Forbidden Cremation in Lemukih Village

Ngaben is one of Bali’s most well-known and sacred funeral rituals. Almost everyone has heard of it — the Balinese believe that when someone passes away, their body should be cremated through a ceremony called Ngaben, returning their physical form to the Creator.

But have you ever wondered what happens if this ritual isn’t performed? Would their soul be unable to return to the divine? Surprisingly, in a village known more for its stunning waterfalls and lush nature — Desa Lemukih (one of the old villages in Buleleng Regency) — the ritual of Ngaben is not just skipped, it’s forbidden...

The Mystery Behind It

The people of Lemukih don’t avoid Ngaben out of disrespect for tradition. Instead, something deeply unsettling once happened during a Ngaben ceremony in their village. When locals tried to perform the cremation, the flames — already lit — suddenly went out and couldn’t be restarted. Even stranger, the body in the casket began to sweat, as if reacting to the heat of the fire. And as we know, a lifeless body cannot produce sweat — this was no ordinary occurrence.

The Sacred Connection

Several people who were present at the ceremony suddenly experienced mass possession. One of the people who experienced possession then said that the cremation ceremony should not be carried out with the burning of corpses because the smoke from the burning of corpses would reach the Bukit Cemare Geseng Temple which would certainly make the temple tired or dirty.

Instead, they created a new way to honor the dead: they carefully uproot plants growing around the grave of the deceased, wrap them in white and yellow cloths, and have them carried by a young child — believed to be pure and untouched by worldly sins.

A Tradition Born from Belief

This belief has been passed down for generations and is still practiced today. While outsiders may call it myth or legend, for the people of Lemukih, it’s a sacred truth — a deep cultural tradition rooted in experience, spirituality, and respect for the divine.

Bukit Cemara Geseng Temple

For your information, the Bukit Cemara Geseng Temple is one of the most sacred temples for people of Lemukih Village. This temple is located to the right of Lemukih Village and is right on the top of the hill. After the incident, the people of Lemukih Village until now believe that there should be no cremation procession with the burning of corpses but by uprooting plants around the graves that will be cremated. If the prohibition is violated, the community believes that a disaster will occur in the village such as a gerubug (disintegration) or many people dying without a clear cause.