Balinese Dance Performance: Barong Sunda Upasunda

Barong

Barong is a character in the mythology of Balinese Hinduism. He is the king of the spirits who inhabit and protect the mythical forest. In traditional Balinese life, Barong symbolizes goodness. Banaspati Raja is the spirit believed to accompany and protect a child throughout life and is also believed to be the spirit that animates Barong.

As a guardian spirit, Barong is often depicted as a tiger. A traditional dance in Bali portrays the battle between Barong and Rangda. Barong is very well known and is frequently performed as a cultural and tourist attraction. Barong Ket (Tiger Barong) is one of the five forms of Barong.

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Rangda

Rangda is also a character in the mythology of Balinese Hinduism. She is often symbolized as the embodiment of the Goddess Durga, who is regarded as the queen of the spirits that inhabit the mythical forest.

In traditional Balinese life, Rangda represents both goodness and evil, as reflected in the different types of Rangda masks and the color of her hair. Rangda with white hair symbolizes goodness and protection, while Rangda with black hair symbolizes evil or malevolent spirits.

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The Story

Sunda–Upasunda is a story that tells of two kings who live in harmony in a kingdom called Suroyana. This harmony eventually collapses when both kings are tempted by the beauty of the angel or nymph Diah Menaka, a messenger of the god Shiva, who is sent to disrupt their meditation.

The story of Sunda and Upasunda is taken from the epic Mahabharata. It is a tale told by Mother Kunti to her five children, the Panca Pandawa, to teach the importance of maintaining family harmony.

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Chapter 1

The performance opens with the Barong Dance (Mythical Tiger), set in a very dense forest. While the tiger is resting, a monkey appears in search of food and begins to tease the tiger.

Chapter 2

A group of fairies prepares to welcome the nymph Diah Menaka. They scatter flowers so that the air becomes fragrant.

Chapter 3

The Barong Brutuk Dance symbolizes the various types of trees that grow in the forest. In this forest, King Sunda and his brother King Upasunda are traveling toward a hermitage located in a haunted woodland. The two kings are famous for their great strength, gained through deep meditation, which causes the gods to become concerned. As they begin their meditation, Diah Menaka is sent by the god Shiva to disrupt it.

Chapter 4

Because of Diah Menaka’s beauty, the meditation of King Sunda and King Upasunda is broken, and the two kings engage in a fierce battle to win her. During the battle, both kings display their supernatural power. King Sunda transforms into Rangda (Durga). To counterbalance his power, King Upasunda transforms into Barong (Banaspati Raja). Rangda proves too powerful, and the battle seems endless. Followers of Barong then appear to help fight Rangda.

The End

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Banjar Batusepih – The Community

A Banjar is a social organization in Bali consisting of a number of households that share social, customary, and religious life.

Banjar Batusepih is located in Kemenuh Village, Sukawati District, Gianyar Regency, and has a population of approximately 200 families. In addition to working in the private sector and traditional farming, the residents of Banjar Batusepih are also artists, including sculptors, dancers, traditional musicians, and literary artists.

Despite the challenges of modern life, the residents of Batusepih continue to strongly preserve the legacy of their ancestors.

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BR. BATUSEPIH – KEMENUH – SUKAWATI – GIANYAR
BALI – INDONESIA 80582

PHONE: 0361-946025
MOBILE: 081 338 682 851

Email:
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Spiritual Interpretation

The Barong Dance expresses a central spiritual teaching of Balinese Hinduism: the world is sustained by balance, not by the elimination of darkness. Barong represents protection, order, and life-affirming energy, while Rangda embodies chaos, destruction, and spiritual trial. Their battle is never fully resolved, reflecting the understanding that harmony requires continual awareness, discipline, and renewal rather than final victory.

The story emphasizes how desire and ego can disrupt harmony, even among the powerful. The monkey character plays a symbolic role, representing uncontrolled instinct and excess life force. His exaggerated, sometimes shocking behavior is not erotic but instructional, using humor and discomfort to externalize imbalance. Together, Barong, Rangda, and the monkey reveal a complete spiritual vision: order, chaos, and instinct coexist, and well-being depends on recognizing these forces and keeping them in balance.