A penjor is basically a long tapered bamboo pole that is stood vertically in the ground, often on the roadside, and decorated in coconut leaves. Due to their length of sometimes more than ten metres, they droop charmingly over the pavement like an ancient street lamp.
During Galungan celebrations, each family erects a penjor outside their gate, which makes the whole neighborhood look splendid. The aim of erecting penjors at Galungan is to show devotion to God in His manifestation as Hyang Giri Pati (the God of the mountain). Mountains with deep forests hold a lot of water, which flows into rivers. This then fulfils water needs for irrigation and drinking water.
All materials for a penjor constitute peoples' basic needs, signifying that we should take care of those things. In addition, livestock sacrificed for the ceremony are believed to become better creatures in their next life. The basic material of a penjor is a curved bamboo pole. The pole is then decorated with yellow coconut leaves, pala bungkah (roots - sweet potato or cassava), pala gantung (fruit - cucumbers, oranges, bananas), pala wija (cereal - rice, corn), plawa (leaves), traditional cakes, 11 Chinese coins, and a small shrine with some offerings.
Images For Penjor
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