The Durga Mahisasura Mardini dance, a giant colossal

Balitraveldiary.com – In Balinese culture, dance has a very special position. This feature is seen when dance becomes a medium that is able to connect one’s spiritual soul with the Most High. Balinese culture that is flexible and open is also the potential to produce various interpretations that are implemented in various dance creations. The creation of various dance creations in Bali certainly helped enrich the treasures of the archipelago art.

Duris mahisasura mardini dance for example. This Balinese dance is a dance of creation inspired by the story of “Durga Mahisasura Mardini” written in the Siwagama ejection. The classic text is about an event when the gods in heaven were overwhelmed by the onslaught of the Giant Racta. Seeing the situation, Lord Syiwa ordered Goddess Durga to finish off the Giant Rakta by using nawasanga gods.

The figure of Dewi Durga Mahisasura Mardini in various appearances, both in paintings, temples and statues, is always manifested as a woman who has many hands and rides a tiger. Meanwhile, the nawasanga deity weapon in Balinese Hindu beliefs is a manifestation of the eight cardinal directions (eight gods) with Lord Shiva as the center. Thanks to the nawasanga gods, the Giant Rakta was finally killed despite being transformed into a ferocious buffalo.

In general, this dance creation is inseparable from the background of Balinese culture, as an area where the story “Durga Mahisasura Mardini” was born and developed. In addition, in terms of aesthetics, dance creations are also inseparable from the essence of Balinese dance in general, including in the movement, makeup, clothing worn, to the music that accompanies it.

The dance created by Durga Mahisasura Mardini is generally performed by 10 people, both men and women. Eight people appeared at the beginning then followed by the emergence of the Giant Rakta, while the other one played the Durga Mahisasura Mardini who was described as a goddess who possessed power thanks to the weapons of the god Nawasanga. From the music, the dance creation is staged with the accompaniment of Semarandana gamelan music. This gamelan is another form or the result of renewal of gamelan gong kebyar semra pegulingan.

The creation of many dance creations from Bali is a representation of an open Balinese culture. The Balinese people realize that art, especially dance, is one of the potential possessed by Bali Island as one of the leading tourist destinations in the archipelago. It also shows that art in Bali is not merely sacred. There is also art in Bali which is a profane and enjoyable show to watch, without having to leave the message to be conveyed.

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