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The world where we live in is full of surprises and there are so many
weird things happening around us that we are not even aware of! You
might just freak out to hear that there’s a traditional village in Bali
called Trunyan where the natives do not bury or burn the dead, but leave
them to rot in a bamboo cage under a Taru Menyan tree. They let the
nature consume the body till the skeleton remains. These skeletons and
skulls of the deceased are later placed on a stone altar and one can
only reach the Trunyan Cemetery (special place) on boat. There’s also an
ancient temple in the village which as per historical records dates back
to 10th century and people believe that Trunyan is said to be older than
the temple.
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About Trunyan village
Trunyan is a traditional Balinese village, located on the shore of Lake
Batur and at the foot of Mt. Abang in Indonesia. This culturally
isolated village is primarily inhabited by Bali Aga (mountain Balinese)
people. These people are mostly oblivious of the outer world, more
conservative, and still follow olden Neolithic customs. One of the weird
customs followed by the villagers is that the dead bodies here are not
cremated in conventional manner but are left to decay in a bamboo cage
in open. When there’s any new death, the old bodies are removed and
replaced with the recent ones. The bones of the older bodies are then
taken away and the skull is placed near a Taru Menyan (banyan tree)
which literally means ‘a nice smelling tree’. This tree exudes a
fragrance that cancels the smell of decaying dead bodies.
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Mandates of the funeral rites
Being married is one of the most important criteria that make one
eligible to fall under this tradition. If an unmarried person dies,
he/she is buried! Strange, right? Also, women are not allowed to partake
in the funeral ceremonies, also known as Pengiriman ceremonies. People
also believe that if a woman attends this ceremony, the village will be
destroyed by nature. It could be some volcanic eruption or earthquake or
any such natural disaster that might just end the existence of the
village. However, no one knows who made such rules and since when these
are in existence but people in the village still follow this
religiously.
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Influence of Neolithic Agama Bayu sekt
This practice of leaving the dead bodies under bamboo cage got
inspiration from Neolithic Agama Bayu sekt, which is considered a
crucial religious-spiritual sekts that existed in Bali during pre-Hindu
times. People belonging to this sekt used to worship nature, stars and
wind.
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How to reach Trunyan Village
Reaching Trunyan Village is not a difficult task. Interested travellers
can get here by using public transportation. From Denpasar, the capital
of Bali, it’s around 3 hours drive. To reach the location, boats or
wooden jetty are available all the time. These boats cross through Batur
Lake and take you to Trunyan within 20 to 30 minutes. There you’ll find
local people who’ll welcome you and give you a tour of the place.
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