The world where we live in is full of surprises and there are so many weird things happening around us that we are not even aware of! You might just freak out to hear that there’s a traditional village in Bali called Trunyan where the natives do not bury or burn the dead, but leave them to rot in a bamboo cage under a Taru Menyan tree. They let the nature consume the body till the skeleton remains. These skeletons and skulls of the deceased are later placed on a stone altar and one can only reach the Trunyan Cemetery (special place) on boat. There’s also an ancient temple in the village which as per historical records dates back to 10th century and people believe that Trunyan is said to be older than the temple.
About Trunyan village
Trunyan is a traditional Balinese village, located on the shore of Lake Batur and at the foot of Mt. Abang in Indonesia. This culturally isolated village is primarily inhabited by Bali Aga (mountain Balinese) people. These people are mostly oblivious of the outer world, more conservative, and still follow olden Neolithic customs. One of the weird customs followed by the villagers is that the dead bodies here are not cremated in conventional manner but are left to decay in a bamboo cage in open. When there’s any new death, the old bodies are removed and replaced with the recent ones. The bones of the older bodies are then taken away and the skull is placed near a Taru Menyan (banyan tree) which literally means ‘a nice smelling tree’. This tree exudes a fragrance that cancels the smell of decaying dead bodies.
Mandates of the funeral rites
Being married is one of the most important criteria that make one eligible to fall under this tradition. If an unmarried person dies, he/she is buried! Strange, right? Also, women are not allowed to partake in the funeral ceremonies, also known as Pengiriman ceremonies. People also believe that if a woman attends this ceremony, the village will be destroyed by nature. It could be some volcanic eruption or earthquake or any such natural disaster that might just end the existence of the village. However, no one knows who made such rules and since when these are in existence but people in the village still follow this religiously.
Influence of Neolithic Agama Bayu sekt
This practice of leaving the dead bodies under bamboo cage got inspiration from Neolithic Agama Bayu sekt, which is considered a crucial religious-spiritual sekts that existed in Bali during pre-Hindu times. People belonging to this sekt used to worship nature, stars and wind.
How to reach Trunyan Village
Reaching Trunyan Village is not a difficult task. Interested travellers can get here by using public transportation. From Denpasar, the capital of Bali, it’s around 3 hours drive. To reach the location, boats or wooden jetty are available all the time. These boats cross through Batur Lake and take you to Trunyan within 20 to 30 minutes. There you’ll find local people who’ll welcome you and give you a tour of the place.
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