The ceremony that visitors to Bali are most likely to witness is cremation (pengabenan or palebonan). Following death, the body must be returned to the five elements of solid, liquid, energy, radiance and ether to become ready for reincarnation. The lengthy and complex rituals; the magnificent objects and the spectacular burning itself, make this the most picturesque manifestation of religious observance on the island. Following death,the body is usually buried, sometimes for years, while the elaborate preparations for
the cremation are made. Poorer families will often share in the cremation ceremonies of wealthier families. The extended family and banjar is involved in building temporary shelters for shrines and preparing offerings. Animals must be slaughtered, holy water acquired, and gamelan, dancers and puppet shows organized.

An animal-shaped sarcophagus is built from a solid tree trunk, covered with paper and cloth and decorated with mirrors, tassels and tinsel. The cremation tower has tiers similar to the roofs on the meru in temples a small bale at the base of the tiers houses an effigy of the dead person and the body itself, or just the bones if burial has previously taken place.
The event itself is joyful, accompanied by the soft music of the bamboo gamelan angklung. The sarcophagus and cremation tower are carried to the cemetery and twirled around many times to make sure the soul is completely confused and cannot find its way back home to cause mischief for the family. At the cremation ground, the body is transferred from the tower into the sarcophagus, which is anointed with holy water and set alight.

After burning, the ashes are carried to the sea or to a stream which will carry them to the ocean. A further purification ceremony takes place three days after the cremation, and another at twelve days, finishing with the ritual of nyagara-gunung, when the family take offerings to important sea and mountain temples.

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