'Tumpek Landep', a day for metal goods

DENPASAR (indo.com): April 19, 2003 is a special day set aside on the Balinese calendar to give thanks to metal goods. Specific offerings are made every home for kitchen implements, garden tools and metallic parts of machinery, vehicles, etc that they might have. Builders generally take a day's rest today to make offerings for their work tools.

This special day for Balinese Hindu people is called "Tumpek Landep", devoted to Sang Hyang Pasupati, Lord of heirlooms, weapons and tools made of metal. The offerings are to ensure the tools' proper function and magical power.
Prayers are said to God so that these things continue to be strong and bring good fortune upon their owners.

Within the family temples where heirlooms such as krisses (wavy double-bladed daggers, said to have supernatural powers) and other weapons are kept, offerings are made to ensure the continued magical power of these implements.

The kris is considered a standard part of traditional Balinese dress. During a wedding ceremony the groom will wear one across his back if the family has one, and you can see them on most male characters in Balinese dances, operas and dramas.

Moreover, nowadays, all vehicles are cleaned and given a set of offerings. Visitors to the island will see thousands of cars, motorbikes, computers and other metal goods fully decorated with offerings with ornaments made from young coconut leaves.