The Bade: The Tower That Carries the Dead to the Cremation
What the bade cremation tower does in ngaben
A bade cremation tower is a temporary, decorated structure used in some Balinese Hindu ngaben processions. It carries the deceased, or the prepared remains, from the family’s home or a ceremonial gathering point towards the cremation ground. It is not the pyre, and it is not used in every form of ngaben.
For a visitor who meets one on a village road, the practical response is simple: give the procession room, stay out of its path and treat the event as a family and community rite. The tower’s height and movement make it conspicuous, but its place in the ceremony matters more than its appearance.
The bade is the elevated carrier for the journey. Bearers lift it together, and in many processions it is accompanied by relatives, community members and offerings. The timing and route are set by the family and the local community, not by any visitor timetable.
Some ngaben are community ceremonies in which several families share one event. A single tower is therefore only one part of a larger sequence of family and community observances, and it should be understood within that wider ceremony.
The bade is often confused with two other objects. The petulangan is a separate ox-shaped structure used in the cremation itself, and the pyre is where the fire is lit. The petulangan’s exact role varies by community, so ask a local host rather than assuming one explanation applies everywhere. The key point is that the bade is a carrier, not the cremation structure.
How the tower is shaped and assembled
A bade is built as a temporary structure rather than a permanent building. Bamboo and wood form the framework, and paper, cloth and decorated surfaces give it its visible finish. Its tiers rise above the bearers and are decorated for the particular rite.
From the roadside, look at how the structure is composed rather than trying to assign a fixed meaning to every ornament. You may see stacked platforms, cloth panels, banners and paper forms. The family’s choices, the maker’s skill and local custom together decide the final appearance, so one tower should not be read as a model for all of Bali.
Construction is collective work. Skilled makers and experienced community members contribute knowledge about balancing and assembling a structure that must be carried through streets. Roles differ between communities, so describe this as shared local work rather than assuming that one group performs every task.
Why tier counts and designs differ
Photographs can suggest that every bade follows a standard ladder of tiers, with each number carrying a fixed meaning. Local practice does not work that way. Counts and designs vary with community custom, the family’s wishes and means, the maker’s design and the route, so no single number applies across Bali.
For the same reason, comparisons between two processions can mislead. One community may use a more elaborate tower, another a compact carrier, and another a different form of ngaben altogether. A tall tower’s appearance alone cannot tell an outsider the deceased person’s standing or the meaning the family gives the rite. If you are attending with a knowledgeable local companion, ask about the design only at a suitable moment, and never while people are carrying out ritual duties.
What happens on the route to the cremation ground
The procession moves the bade from the ceremonial starting point towards the cremation ground, known locally as the setra. Bearers carry it together, accompanied by relatives, community members and, in many processions, the loud percussion of baleganjur. The sound and movement mark this as a collective event. They are not a cue for visitors, and the pace of the procession should not be treated as a schedule for spectators.
At some junctions, bearers rotate the tower. The movement is commonly explained as a way to confuse the spirit so that it cannot find its way back to the home. This is a belief associated with the practice rather than a mechanical purpose, and villages do not all follow it in the same way.
The road itself shapes what a visitor sees. In a narrow lane, a tall structure and its bearers need space to negotiate corners and obstacles. If you see people moving ahead of the tower, they are managing the procession, not inviting photographs. Do not cross between carriers, step into the group to get a better angle or stand where the procession needs to turn.
A route can pass through ordinary village streets before reaching the cremation ground, which is one reason a procession may briefly affect local movement. If you are travelling by road and meet one, wait for it to pass rather than overtaking the group. If you are on foot, move back to where residents are already standing and leave a clear corridor.
At the setra: the tower is only one stage
Once the procession reaches the cremation ground, the bade’s carrying role ends. The body or prepared remains are transferred in line with the rite, and the cremation proceeds with the petulangan and the ritual arrangements chosen for that ceremony. Priests or ritual specialists may take part, and offerings and prayers form part of the sequence.
