Lunch With Agung
Lunch with Agung Raka at the Cahaya Dewata Hotel
Hinduism came to Bali in the 14 th century and it has been only in the last generation the cast system has not been such a strong influence on the culture. It still plays an important part in the culture of Bali, though less so then even a generation ago. Many of the people from each cast come from the same villages and there is a social hierarchy that is still apparent. The system is divided into four casts; Brahman, Ksatria, Wesia, and Sudra. Brahman are high level priests and holy men, while the Ksatria are kings or families of the military. The Wesia are the handicraft makers and sellers and the Sudra casts are responsible for the labor.
Agung Raka is from the Ksatria cast and his father is a famous Balinese painter as well as a teacher; his mother a merchant.
I briefly met Agung before going to the restraunt and immediately I could sense something special about him. I thought maybe he was a talented artist. Later we had lunch at the Cahaya Dewata hotel in Ubud.
He told me that he had completed his university training in Priesthood. While enrolled at University, two years ago Agung decided he wanted to enter the Priesthood and has since completed his formal training. The program involved studying and learning mantras and praying as well as learning the history and meaning of Hinduism. He prays three hours a day. Since completing his formal training he has been waiting for a calling from his god. When this happens he will see a priest and complete a special ceremony. He will also be given holy water.
For the last six months Agung has been working at a handicraft store, he also gives tattoos to both foreign and local customers. He plays the gambalon, a traditional musical instrument as well as the guitar.
He mentioned to me that he sees colors from people and could see a gold color coming from me. Agung also sees different colors in different areas of his head when meditating. He also is intuitive and remarked to me that he could tell that I believed the things he was talking about.
He told me that the Barong had visited him at his home temple, and also the mythical Balinese monkey. He described this monkey as like a real monkey only bigger, the two thirds the size of a person, black and a long 6 foot tale. The monkey will visit during a full moon at a cemetery and come to test the person’s power, as the monkey is considered evil.
Later Agung invited me to his house to see some stones that he mentioned he had gotten from the Busaki temple. I did not really understand what he was talking about, as I had never heard of precious stone at the temple, and why would he have them at his house. When we arrived he told me the story and showed me the stones.
While meditating at the sacred Busaki temple a stone out of nowhere hit him on his head. Similar experiences happened 11 times more to him in separate places and times. While meditating at the ocean a wave came and the clear stone appeared next to him from the wave. He often finds it hard to believe the things that happen to him. He talked to a priest about the stone incidents and the Priest told Agung that he will become a priest.
