Desa Adat Padangtegal
Anggara Pon Ukir
Tuesday, 23 September 2025
On Anggara Pon Ukir, which corresponds to Tuesday, 23 September 2025, the community of Desa Adat Padangtegal will perform the sacred Upacara Caru Rsi Gana as a component of their grand ritual cycle: Karya Padudusan Agung, Nubung Padagingan, Ngenteg Linggih, Ngusaba Desa, and Ngusaba Nini — all held at Pura Desaand Pura Puseh in Padangtegal.
Meaning and Purpose of Caru Rsi Gana
- Caru in Balinese ritual is an offering or sacrifice made to appease negative or obstructive forces, maintain balance, and ensure harmony.
- Rsi (or rishi) typically refers to sages or seers, spiritual forces of wisdom, often associated with sacred cosmic order.
- Gana refers to the attendants or followers of deities (in Hindu mythology, Ganesha’s attendants are called Gana, but in this context, Gana can also mean spiritual forces or energies).
Thus, Caru Rsi Gana is a rite of offering dedicated to the spiritual forces of Lord Ganesha. It is intended to purify, pacify, and request the cooperation of those subtle forces — to remove obstacles, restore spiritual balance, and pave the way for the main ceremonies to proceed with sanctity and harmony.
In the broader context of the ritual cycle, Caru Rsi Gana acts as a preparatory purification: cleansing the subtle spiritual realm so that the central rites (such as Padudusan Agung, Ngusaba Desa, etc.) may be performed without hindrance.
Sequence & Placement in the Ritual Cycle
Caru Rsi Gana is not a standalone event but integrated into the sequence of the grand ceremonies. Its role is:
- To be held after the preliminary purification rites (such as Melasti, Mecaru, etc.),
- To clear energetic blockages in the hidden or spiritual planes,
- To set the stage for Ngenteg Linggih (re-enthronement of deities), Ngusaba Desa (village offering), and Ngusaba Nini (fertility/harvest offering).
In effect, Caru Rsi Gana ensures the ritual path is spiritually clean, enabling the community to carry out subsequent rites with deeper alignment.
Ritual Implementation & Offering Elements
While precise procedural details may vary depending on local tradition and the guidance of pemangku (temple priests), typical features include:
- Banten Caru: offerings comprising certain flowers, betel leaves, specific cakes, rice, incense, water, and symbolic objects.
- Timing & Orientation: carried out at particular times of day and facing sacred directions to align with cosmic principals.
- Role of Priests & Ritual Teams: The Sulinggih, pemangku, serati banten, and selected community members (men and/or women) carry out the offering, recite mantras, and make symbolic gestures.
- Sacred Mantras and Invocations: Invoking the presence and cooperation of rsi and gana, beseeching them to yield to harmony, to leave negative influences, and to bless the community.
After Caru Rsi Gana, the ritual energy is clarified, and the path is prepared for the major ceremonies that follow.
