Women are dressed in lacy blouses and patterned sarongs, while the men are more casual in T-shirts, sarongs and turbans. The atmosphere is festive because, in Hinduism, cremation day is a happy occasion - the spirit of the departed is released from this world to seek reincarnation in a future life. No one cries at a cremation in Bali because, if they did, their sadness might distract the spirit of the deceased from making the journey to that next incarnation.
Family members graciously thank my husband and me for coming as they serve us snacks and cups of extremely hot, strong coffee. Meanwhile, the deceased looks on from his perch in an open pavilion where he lies wrapped in white funeral cloth. He has been on display like this for the last week, injected with enough embalming fluid to keep him "fresh" in the 100-degree heat.
Our visit has been arranged by Suta Tours, which drove us from our Ubud hotel to this rural village in central Bali. For us to show respect, our guide, Poni, provided sarongs, which she deftly secured around our waists. There are only two other people on the tour, a couple from California.
Until now, my husband and I have been content to enjoy Ubud, the SoHo of Bali. The streets are lined with art galleries, handicraft shops and health spas. Intriguing dance performances are available nightly.
We are spending a week on the island as the last leg of a two-month visit to Southeast Asia. After hiking through Thai hill-tribe villages and scaling the ruins of Cambodia's Angkor Wat, we were ready for some R&R. We were looking forward to a week of art museum visits, souvenir shopping, and luxurious massages.
