Author: Sidarta Wijaya
Publication: Blog.Baliwww.com
Date: April 29, 2009
URL: http://blog.baliwww.com/miscellaneous/4603
Before the introduction of paper as writing
material to the paradise island of Bali, Balinese use specially processed
palm leaves known as lontar to record details for future preservation. Despite
of the popularity of paper, lontar is still being used in Bali for rendering
texts, especially which are considered sacred such as history of a clan, religious
practices, magic related-incantations, parts of Ramayana or Mahabharata epic,
information on horoscopes, soothsaying and calendars, technical literature,
science, instruction, medicine, cock fighting, etc.
The preference of using lontar to record important
or sacred information is due to the popular belief that papers mar the sacredness
of information or the efficacy of incantation. To the Balinese Lontar gives
a sense of sacredness and holiness and since the content of the sacred information
as well as the Balinese script which is used to record the information are
sacred, and have a vital force, lontar is considered the perfect container
for them.
Lontar is deeply venerated by Balinese, anyone
who wishes to read lontar regularly needs to undergo a consecration ritual
(mawinten) which must be performed by a brahman priest. Balinese believe that
handling lontar in disrespectful way is very dangerous and may cause all kinds
of misfortune. Lontar cannot be sold or thrown away when damaged but it can
be burned with proper ceremony and offerings.
Nowdays, the popularity of lontar increases
due to the growing tendency of older Balinese to transcribe and transliterate
the text in relation with religious practices, atman and moksha (soul and
liberation), medicine, clan history and classical literature in Old Javanese
from paper to lontar. This activity is considered a religious penance in order
to gain more insight to the religion and hopefully lead to proper religious
conduct that will clear the path of the soul to Sunyaloka (realm of nothingness).
