IMPORTANT DAY : MEPANDES / METATAH (TOOTH FILLING)

Important day. What is important day in your opinion ? A day that means a lot to you ? For me every day is important. “ Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift”.

                I want to share one of my important day, which was held on 18^th – 19^th of December 2015. That was a big ceremony held for me, but I did it with my brother and cousins too. The ceremony called as Mepandes / Metatah or tooth filling is one of the religious ceremonies that must be done by the Balinese Hindus (Hindu Dharma) adherent. Metatah is a ceremony to smooth six (6) upper teeth of teenager (or for those who have reached puberty) by using the tight-fisted. This is a ceremony to mark a teenager who has grown up into an adult.

                This tooth filling ceremony is a must for parents to be hold for their children, because this is one of the most important ceremonies that based on Hindu’s belief. This ceremony is a symbol to eliminate six (6) human natures that called as sad ripu. Those six human natures are :

1. Kama : uncontrollable desire
2. Loba : greed
3. Krodha : unmanageable anger
4.  Mada : intoxication that brings dark thoughts
5. Moha : confusion that lead to someone unable to finish task perfectly
6.  Matsarya : jealously that caused hostility

The ceremony has a various sequence events, like you are not allowed to go out of the house, you will be bathed and fed by your parent, scrubbed by your family, and other else. At that day I felt special and happy, because my parent finished their task. After that day, I must realize that I am not a kid or teenager anymore, no more childish ! I should act and think wisely.