Tumpek Kandang (aka Tumpek Andang): Balinese Animal Blessing Tradition

Above Photo: Copyrighted to Himalayan Academy Publications, Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii. Licensed for under Creative Commons and requires attribution when reproduced.

Early this year I posted about Tumpek Kandang but since the celebration takes place again this year I thought I would alert you to it...

In Indonesia, Hindus celebrate Tumpek Kandang (also known as Tumpek Andang) in honor of household animals such as cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, dogs and birds. During this special Saturday (held this year on September 15, 2007) rituals take place on farms and compounds around the region. Many animals are honored with different ceremonies.

Tumpek Kandang is held in appreciation for animal assistance on the farm and around the home, cattle may receive distinctive treatment such as ceremonial bathing, specialty meals, unusual snacks, fancy costuming, cosmetic grooming, or adornment with trinkets. Creatures also receive special prayers complete with a sprinkling of holy water or rice.

In some areas blessing groups travel to homes to bless the animals. In earlier times a similar blessing tradition existed in the United States as clergy traveled to farms and small rural towns to conduct blessings.

During my research for Blessing of the Animals (ISBN 1402729677) I found a one book talking about rural areas outside of the New York area that contained a picture of a woman with a cow adorned with flowers on their way to such a blessing taken in the late 1800s.

Agrarian areas rely heavily on livestock and other animals for sustenance and many of the blessing traditions focus on asking for their health and fertility. Today most blessings here in the United States take place at a specific location and people travel to have their animals blessed.

Animal blessings take place around the world--and are on the increase. I have not found just how long Tumpek Kandang has been celebrated but it is nice to see the different blessings in the many different traditions around the world.