The Jakarta Post, Thursday, October 25 2012,
Thousands of Muslims in Denpasar and other areas in Bali are preparing to celebrate Idul Adha, the Day of Sacrifice, which falls on Friday, despite a controversial statement issued by a self-proclaimed Balinese king urging local Muslims to not slaughter cows as sacrificial animals during the big day.
Mustain, head of Community Support for Muslims and Haj Management at the Religious Affairs Ministry’s Bali office, said that, as in previous years, the office was coordinating with related agencies, including the Bali Interfaith Forum, regarding the implementation of Idul Adha prayers and the ritual of animal sacrifices.
Idul Adha has unique spiritual, devotional, educational and social meanings. It implants in the Muslims’ heart the spirit of sharing and caring. This becomes more relevant and central to the ritual sacrifice of livestock — sheep, goats or cows. Sharia (Islamic law) allows for sacrificial meat to be distributed by wealthy persons with priority focused on the poor, as they are the ones who need it most.
But on Wednesday, two days before the Idul Adha celebration, I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna, president of the Hindu Center of Indonesia and a self-proclaimed Majapahit king in Bali, called on Muslims in Bali to not slaughter cows as sacrificial animals during Idul Adha.
“I call on Muslims in Bali to not slaughter cows during Idul Adha. Cows are considered sacred animals in accordance with Hindu belief,” Wedakarna said, as quoted by Antara news agency and Tribunenews online newspaper during a Hindu-Muslim meeting in Central Java on Wednesday.
He further said that cows were the vehicles of the god Siva.
Unlike Hinduism in India, which treats cows as sacred animals, Balinese Hinduism uses several body parts from cows and bulls in its offerings and major rituals. The Balinese Hindus also consume beef and cook it in their traditional cuisine. Only temple priests, Sulinggih high priests and traditional healers, abstain from eating beef and all meat derived from four-legged animals.
A former model and pop singer turned rector of a private university, Wedakarna gained exposure in the national media after launching a protest against prominent figures, including singer Iwan Fals and author Dee Lestari, for using what Wedakarna claimed was sacred Hindu symbols. He even tried to force famed director Garin Nugroho to drop Sita Obong, an aesthetic adaptation of the great Hindu epic Ramayana.
Wedakarna triggered another public controversy when he proclaimed himself as the Majapahit king in Bali in early 2010 and assumed the title Sri Wilatikta Tegeh Kori Kresna Kepakisan XIX. Majapahit was an East Java empire that reached its golden age in the 14th century with Bali as one of its vassals.
Wedakarna’s proclamation drew strong opposition from the association of kings and patriarchs of Bali’s royal houses, Sabha Kertha Dharma.
The forum brought together kings of Bali from Puri Peliatan Ubud, Puri Agung Ubud, Puri Klungkung, Puri Pemecutan, Puri Karangasem, Puri Kesiman, Puri Satria in Denpasar, Puri Mengwi and Puri Jembrana. The gathering was also attended by prominent Hindu high priest Ida Pedanda Made Gunung and I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana as chairman of the Hindu high council PHDI.
“We strongly reject acknowledging a person who claims to be Majapahit king without any solid evidence,” explained Ide Dalem Semara Putra from Puri Klungkung, who is also chairman of Sabha Kerta Dharma.
Ide Dalem Semara Putra is a direct descendant of the Javanese Brahmin prince crowned as the ruler of all Bali by Majapahit king Ha-yam Wuruk following the annexation of Bali.
There are 500,000 Muslims currently residing in Bali.
I Gusti Bagus Mataram from the Denpasar Social Affairs Agency has called on Hindu and non-Muslim communities in Bali to help support their Muslim brothers during the Idul Adha celebrations.
“In Bali, Muslims, Hindus and other faiths live together in harmony,” Mataram said.
do 25 okt 2012 - 6:41