Every year people in Bali are looking forward for this Balinese biggest day called Nyepi, marking a new year of 1933 of the Saka Hindu era which began in 78 A.D (what would my great grand children do in Balinese New Year Caka 2011?!). It is a 24 hours of total silence : no light, no sound, no work, no traveling, no entertainment, nothing but meditation & fasting for the true believer of hinduism. One day before that, they call it Pengerupukan Day, a parade and festival of Ogoh Ogoh is held and this once a year festival is not to be missed if you are in Bali during the month of March! The date for Nyepi actually changes every year, following the night of the new moon whenever it occurs around March/April each year. This year Nyepi fell on March 5th, 2011.
Ogoh Ogoh is a giant beast creature made of bamboos,papers, styrofoam, with sometimes metal frame for the huge and robust shape ones. It’s a work of art done by youth villagers community called Sekaa Taruna (you will therefore notice each group of parade carrying the sign of respective Sekaa Taruna/ST), and making Ogoh ogoh does also mean a togetherness among the Balinese youth community, a competition among Banjars – village community, and a business!
I’ve been experiencing Nyepi and its Ogoh Ogoh Parade for 10 times now, due to some circumstances Bart & I decided to cancel our Gili Meno trip and just stay and book a nice clean minimalist hotel room just in the heart of Denpasar city change our Jimbaran air a little bit and relax, and do nothing!
From the classic Ramayana and other Hindu epic heroes, to demon faces, even the funkiest and cartoonic ones, people is always enthusiast waiting patiently for Ogoh Ogoh parade. Like I said before, for the Banjar community this means a competition. For the locals watching it, it’s a free street entertainment! For the tourists this is one cultural event not to be missed. For the street vendors this is business..Moi? I keep telling myself I needed to get out of the island on Nyepi Day, had enough of these beasts, but here I am with @bartcatapult still amazed with the creativity young balinese do mixing traditional culture with current colorful crazy designs..
Here are more shots from Benny from the 1933..errr..I mean 2011 Ogoh Ogoh Festival on Jalan Teuku Umar, Simpang Enam, Denpasar a while ago.
2 thoughts on “Ogoh-ogoh Festival of Nyepi Day 1933”