The Balinese Calendar
How Bali keeps time: Saka moon-months, the 210-day Pawukon cycle, and the sacred days they create
The Balinese calendar is the calendar that developed within Bali's Hindu community. It is a combination of the Gregorian calendar (the international civil calendar), the Saka Bali calendar, and the Tika calendar. The Gregorian calendar is the internationally used calendar based on the Common Era year count, a solar reckoning. The Saka Bali calendar is the Saka calendar as it developed in Bali, using a lunar reckoning adjusted to the solar year. One Saka year consists of twelve months, known locally as Sasih. The names of the Sasih run from Sasih Kasa, Karo, Katiga, Kapat, Kalima, Kanem, Kapitu, Kaulu, Kasanga, Kadasa, and Jiyestha, ending with Sasih Sada. Every month in the Sasih system begins the day after the dark moon, called Tilem, and reaches its peak at the full moon, called Purnama. The Balinese hold Purnama and Tilem in deep reverence, regarding them as sacred days for self-purification and worship of Sang Hyang Widhi (the supreme God). Because the lunar cycle runs slightly shorter than the solar year, a special adjustment called Sasih Nampih — an intercalary (leap) month — is made so that the changing seasons stay in sync with the calendar. The greatest celebration in the Saka system is Nyepi, the Day of Silence, which marks the turning of the Saka New Year with total stillness.
The Tika calendar is a traditional Balinese calendar that is non-astronomical, arranged according to the Pawukon (Wuku) and Wewaran systems. The Tika calendar pays no attention to astronomical positions at all, yet for the Balinese its use is inseparable from the Saka Bali calendar. Religious ceremonies (yadnya), such as piodalan temple anniversary festivals, are scheduled not only by the Pawukon but also by the Pananggal or Panglong (the waxing and waning moon-day counts) of the Saka Bali calendar system. Even so, in everyday life the Balinese still use the internationally established Gregorian calendar. The Pawukon system in the Tika calendar is based purely on mathematical calculation. One full Pawukon cycle lasts 210 days, divided into 30 Wuku, each lasting seven days. The Wuku names follow a fixed order, beginning with Sinta, Landep, Ukir, Kulantir, Tolu, Gumbreg, Wariga, Warigadean, Julungwangi, Sungsang, Dungulan, Kuningan, Langkir, Medangsia, Pujut, Pahang, Krulut, Merakih, Tambir, Medangkungan, Matal, Uye, Menail, Prangbakat, Bala, Ugu, Wayang, Kelau, and Dukut, and closing with Watugunung. It is from this Pawukon system that the great holy days of Balinese Hindus arise, such as Galungan, which falls on Wednesday (Buda) Kliwon of Wuku Dungulan, and Kuningan, which falls on Saturday (Saniscara) Kliwon of Wuku Kuningan. This 210-day cycle turns without pause, creating a ritual rhythm that stays consistent from year to year. The Tika calendar is also arranged according to the Wewaran system: Wewaran are cycles of days that run in parallel, all at the same time. There are ten kinds of Wewaran, from Ekawara (a one-day cycle) to Dasawara (a ten-day cycle). Several Wewaran are used often in the daily life of Balinese Hindus:
The Triwara cycle consists of Pasah, Beteng, and Kajeng, and is very important in determining traditional market days. The Pancawara cycle consists of Umanis, Paing, Pon, Wage, and Kliwon, the main basis of calculation in Balinese astrology. The Saptawara is a seven-day cycle similar to the international week — Redite (Sunday), Soma (Monday), Anggara (Tuesday), Buda (Wednesday), Wraspati (Thursday), Sukra (Friday), and Saniscara (Saturday).
So besides knowing whether it is Monday or Tuesday, the Balinese also look at whether the day falls on Kliwon or Wage. The meeting of these day-cycles creates days considered especially powerful in energy, such as Kajeng Kliwon, when people typically make extra prayer offerings for protection and well-being.
The Balinese calendar is also used to choose a dewasa ayu, an auspicious day (padewasan). Choosing an auspicious day according to Balinese tradition rests on wariga and dewasa calculations. These calculations are quite complicated, so few Balinese know by heart how to use the wariga and dewasa. With his mastery of wariga and dewasa ayu reckoning, the late Bambang Gde Rawi composed a wariga adapted to the international calendar, which came to be known as the Balinese calendar that Balinese people commonly use today. Bambang Gde Rawi was born in the village of Cemengon, and the compilation of this Balinese calendar has been passed down to his family.
Each month of the Balinese calendar generally consists of several important parts. The head of the calendar carries the month name and year, just like a normal international calendar. Its body holds the dates, as in an international calendar, plus several markers: a red dot means the full moon (Purnama), a black dot means the new or dark moon (Tilem), a red circle marks major Hindu religious holy days, and dates in red mark national public holidays. The right arm lists wariga terms by date, including notes on auspicious days for undertaking activities, ventures, or ceremonies (yadnya). The left arm carries the names of the days, and the foot of the calendar lists religious holy days, the Odalan (anniversary ceremonies) of Bali's major temples, and various other auspicious days.
With this Balinese calendar, Balinese Hindus have no difficulty determining auspicious days based on wariga and dewasa ayu. But for anyone wishing to learn the method by hand, there are of course fixed formulas for the wariga. And even though times are modern and everyone has a smartphone, the Balinese calendar in the form of a large paper sheet is still always found in every home in Bali.