Don’t Miss

Ogoh-Ogoh Parade – Eve of Nyepi March 24th 2020 One of the most awaited events to take place on the eve of Nyepi; the Ogoh-Ogoh Parade has gained worldwide recognition due to its cultural uniqueness. Before the parade starts, every fam ily will conduct prayers and blessings at the family temple before conducting a ritual called “Pengrupukan” – which means, to chase away malevolent forces. Entire families will go through their homes hitting pots and pans and carrying lit fiery torches. These evil spirits are later manifested in the form of the OgohOgoh or demon effigies with bulging eyes made of bamboo, papier-mâché and cloth. Carried through the streets in torch-lit parades, the Ogoh-Ogoh’s purpose is to bewilder evil spirits to flee and cease harming human beings. On this day, cockfighting is permitted because the spilling of blood is necessary for the purpose of purification. The parade usually starts at around 19:00 local time and can be viewed on all major roads around Bali.

Nyepi Day 2020 (Day of Silence) March 25th 2020 Commemorating the start of the Hindu New Year, Nyepi Day marks one of the most unique religious celebrations in all the world – it is a day of complete silence where the entire island of Bali shuts down in total peace and quiet for 24 hours. Bali’s roads will be devoid of people, vehicles and activities and the Balinese people will spend the day fasting and resting in contemplation and meditation. It is observed from 6am to 6am the following day. Throughout these hours, everyone stays indoors, whether in family homes, resorts or villas and try to remain as quiet as possible. Not a single soul on the island of Bali will be allowed to work, seek entertainment or pleas ure or even travel. In fact, many devout Hindus will not be talking or eating at all. When night falls, all of Bali is shrouded in pitch darkness while activities may still continue indoors under the covers of thick blackout curtains. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed. In most towns, villages and areas outside of major hotels and resorts, the local govern ment has decreed that WIFI, Radio and TV signals must be turned off so that the spirit of Nyepi can be fully observed and appreciated.

Gembak Geni March 26th 2020 The day after Nyepi is referred to by the Balinese as Ngembak Geni. On this day, the Hindus go around their towns or villages and ask for forgiveness from each other so that they could start the New Year fresh. Derived from two words, “Ngembak” meaning free and “Geni” meaning fire, and therefore, Ngembak Geni translates to “free of fire”. It’s an interesting day following Nyepi as the locals would carry-out a wide range of ceremonies and rituals on this day while visiting friends and families. Many Balinese-owned shops will be closed on this day.

Bali Spirit Festival March 29th – April 6th 2020 Ubud The Bali Spirit Festival summons yoga enthusiasts, dancers, musicians and spirituality seekers from all corners of the globe, joining together to inspire one another and nourish each individual’s potential within. Offering a diverse range of opportunities to try something radically new and immerse yourself into a fully selfguided experience with over 300 workshops over the course of the festival. Discover and practice a spectrum of yoga traditions such as Vinyasa, Kundalini, Hatha, Jivamukti, Ashtanga and exciting new modalities like Laughter Yoga, Acro Yoga, Biodynamic Yoga, Shamanic Yoga Flow as well as holistic workshops com plementary to yoga such as Kirtan, Sound Healing, Breathwork and Bodywork. Other than yoga, dance and music, you can meet and learn from world-renowned teachers and experts offering a wide range of topics on personal development, conscious movement and healing or experience group sessions for deeper, authentic connection. Please visit www.balispiritfestival. com for tickets and more info. Photo courtesy of Bali Spirit Festival

Omed-omedan (The Kissing Ceremony) Banjar Kaja, Sesetan Village, Denpasar March 26th 2020 A hundred-year-old ritual that originated from the Banjar Kaja Sesetan Village in Denpasar is also known as “The Kissing Cer emony” and is mainly held for youths of the village to express their joy for the first day of the Balinese New Year. The proces sion, which involves unmarried youths between the age of 17 to 30, begins with a mass prayer for safety before both groups take the position of facing each other on the main street of the village. Then, at the signal of a Hindu leader, both sides approach the centre of the road. Male participants pull and kiss the female participants while other villagers pour buckets of water over them.