated here. Spirituality imbues every aspect of life of Bali and is manifested through Eka Dasa Rudra festival when the entire Bali and every Hindu’s heart becomes a temple.
