Last night, communities brought elaborately created statues of fierce, demon-like mythological beings called Ogoh-ogohs and processed with percussive accompaniment through the streets of Ubud in a ritual purification, an exorcism of evil spirits. One Balinese man explained that this day, Tawur Kesanga, is a day when humans accept that evil exists and these rituals are a way to create harmony for humans in their various relationships (with humans, Gods and environment) and to make these spirits uninterested in creating mischief with humans. Today (March 31) is the Balinese New Year, Nyepi. It is a day of silence here in Bali when people fast, meditate, rest, stay home. No one is in the street. In contrast to the usual hustle, all you can hear is the sound of birds and crickets, and as one local said, the Gods. Since we arrived, people have been building these creatures and as the new year approaches, the offerings have become more elaborate. This week, the locals have been excited to share about this holiday, their culture and beliefs. It is a unique experience for a culture to share in a day of silence. Selamat Nyepi
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 03:41:54 +0000
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