How Do the Balinese Choose Their 'Auspicious' Days?

Here in Bali, a joyous occasion will turn to misery if not celebrated at the right time. It is of utmost important, therefore, that an auspicious day is chosen very carefully for ceremonies and rituals.

Never will a Balinese person hold a ceremony without consulting a specialist (in most cases, a priest) to determine the correct day, at minimum they will delve into the special Balinese calendar, known as Pawukon, which provides a list of auspicious dates for various ceremonies and religious activities. Still, there are some basic rules for picking the right date.

In Balinese Hinduism, wuku (week) is inferior compared to the day; the day is inferior compared to sasih (month); and the month is inferior compared to dauh or the Balinese traditional measurement of time(one dauh is equivalent to 90 minutes). In other words, a bad week can be tolerated if the day is good; a bad day can be tolerated if the month is good; and the bad month can be tolerated if the dauh is good.

Based on this rule the most important consideration in determining the right time for a ceremony or other religious celebrations is finding the right dauh (hour)in a day. Dauh is the representation of the gods, and whoever finds the right dauh will find happiness and prosperity.