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| Preparation before "Topat Fight" |
There's a said that "if you go to Bali,you couldn't see Lombok,but if you go to Lombok you could see Bali",litteraly this said had a point,because in Lombok we still can see many Bali's traditional culture, like temple that the Hindhu peoples goes to pray,or few traditions like ogoh - ogoh parade which held once a year before Hindhu's new year, although majority of Sasak people are muslim,but both religion could live in harmony one another,many these Balinese culture we could find in Mataram and West Lombok Regency and also North Lombok Regency,because only these Regencies that could be dominated during the Karangasem kingdom invasion in late of 17th century.One of the temple that still exist until now is Pura Lingsar in West Lombok Regency, located in Lingsar district,9 kilometers eastwards Mataram make this temple not so hard to find.
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People bring "sesaji" as an offering to the Gods
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Built around 1759 by the Karangasem King,Anak Agung Gde Ngurah during the Karang Asem dominitation,the temple originally was to prevailing animist belief at the time.The "Topat/Ketupat Fight" it self is to preserve the spring in the temple,sasak's people call it Kemaliq which mean sacred and they believe that the spring could bring prosperity to the people around the temple,so the Sasak people brought fruit and "topat/ketupat" (rice cakes that had been boiled and steamed and covered by coconut's leave) as an offering to the Gods.
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| People ready to do the topat fight |
This event held once a year in the 6th full moon in Balinese Calender called "purnaming sasih keenam" and also in the 7th full moon in Sasak's Calender,The event usually held in the afternoon in the time that called " Raraq Kembang Waru" (When Waru Flowers Fall) which is believe it's the sign for the muslim people doing Ashar pray,so after the muslim doing Ashar pray,and the Balinese done with their pujawali praying,the topat fight is ready to be held.Usually it began by the speech from the local government representing by Bupati Lombok Barat (Goverment officer in charge of Lombok Barat regency),and procession followed by traditional dancing and Sasak traditional musik instrument such as kecimol and gendang beleq.
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| The Balinese people and Sasak people doing topat fight |
After all the opening ceremonial done,Muslim people (from Sasak ) and Hindhu people (from Balinese) ready to do the topat fight,theiy make two groups and stand face to face each other. They start to throw the topat each other,there's no anger or hate in this ceremony,it's symbolize the harmony between the Muslim and the Hindu.After the fight is over people usually brought topat's home,because they believe if they spread it their rice field or plant it could be as a fertilizier and could bring prosperity to the land.
