Mekare-kare is a sacred ritual combat performed annually in the Bali Aga village of Tenganan Pegringsingan during the Sasih Kalima month (approximately June–July in the Gregorian calendar). The ritual involves young men of the village who take turns striking each other with bundles of thorned pandan leaf (Pandanus tectorius) across the shoulders and back, while their opponent attempts to shield themselves with a woven rattan shield (encase). Blood drawn during the combat is considered auspicious — a demonstration of spiritual fortitude and a gift to the village deities. The combat takes place in the central village lane to the accompaniment of gamelan selonding — a set of iron-keyed percussion instruments unique to Tenganan and believed to be among the most ancient gamelan ensembles in Bali. The selonding is sacred; its tones are associated with specific deities and its performance is restricted to ritual contexts. The combination of the iron gamelan's eerie, resonant sound, the sight of the pandan warriors circling each other in traditional dress, and the narrow confines of the lane creates an atmosphere of intense ritual drama. Women of the village participate in a parallel ceremony involving ritual spinning of cotton thread, performed simultaneously in the temple courtyard adjoining the combat lane. The festival extends over several days and includes additional rituals, sacred processions, and the village-wide consumption of ceremonial foods prepared according to Tenganan's strict customary law. Visitors are welcome as observers but should dress modestly, move quietly through the ritual spaces, and follow instructions from village elders.