Whether the tower itself is burned depends on local custom, so a visitor should not infer it from a photograph. Nor is there one reliable duration for a cremation. Preparations, procession, transfer and the fire are separate stages with their own timing, and a person who sees the bade pass through a street may be witnessing only one part of a much longer sequence.
What the tower means to Balinese Hindu families
In Balinese Hindu belief, cremation is connected with the release of the soul and its onward journey. The bade belongs to the procession that carries the deceased towards the cremation ground, so it can be described as a ritual carrier and as a collective honour paid to the dead. Families do not all explain its tiers or decorations in exactly the same way.
The tower makes skilled making, kinship and neighbourhood participation visible in public space. Its scale signals the importance of the occasion, while carrying it requires coordination among many people. Those observations explain why the bade attracts attention without being reducible to decoration. Its significance is bound to the rite and to the people responsible for it, not to its usefulness as a picture.
A community ngaben may bring several families into one shared ceremony, and the form of the rite can change what is carried and whether a bade is present. A reader interested in the wider sequence should start with the Balinese culture guide and treat the tower as one part of that broader setting.
Watching a bade procession respectfully
A procession is not an advertised attraction, and seeing one does not grant permission to enter the family’s space or photograph people closely. If you come across it by chance, remain at the roadside and let participants pass. Keep a clear distance from the tower and its bearers, because the structure is large, moving and carried by people who need to see one another and respond to the route.
Do not block a junction, stand in front of the tower, touch the structure or fly a drone over the procession. Avoid pushing through a crowd for a view. If you want a photograph, first consider whether people are identifiable and whether the moment is private or emotionally charged. Ask permission when it is appropriate and possible, and if nobody can comfortably answer, put the camera away. The guidance in Bali etiquette covers photography and religious events, and the family’s or community’s instruction at the scene takes precedence.
Dress modestly if you are near a ceremonial gathering, speak quietly, and do not touch offerings or ritual objects. A procession may be visible from a public road while the family’s rites remain private. Do not follow the group into the cremation ground unless local people clearly indicate that visitors may enter. If a community member asks you to move, do so promptly.
For travel planning, allow the procession to pass and accept that a route may pause or change. Trying to predict where a bade will appear is unreliable, because ceremonies are organised around family and community arrangements rather than a visitor timetable. If your journey is time-sensitive, leave a buffer when travelling through village areas, and if you meet a procession, wait rather than squeezing past it.
Questions people ask about the bade
Is a bade the same as a lembu?
No. The bade is the carrier used for the journey to the cremation ground. The petulangan is an ox-shaped structure used in the cremation itself. The two have different roles, and a procession may use both.
Does every Balinese cremation use a tower?
No. Ngaben forms vary, and some do not use a bade or wadah. A procession without a tall tower can still be part of a complete and meaningful rite.
How many levels does a bade have?
There is no single number that applies across Bali. Counts and designs follow local practice and the circumstances of the ceremony, so avoid reading a fixed social rank from the number of tiers alone.
Is the bade burned with the body?
That depends on local custom. The body is cremated with the ritual arrangements chosen for the ceremony, and the bade’s handling follows the community’s practice. Do not assume that the tower joins the pyre.
Can visitors watch a procession?
You may encounter a procession from a public road, but access to the ceremony is not automatic. Stay back, keep the route clear, follow local requests and do not take close photographs without permission.
Read the procession as a community rite
The bade is easiest to understand as a temporary ceremonial carrier, made for a particular ngaben, borne along a community route and distinct from the cremation structure. Its materials and tiers reflect the labour involved, but local custom, not a universal design chart, explains the details. When a procession crosses your path, space and restraint are more useful than a closer view. To plan other cultural activities around your trip, use the Bali things to do guide and choose experiences that leave room for community life to continue on its own terms.
For more on this area, see Balinese Ceremonies and Holy Days: A Visitor’s Guide.
Related guides: pelebon, pawintenan, ngenteg linggih, ngelawang barong, Balinese Life-Cycle Rites: From Birth to Cremation.