Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Indo: Bali: Denpasar holds rite to ward off bird flu, rabies

Wed, 02/25/2009 3:17 PM | Bali

The recent bird flu outbreak and ongoing war against rabies have raised public anxiety in Bali, forcing the Denpasar municipal administration to hold Tuesday the Pamahayu Jagad rite at Serangan Beach to ward off the diseases.

Administration spokesman Made Erwin Suryadarma said the ritual was similar to the Nangluk Merana held a month ago at Sanur Beach.

Tuesday's ceremony was led by Balinese Hindu priest Ida Peranda Kaleran Sanur and attended by municipal officials and religious leaders from other faiths such as Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam and Protestantism. Denpasar Mayor IB Rai Darmawijaya Mantra performed the mulang pakelem or floating of banten (offerings) out to sea.

"We are using banten madya *medium offerings* in the ritual, consisting of two chickens and a swan, as well as other offerings," Erwin said.

Dewa Made Ngurah, head of the Denpasar Animal Husbandry and Maritime Affairs Agency, said the agency was concerned with the fact that Denpasar was still offi-cially under threat from both bird flu and rabies.

"Nobody wants this to happen. We have done all we can, but there are still outbreaks," he said.

"That's why we are seeking guidance and protection from Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa *Almighty God*."

He added his office was still combing Denpasar to vaccinate pet dogs and cull stray dogs, with some residents actively seeking out help from his office.

"The agency is also active in trying to prevent bird flu by spraying disinfectant in markets, homes and vehicles carrying chickens," he said.

"We even distribute free disinfectant."

In addition to invoking supernatural help, Ngurah said his agency was also conducting further registrations of chicken owners and vendors residing in Denpasar. The agency recorded some 200 vendors selling fowl, including broiler chickens, in markets as well as from their homes.

"But there are many seasonal vendors, especially ahead of Balinese Hindu holidays. These vendors sell chickens as offerings," he said.

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