Perang Tipat Bantal: The Tipat War of Kapal Village

The Tipat Bantal War of Kapal village (Perang Tipat Bantal) is a ritual held in the village of Kapal in Mengwi district, Badung regency, Bali. It takes place on Purnama Kapat, the full moon of the fourth month of the Balinese lunar calendar, and it forms part of the village observance known as Aci Tabuh Rah Pengangon. The two rice-based foods that give the ritual its name, tipat and bantal, are at the centre of the day.

When Tipat Bantal Kapal is held

The Balinese calendar is a lunar system with twelve months, called sasih. Each month begins after the new moon, known as tilem, and the full moon, purnama, falls near the middle of the month. The Kapal ritual is held on the full moon of the fourth month, Sasih Kapat, which usually falls in September or October. Because the lunar calendar does not match the Gregorian calendar, the date changes from year to year.

The two foods at the centre of the ritual

Tipat and bantal are the two rice-based foods of the Kapal ceremony. Tipat is read as the feminine element and bantal as the masculine, and the pairing of the two is part of the ritual’s meaning.

Legend and sacred text

The ritual is tied to the legendary figure Ki Kebo Iwa, whose story is part of the village tradition. The observance is recorded in the Lontar Tabuh Rah Pengangon, a palm-leaf manuscript held by the customary leader Ketut Sudarsana. The full ritual name, Aci Tabuh Rah Pengangon, is also used in its shorter form, Aci Rah Pengangon.

Where the Tipat Bantal War Takes Place

Kapal is a village in Mengwi district, within Badung regency in Bali. Readers who want to see how the island’s ceremonies are grouped can turn to the Balinese ceremonies page, and the tabuh rah ceremony page covers the wider ritual that the Kapal observance belongs to.

The Kapal observance is a religious and community event, so visitors should read the guidance on temple behaviour before going. The pages on temple etiquette for first-time visitors and the general Bali etiquette guide cover the basics of conduct around sacred places.