Bali Vacation: Day 3 – Watching Kecak and Fire Dance at Uluwatu
Watching Kecak and Fire Dance is by right the highlight of the third day of my Bali vacation, and the last activity that I will do before going back to Malaysia tomorrow.
It’s the most unique Bali dance that doesn’t use any musical instruments, but instead it made of the combination of about 30 bare-chested men sitting in cicle and uttering “cak… cak… cak…” rhythmically and repetitively.
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To help those unfamiliar with the Ramayana, synopsis sheets are handed out to audience members before the show. The plot goes like this:
Rama, a wise prince and the legal heir of the throne of Ayodha, is exiled from the his father Dasarata’s realm. He is accompanied by his beautiful wife Sita and his loyal younger brother Laksamana.
While crossing the enchanted forest of Dandaka, the demon king Rahwana spots Sita and lusts after her. Rahwana’s deputy Marica transforms himself into a golden deer to distract Rama and Laksamana.
Rahwana then transforms into an old man to fool Sita into stepping away from a magic circle of protection set by Laksamana – thus fooled, Sita is spirited away to Rahwana’s realm of Alengka.
Rama and Laksamana discover the deception too late; lost in the forest, they encounter the monkey king Hanoman, who swears his allegiance and goes off in search of Sita.
Hanoman finds Sita in Alengka. The monkey king takes Rama’s ring to Sita as a token of his contact with her husband. Sita gives Hanoman her hairpin to give to Rama, along with a message that she is waiting for his rescue.
Hanoman marvels at the beauty of Alengka, but begins to destroy it. Rahwana’s giant servants capture Hanoman, and bind him to be burned. Hanoman uses his magical powers to escape from certain death. Here, the performance ends.
At this stage, the dance that is in the middle of the fire got into trance and kicks the fire with his bare foot.
In the middle of the performance, the sun is slowly setting down, and until it reached this point. It is one the most beautiful thing that I’ve ever seen.
After the show has ended, went down to take a few photos with all the dancers, and it’s time to headed back to hotel. It is indeed another packed and tiring day.
Click the link below to read other entry about the activities on Day 3.
- Souvenir shopping at Krisna
- Visiting Tanah Lot
- Reaching Uluwatu
- Watching Kecak and Fire Dance at Uluwatu
Read the rest of stories about my Bali Trip
