Dances Invite the God part 2

           Featuring the most spectacular costumes of all the Balinese dances, The Barong-Rangda Dramas are also among the most sacred and most important. Essentially a dramatization of the eternal conflict between the forces of good and evil, the dramas can take a variety of forms but nearly always serve as ritualized exorcisms.

The Mythical widow-witch character of Rangda represents the forces of evil, and her costume and mask present a duly frightening spectacle. The Barong Ket cuts a much more love-able figure, a shaggy - haired creature with a bug-eyed expression and mischievous grin on his masked face, something like a cross between pantomime horse and Chinese dragon. The Barong Ket ( lion ) is by far the most common persona adopted by this mythical creature, but you might also see Barong Macan ( tiger ), Barong Bangkal (Wild Boar ) and Barong Celeng ( pig ). All Rangda  and Barong masks are invested with great sacred power and need to be treated with due respect and awe. When not in use, the masks are kept wrapped in magic cloth and stored in the temple.

          Barong - Rangda dramas can be self-contained as in the Calonarang or they can apper as just one symbolic episode in the middle of a well - known story like the Mahabarata. Whatever the occasion, the format tends to be fairly similar. Rangda is always called upon by a character who determines to cause harm to a person, a family or a village ( unrequited love is a very common cause ). She generally sends a minion to wage the first battles, and is then forced to appear herself when the opposition calls in the Barong, the defender of the good. In this final confrontation, the Barong enters first, occasionally joined by a monkey who teases him and plays tricks. Suddenly Rangda appears, fingernails first, from behind the central gateway. Flashing her white magic cloth, she harasses the Barong, stalking him at every turn. When the Barong looks to be on his last legs, a group of village men rush in to his rescue, but are entranced by Rangda's Magic and stab themselves instead of her. A priest quickly enters before any real injury is inflicted. The series of confrontations continues, and  the drama ends in stalemate: the forces of good and evil remain as strong and vital as ever, ready to clash again in the next bout.

The Story of Calonarang is basically an embellished version of Barong - Rangda conflict, grafted on to an ancient legend about the daughter of a witch queen whom no one will marry because they're scared of her mother. The witch queen Calonarang is a manifestation of Rangda who, furious at the lack of suitors for her daughter, demands that her followers wreak destruction in all of the villages. This drama is acted out on a regular basis, whenever there are considered to be evil forces and impurities affecting the community, and sometimes the whole neighborhood take part, the men parading with hand-held kulkul drums and the women filing in to make offerings at the temple shrines.

          There's also an unusual human version of Barong, called Barong Landung ( Literally "tall Barong ) These are huge puppets, one male and one female, each one operated by a single performer. The male puppet looks forbidding, his masked face is black and he has a fanged mouth and grimacing features. As a representation of the legendary Jero Gede, a giant from Nusa Penida who brought disease and misfortune to Bali, this enormous figure is also meant to scare away any similar giants. Jero Gede is always accompanied by a far sweeter looking female puppet, known as Jero Luh, who wears a white mask with a smiling face and faintly Chinese eyes. Together they act out a bawdy comic opera which has exorcist purposes as well