|
The island of Lombok is located east of the island of Bali and is inhabited by the Sasaks who are primarily Muslims. It is in the western side of this island, in the village of Lingsar that the Perang Topat Festival is celebrated with much fanfare. The Perang Topat festival in Lombok takes its name from the chief and culminating ritual of the festival. The name “Perang Topat” translates as ‘War of Ketupat’ or ‘Rice Cake War’. This ‘war’ of the Perang Topet festival of Lombok is fought between the Sasak Wetu Telu community, who are Muslims, and the Balinese Hindus. The Perang Topat Festival of Lombok is a thanksgiving rain festival that mainly occurs in the month of December. The date of the festival is set in accordance with the Lunar Calendar. According to the lunar calendar, the festival falls in the 7th month and culminates on the 15th day with the ‘Perang topet’ ritual. The Perang Topet Festival of Lombok involves an entire week of planning, prayer and practices. The festivities are carried out in the Pura Lingsar temple. Originally a Hindu temple which was built in 1759, the Pura Lingsar is unique because of the presence of the auspicious “Kemaliq” Muslim shrine within its premises. There is a legend surrounding the shrine. It is said that the temple and the village gets its name from the perennial brook call Langser, which flows through the village, and is said to be an heirloom of the Sasek ancestor Raden Mas Sumilir. The Kemaliq was founded by him. This agrarian festival is a unique example in religious tolerance and unity in diversity. The Perang Topat Festival of Lombok is a festival when the Hindus and the Muslims come to the same place to pay homage and thank God for the abundance of crops and pray that he may continue to shower his blessings and give bountiful crops in the coming year. On D-day, within the temple, the Hindus go to the “Gaduh” side, while the Muslims go to the “Kemaliq” side to offer their separate prayers and other offerings and perform their separate rituals. These two regions are partitioned by a courtyard. The Hindus perform a ritual called the “Pujawali”. In fact, the Hindus perform this ritual also to commemorate the anniversary of the temple that falls on the same day. Finally, the main festivities begin at 4:00 p.m. with the fall of the first Waru flower. The falling of the Waru flowers, which live bloom and die in a day’s time, is called the “Rorok Kembang Waru”, and signify the beginning of the ‘war’. During the war, the two communities form two groups and fling “Ketupat” or boiled rice wrapped in coconut leaves at each other while aiming to hit the body of a member of the rival group. Some of the left over Ketupat is distributed amongst the visitors and the participants, while the remaining is Ketupat is buried in the paddy fields before planting of the new crop commences. Though the Perang Topat Festival of Lombok is steeped in years of culture and tradition, of late it has also metamorphosed into a major draw for tourists to the country of Indonesia.
|
