THE BAYUH OTON RITUAL IN BALINESE HINDUISM: A CASE STUDY OF RITUAL PRACTICE AND TEXTUAL TRADITION IN KINTAMANI, BALI

Abstract

In Balinese Hinduism, the Otonan ceremony, held on the 210th day of a child's life according to the Balinese Uku calendar, is considered a fundamental rite of protection against evil spirits. When this rite is not performed at the appropriate time, families may instead conduct the Bayuh Oton, a substitute ceremony that can be held at any point from childhood through adulthood. Although both rites serve comparable protective functions, the Bayuh Oton has received limited scholarly documentation compared with the Otonan. This article addresses that gap through a qualitative case study based on direct observation of a Bayuh Oton ceremony held in Kintamani, Bali, for an adult who had not undergone the Otonan as a child. Using participant observation supplemented by photographic documentation and comparison with written ritual manuals, this study reconstructs the full ceremonial sequence and examines how the officiating priest's practice aligned with, departed from, or supplemented these texts. The findings highlight both the shared ritual structure and the individual variation inherent in its performance, contributing empirical grounding for future comparative studies of textual prescription and lived religious practice in Bali.