Three years ago with Mr. Ketut Madra and Mr. Madri and we （ f kadek ferry & m mayumi inouye) made umbul-umbul for Pura Dalem Gede Peliatan. The Dragons in these umbul-umbul were painted on two different fabric colors: white fabric and yellow fabric. This time for the second time f & m got the chance to ngayah (unpaid, non-commercial). Two umbul-umbul Dragons but painted on a red fabric.
Red Dragon Umbul-Umbul in Melasti ceremony to Purnama Beach
This time the umbul-umbul were painted by Ketut Madra with his son I Made Berata, and f & m . We started to make these during the temple ceremony – Odalan in Pura Agung Peliatan. Although busy with the temple ceremony activities and also the Galungan celebrations, the process of painting these umbul-umbul could still be done well.
Children were wearing costume before they go Ngelawang (dancing Barong along the village) for Galungan & Kuningan celebration
In the spirit of ngayah, every day in day time f & m visited Ketut Madra’s house ngayah to make these umbul-umbul(s). The Dragon images on these umbul-umbul were painted on a long red cotton cloth. There were some different coloring techniques compare with the umbul-umbul that made three years ago which had a base color of yellow and white fabric. According to Mr. Madra painting on a red color fabric was more difficult than on white or yellow cloth. Therefore the painting results in red cloth might would not show up. For this, there were been made dragon paintings with black and white coloring (monotone).
Paint in black ink (1st step)
Painting with classic patterns like in these umbul-umbul was very difficult. It required special skills. Of course we didn’t have enough ability to do so. Once the basics were painted by Mr. Ketut Madra and I Made Berata by using pencils and markers, then f & m started to help the coloring worked together to gives the gold ink (prada).
Paint in black ink (2nd)
The brushes that use for coloring / painting classic style in Balinese tradition using the bamboo brushes. The bamboo cut and scaled to the brush width. Then hit up the fiber ends and dipped into the ink slowly and gradually. The use of bamboo brush was very suitable for this kind of classical painting and the result was different from using a brush of factory made. “This was a great invention! How great our founding artists! ” It was said by Ketut Madra when he was making these brushes.
Paint in black ink (3rd)
I Made Berata is a lecturer of Balinese traditional painting at ISI Denpasar. We were grateful to learn about painting and some stories of philosophy from these teachers. After they exemplified staining and coloring prada on these umbul-umbul then f & m followed it while looking at the example.
I Made Berata
Painting in traditional Balinese style (wayang) was not only painting and scratching a beautiful detail object on canvas. Thorough these images was depicted a philosophy of life. The philosophy of the dragon paintings on the umbul-umbul was based on the mythology of the epic Mahabharata. The story of Arjuna with Hanuman. More about this story …
Red Dragon Umbul Umbul (Umbul Umbul Naga Merah)
Name Sign on Painting
On the traditional Balinese painting which placed in the temples, the name of the painters normally not written down. It is a form of ngayah for Pura. It is only written the date of completion in order to know the age of this work.
Sign on Umbul Umbul
We made the umbul-umbul first time in 2009, since that time it was planned to make these red umbul-umbul. It has been three years, quite a long time. Interesting, try look at the body size of the Ketut Madra’s beloved dog, a lovely dog who was always with us in day-to-day working with these umbul-umbul!
Ketut Madra and his dog in 2009
Ketut Madra and his dog in 2013
Now these umbul-umbul have been placed at the temple of Pura Dalem Gede Peliatan. They would be used in every temple celebrations or ritual parade processions.
Our Red Dragon Umbul-Umbul placed in the front of main gate of Pura Dalem Temple
Matur Suksma!