On the day of the cremation, once the sun has passed the zenith, loud gong music plays and a lively procession heads off to the cemetery. Dozens of offerings and ritual objects lead the way and the body is carried in a colorful tower (wadah, bade) fashioned of wood, bamboo and paper, shouldered by scores of shouting men. Platforms at the base represent the earth, sometimes resting on the cosmic turtle and serpents of the underworld. On the back of the tower may be a winged and fanged face of the son of the earth, and higher up a goose symbolizing purity.
Above these platforms is an open space for the body, or its effigy, and crowning the tower is an odd number of roofs. The caste and clan of the deceased determine the number - 11 for royalty, less for persons of more humble birth. Attached to the front of the tower is a long, white cloth (lantaran) held by family members to represent their ties to the deceased. The tower is rotated at each crossroads, to disorient and prevent the soul from returning to disturb the living.
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