Galungan is a Balinese holiday which celebrates the victory of dharma over adharma (the triumph of good over evil). It marks the time when ancestral spirits of deceased relatives visit the earth and return to their former homes. During this time, the Balinese have a responsibility to be hospitable and welcoming to their past ancestors through prayers and offerings. Of course, every one ends up eating good Balinese food and dressing up in traditional clothes to visit the temples and their extended families.
The most obvious sign of the celebrations are the penjor – bamboo poles with offerings suspended at the end which line the roads (see below). The last day of the celebration is Kuningan, when the spirits of the dead leave the earth and return to their celestial home. Galungan and Kuningan are celebrated twice a year, at the end of February and July.
